Victoria’s Supreme Court dismisses United Firefighters Union bid to keep landmark report secret

A REPORT on sexism and bullying in Victoria’s fire services will be made public after moves to quash it were denied.

The VEOHRC report will be released next month. Picture: AAP

A LANDMARK report into sexism and bullying in Victoria’s fire services will be released next month after the United Firefighters Union lost a court bid to keep it secret.

The Supreme Court threw out the union’s claims that the long-awaited review was “not properly constituted” and beyond the power of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

Emergency Service Minister James Merlino said it had been clear “for some time” that there were serious cultural issues within the fire services.

“This is a report we requested and we always said it was our expectation it would be released,” he said.

The independent review started in 2016 after the Andrews Government asked the commission to probe concerns over “damaging workplace cultures” within the MFB and CFA.

SEXISM REVIEW: UNITED FIREFIGHTERS UNION’S BID TO BLOCK REPORT

MFB, CFA PROBE UNCOVERS FIREFIGHTER SEXISM CLAIMS

DAMNING CFA REPORT REVEALS WIDESPREAD HARASSMENT AND BULLYING

The commission was due to release part of its report in July before the union launched the extraordinary legal bid to have it blocked.

It had previously applied to the Fair Work Commission to stop the MFB and CFA from co-operating with the review.

Supreme Court Justice Timothy Ginnane found that the union had failed to prove the commission had stepped out of bounds or that the online survey component of the review was fundamentally flawed.

“The Review was validly constituted and the Commission has not been shown to be investigating matters which are beyond its statutory powers,” he said.

Victoria’s Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Kristen Hilton. Picture: Supplied

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Kristen Hilton said the review “had not been an easy process” for current and former firefighters.

“(The) decision means that the stories, experiences and insights from men and women across the CFA and MFB will be heard, and will help set the agencies on a meaningful path of cultural reform,” she said.

The Herald Sun has previously revealed that some of the people interviewed by the VEOHRC have reported porn hanging in fire stations, sex in offices, and recruitment panels against hiring women.

Female firefighters also claimed they were forced to strip naked and pose for photographs as part of a hazing ritual.

A Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria spokesman said “volunteers across Victoria” welcomed the decision.

“The VEOHRC Report into the fire services is very important to the development of a fair, inclusive and just culture in Victoria’s fire services,” he said.

“Now our hope is that the Commission and Government expedites the release of the report in full so that we can get on with implementing appropriate cultural change.”

Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said the UFU had attempted to “suppress the truth”.

“Serious allegations — potentially criminal in nature — of bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment, discrimination and other forms of detrimental action, have been outlined in a series of reports over recent years, but have not been addressed,” he said.

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