Page 3564 - Week 11 - Thursday, 23 October 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Chief Minister, are public servants in the ACT public service too scared of reprisals to report more incidents publicly given the high rates of staff experiencing or observing bullying but low rates of reporting?
MS GALLAGHER: I do not believe so, although it is always an issue that we cannot ignore. From my experience, and there are different levels at which you can report concerns that you have in your workplace, certainly in the areas I am responsible for I am aware how proactively they are managed within the relevant directorates. This survey would indicate that perceptions of bullying or harassment issues between, say, how managers and employees within particular units are working remain something that we need to focus on across the whole of government. It is not unusual for the Victorian public service, the New South Wales public service or indeed, I would argue, probably any organisation that undertakes surveys like this—any large organisation that undertakes surveys like this. There is no reason why the ACT government is any different from any other organisation.
What we can do is try to identify what the problems are and then respond. That is exactly why this survey was done. I remember saying at the time we commissioned this survey, “I don’t want the headline out of it to be beating up the ACT government service.” In large part, it is an extremely efficient, professional service, but where there are problems we should be able to listen to staff, respond to staff and deal with all of those matters appropriately. That is what this survey—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: This is self-reporting by employees. That is not the—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Coe!
MS GALLAGHER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. That is exactly why we have undertaken this survey and why we will continue, despite knowing full well, going in eyes open, that politics would be made out of it.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, what targets have you set for improving on bullying? When will those targets be met? And has the no wrong door policy now been rolled out across the entire ACT public service?
MS GALLAGHER: There is no acceptable level of bullying. That is the answer: there is no acceptable level of bullying. Bullying is not condoned in the ACT public service and, where it is identified, it is responded to very swiftly and appropriately. I am aware there are cases of employees who feel that those complaints have not been dealt with properly. I think the CIT stands as an example there where we have gone back and done a thorough investigation into all of the concerns that have been raised.
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