[Greens-Media] (Shoebridge MLC) WorkCover bullying needs a Parliamentary Inquiry not another report

[Colin Hesse]

Media Release
 
>From David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson for Industrial Relations
 
21 September 2010-For immediate use
 
WorkCover bullying needs a Parliamentary Inquiry not another report
 
Greens MP David Shoebridge has called on the Government to immediately initiate a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of systemic bullying within WorkCover, NSW's key workplace safety agency.
 
"WorkCover's job is to prevent bullying across NSW and it can't even deal with bullying in its own ranks.  Neither WorkCover, nor this government, can be trusted with getting to the bottom of this.  We must have an open and accountable parliamentary enquiry into WorkCover's palpable failure to deal with bullying," said Mr Shoebridge, The Greens spokesperson for industrial relations.
 
"The two internal reviews undertaken by WorkCover have uncovered a toxic environment of bullying.   The government has sat on those reports for months and when questioned denied any problem exists.   Minister Daley now wants yet another report.  We need to shine some light on this.  It is not good enough to fob it off with another behind closed doors report on a report."
 
"If WorkCover can't stop bullying in its own ranks, how can it be up to doing its job in other workplaces in NSW?  Bullying is too serious a threat to people's health and welfare at work to allow this problem to fester any longer."  said Mr Shoebridge.
 
Contact: David Shoebridge 0408 113 952 or Colin Hesse (Media officer) 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124