Government departments ordered to update anti-discrimination policies, after $40m payout to victims

State Government departments have been told to shape up by the end of June as a taxpayer cost of $40m for harassment claims is revealed.

State government departments will have to update their anti-discrimination efforts in the wake of figures showing taxpayers forked out $40m to pay off 841 victims over the past five years.

Equal Opportunity Commissioner Jodeen Carney on Monday declared: “Any form of harassment in the workplace is unacceptable.”

Ms Carney said in terms of gendered harassment, there was an end-of-June deadline for all government agencies to update their sexual harassment practices with White Ribbon Australia.

She said an anonymous survey, to be completed by the end of this month, and open to all workers, would help with prevention of all forms of harassment in the public service.

“The results of this survey will assist our collective understanding of the prevalence of the harassment in the public sector, and what more can be done,” she said.

As reported by The Advertiser on Monday, SA-Best MLC Frank Pangallo revealed that nearly $40m had been paid out in 841 workplace harassment claims within State Government departments over the past five years.

Equal Opportunity Commissioner Jodeen Carney on Monday declared: “Any form of harassment in the workplace is unacceptable.” (File image)

Public Sector Employment Commissioner Erma Ranieri stressed some claims were after members of the public harassed employees.

“Not all of the harassment claims reported in the past five years involve interactions between employees,” she said.

“Agencies that have greater contact with members of the public typically report a higher number of harassment claims.”

In the worst case, a CFS worker, who was not identified, was harassed so badly that it cost taxpayers $155,206 to resolve, compared with the average of $47,000 for each case in other agencies. Treasurer Rob Lucas said the anonymous survey process was a first for South Australia.

“Under the Marshall Liberal government, the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has been given the funding to conduct for the first time the Your Voice surveys,” he said.

White Ribbon Australia director Brad Chilcott said SA was only one of two states that took a whole-of-government approach to White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation.

Meanwhile, Adelaide City Council has reported nine cases of harassment in the past 10 years – four of which were substantiated following investigation.

Of the four complaints that were upheld, three were for sexual harassment.

Most complaints were about other employees, with two about the council itself.

Four of the complaints were handled internally.