An independent review into workplace equality at Ambulance Victoria (AV) has received widespread reports of incivility, disrespect, discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and victimisation.
Releasing Volume One of their Final Report Independent Review Into Workplace Equality in Ambulance Victoria, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Ro Allen said AV had adopted and implemented a range of preventative measures to provide a safe working environment.
“However, the organisation’s approach to these issues is still maturing and does not currently fully comply with the Equal Opportunity Act,” Commissioner Allen said.
“As a result, those preventative measures are not having their intended effect, as we have seen evidenced by the reported extent of the conduct that we heard about during the Review,” they said.
Commissioner Allen said that, over the course of the Review, the Commission examined 1,213 documents, conducted interviews with 255 people and spoke to AV staff across a series of focus groups, site visits and observational shifts.
They said 2,163 people completed an in-depth survey as part of the Review and 145 written submissions were received.
The Commissioner said 47.2 per cent of survey respondents reported experiencing discrimination; 17.4 per cent reported experiencing sexual harassment; 52.4 per cent reported experiencing bullying; and 34.5 per cent reported experiencing victimisation.
“Incivility and other everyday forms of disrespect and everyday sexism were also widely reported, which, whilst not in themselves unlawful, can still cause harm and create an environment where more serious and widespread conduct can occur,” Commissioner Allen said.
“The high number of participants who reported witnessing or later learning about discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying and/or victimisation further reinforced the scale of this conduct within the organisation.”
Commissioner Allen made 24 recommendations in Volume One of their Final Report, outlining reforms to be actioned immediately to address pressing safety, respect and trust issues.
They said recommendations included actions to improve safety and harm prevention; develop a fair reporting and complaints system; develop new organisational values; and strengthen organisational structures required to implement reform.
“The commitment from Ambulance Victoria’s leadership at the outset of the Review to implement our recommendations even before we had written them shows genuineness and should give cause for great hope, and the Commission will be there walking alongside the organisation at every step.”
Commissioner Allen said they hoped the Review’s findings would prompt all organisations to reflect on their own positive duty to eliminate workplace harm.
“The issues this Report details with are not unique to Ambulance Victoria,” they said.
The second volume of the Commissioner’s Final Report is expected to be available in March and to detail findings and recommendations in relation to equality, fairness and inclusion.
The Commissioner’s 501-page Final Report Volume One can be accessed at this PS News link.
