Page 4348 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019
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When cultural issues become as bad as they are alleged to be in this part of Canberra Health Services, it is often the case that individuals involved will have different perspectives and concerns. Simply investigating one person in a situation is not likely to resolve longstanding issues or help to identify the underlying cause. Whatever the process, I also indicate and reinforce that the public service is obligated to follow due process and to provide procedural fairness. I am sure that any union would object if one of its members was denied procedural fairness, no matter how egregious their behaviour was alleged to have been. But I can assure members in this place that relevant areas have customised interventions developed to address the specific issues in the area, recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to workplace culture improvements.
MR WALL: Minister, did the letter from the chair of the independent culture review panel to the CEO of Canberra Health Services refer to the area or areas associated with the CPSU’s allegations of harassment in this instance?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I have indicated, as did Minister Fitzharris before me, that we would not be releasing the list of areas that were identified. This is something that is supported by staff and, I understand, by Mr Reid and the culture review team, with an understanding of each of these areas—
Mr Wall: A point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Resume your seat, minister.
Mr Wall: It is on relevance. The question did not ask for the list or the detailed specifics of the area. It asked if the area was referred to in the letter from the independent chair of the culture review panel to the CEO of Canberra Health Services. A simple yes or no would suffice.
Mrs Dunne: Can you do a yes-no answer?
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, I am not directing a minister to provide a yes-no answer, and I will have no more interjections.
Mrs Dunne: I’m asking for one, though.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, you are warned. Can we put on record that Mrs Dunne is warned. You have the floor, minister.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I recognise that Mr Wall has not identified the particular area, but I believe it was identified in the article in the Canberra Times, so I am sticking by the decision that has been made that the areas identified in the culture review will not be publicly talked about.
Once that comprehensive work has been done, and once the customised interventions have been developed and implemented, we will be talking publicly about the work that has been done and the improvements in culture within Canberra Health Services.
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