Safework SA chief tells ICAC hearing of low morale after inspectors’ government cars and parks were cut, says unions slowing pace of change
SAFEWORK SA is wracked by low morale and “change fatigue” as inspectors revolt at losing their government cars and subsidised parking spots as part of sweeping reforms, its director has told a public ICAC hearing.
- Safework SA inspectors at significant risk of corruption
- Ride operators blast SafeWork over its actions after show tragedy
SAFEWORK SA is wracked by low morale and “change fatigue”, its executive director has revealed, in the first public hearing probing the potential for maladministration and corruption in the agency.
Executive director Martyn Campbell told the Independent Commission Against Corruption public evaluation hearing that he had been frustrated by the pace of change since taking over as its chief in August 2016.
He said inspectors had revolted at losing their government cars and subsidised parking spots as part of sweeping reforms.
On top of a raft of new training and education programs to improve investigations and stamp out the risk of corruption, Mr Campbell told the hearing his decision to strip 85 inspectors of their 24/7 use of government cars and subsidised parking spots had created discontent.
“I think that morale is low at the moment because of my decision to remove vehicles away from personal use,” he said.
“There is a small group who see the use of vehicles as part of their contract of employment … we have already had one inspector resign.”
Mr Campbell said he would not rescind his controversial decision unless he was overruled in what he foreshadowed as a likely challenge in the SA Employment Tribunal.
The hearings have been prompted by a series of complaints and failed prosecutions, including one surrounding the death of construction worker Jorge Castillo-Riffo at the RAH site.
Mr Campbell, who has a background as a UK detective and within occupational health and safety in the mining industry, laid much of the blame for the slow rate of change upon unions.
He told the hearing the most recent enterprise bargaining agreement made it mandatory to consult unions on any change — not just significant change as had previously been the case.
Mr Campbell said that meant unions were involved in matters such as the removal of refreshments in offices and alterations to individual employees’ roles.
Mr Campbell agreed with Commissioner Bruce Lander that inspectors were at increased risk of inadvertently committing acts of misconduct or corruption because there had been no specific training in recent years.
The review aims to raise the standard of investigations through a Charles Sturt University course, which will equip Safework SA inspectors with tools and skills similar to police forces.
He said upon taking the reins at Safework SA, the organisation had no overarching strategic plan, and that an 18-month “road map” for change was experiencing some resistance from workers and unions.
A “silo mentality” between the three different arms of Safework SA had taken longer than hoped to break down, particularly between the educational and regulatory divisions, Mr Campbell said.
“It is better than a year ago, but not of the standard of an agency of our maturity … there is still a long way to go,” he said.
That lack of communication created a risk that the educational arm could be informed of an unsafe workplace but not refer it to the regulatory and enforcement branch, however Mr Campbell said he did not believe such an oversight had occurred.
Mr Campbell said while there was a definite air of “change fatigue” within the agency, he believed a resilience training course would help staff cope with and accept the reforms.