SOUTHERN PORTS AUTHORITY — BULLYING
ALLEGATIONS — WORKSAFE INVESTIGATION
652. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the
Minister for Commerce and Industrial Relations:
I refer to media reports of a WorkSafe investigation into
allegations of workplace bullying and harassment at the Southern Ports
Authority, which was completed this year.
(1) How many
claims of bullying or harassment were investigated by WorkSafe in the course of
this investigation?
(2) How many of
those claims were substantiated?
(3) Of the
claims that were substantiated, how many were from each of the three ports in
the jurisdiction of the authority—Esperance, Albany and Bunbury?
(4) Which
ports did WorkSafe visit or inspect as part of this investigation, and how many
staff were interviewed from each?
(5) Will any
part of this report be made public; and, if not, why not?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN
replied:
I thank the member for notice of the question. The Minister
for Commerce and Industrial Relations has provided the following information.
(1) There were 24 complaints made to WorkSafe.
(2) Although
the investigation is continuing, six improvement notices have been issued in
relation to matters raised. A number of complaints effectively raised the same
concerns.
(3) There were two improvement notices issued for each
location.
(4)–(5)
WorkSafe has not produced a report. However, some information on the inspectors'
activity is available through the freedom of information process. The
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 requires an improvement notice to be
displayed in the relevant workplace to ensure that the workers at that
workplace are aware of the issues and the requirement to take steps to, in this
instance, prevent employees being further exposed.