Page 3926 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 2011
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example of a lack of positive culture in the ACT public service all by itself. Delving into the report, we see 224 recommendations that seek to create a more positive culture. They include things like a better process of community and family engagement; a whole-of-government and whole-of-community clear and shared vision for vulnerable children, young people and their families; better training opportunities for Bimberi staff; better recruitment and induction practices for staff at Bimberi; better process, support and debriefing protocols for handling incidents; better integration of support services, for instance developing a culture of working together within the Community Services Directorate; and better complaints-handling procedures.
These and the other 217 recommendations of the Human Rights Commission report are founded on building a more positive environment for and culture among the workers and residents of Bimberi and their families, along with staff of the Community Services Directorate and the community more broadly. It is a far-reaching report. It seems incredible, and I guess quite sad, that it took an inquiry and a lengthy report for this government to be jolted into action to develop even the most basic and simple tools to foster that positive environment and culture.
In conclusion, the cases that I have highlighted here today in all probability represent just the tip of the iceberg of internal issues faced by our ACT public servants every day. What is difficult to believe is that rather than actively improving things, this government is content with just maintaining the status quo. The Chief Minister stated quite clearly in last week’s whistleblower motion:
… one of the responsibilities that I have as Chief Minister is to ensure that we do not abuse our position of power and privilege.
Quite so, Chief Minister; it is very important that you as Chief Minister do not abuse your position of power and privilege. But that does not exempt you from looking at the issues that public servants are trying to bring to your attention. As I said, this is quite right on the Chief Minister’s part to some extent, but this does not say anything to members of our public service who maybe experiencing mistreatment in their workplace.
What kind of positive culture is this ACT Labor government trying to create with its new unified public service model where, for all its professed claims to foster greater coordination, cohesion and alignment of effort by the ACT public service, we later learn from the former Chief Minister that the whole exercise was designed to take out the chief planning executive for merely being frank and fearless? I ask: what kind of organisational culture is this government cultivating in our public service here today?
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (3.29): I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue, as there is nothing more important to the government than ensuring our own public service has a positive culture, evidenced by informed policy, ethical decision making and consistent service delivery, all achieved in a respectful and caring environment that supports a strong work-life balance.
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