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Building inspector’s suicide points to wider problems at authority

By Clay Lucas

When building inspector Rob Karkut travelled overseas, he would often stop at construction sites and mentally compile a report about what could have been done better.

“He’d always be doing building inspections of places that we stayed at,” said partner Andrea Holden of their many overseas holidays.

Andrea Holden with her late partner Rob Karkut at the Taj Mahal in 2018.

Andrea Holden with her late partner Rob Karkut at the Taj Mahal in 2018.

In May this year, Karkut took his own life. The 55-year-old, who had been a building inspector at the Victorian Building Authority for 16 years, was proud of his work and loved his job until, Holden said, he came under sustained pressure to meet ambitious inspection targets.

Karkut’s treatment, along with that of dozens of other VBA building inspectors, is now at the centre of a firestorm within the organisation, with multiple investigations underway.

Despite being an experienced employee, Karkut was put under “performance management” by the authority, which demanded that he – along with dozens of other building and plumbing inspectors – each assess between 60 and 65 sites a month.

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Inspectors who failed to hit those targets came under intense pressure.

“He used to say the VBA were all about numbers, not quality of work, so if he didn’t meet his numbers, there were consequences,” Holden said.

“In the end, he couldn’t walk past a construction site because he said he was shaking and distressed. Before all of this, he would walk past that same construction site and get excited.”

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The authority’s building inspectors who are union members are planning to meet at 12.30pm on Friday, a week after they gave Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn seven days to remove VBA chief executive Sue Eddy.

The authority is being investigated by WorkSafe for the management processes it required its staff to complete and a there is a separate investigation over Karkut’s death.

Holden said Karkut identified who he was with his job.

Holden said Karkut identified who he was with his job.Credit: Scott McNaughton 

The authority’s board also asked former Fair Work Commission deputy president Greg Smith to investigate the immediate dangers to the mental health and well-being of inspectors.

The first stage of Smith’s investigation, released last week, found a “culture [of] conflict”, a lack of respect from some employees for managers, and fear of retribution among both employees and supervisors.

Among its recommendations were a review of the authority’s people and culture department. That report prompted building inspectors to call for Eddy’s resignation. Smith is now completing a second report on the wider organisation, which employs almost 500 people.

Building inspectors working for the authority have told WorkSafe investigators they were being pressured not to complete thorough inspections and to avoid finding faults on projects to meet high-performance targets.

Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn.

Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn.Credit: Diego Fedele

“Management place greater emphasis on meeting performance measures than on quality of work or occupational health and safety,” WorkSafe said.

WorkSafe warned that the authority could be placing its building and plumbing inspectors at risk by demanding they finish at least three inspections a day and, in the case of plumbing inspectors, five a day.

Community and Public Sector Union team leader Andy Capp said an ultimatum from public servants, such as the one seen at the building authority last Friday to remove the leader of the organisation, was very rare.

“I’ve been a union organiser since 1985 and it’s one of the few times I’ve seen this happen.”

Capp met with Eddy in September 2021 about the targets that were expected of building inspectors. “We also raised specifically Rob’s issues with the head of People and Capability,” Capp said.

For more than a year leading up to Karkut’s death, the authority was repeatedly warned about the impact on staff wellbeing of the increased pressure to inspect more building sites.

The Age sent detailed questions to Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn about what had unfolded within the building authority. A spokeswoman for Blandthorn said all Victorians deserved to work in a safe and respectful workplace. She said the government was pleased the first tranche of Smith’s recommendations on workplace safety had been handed to the authority, which had accepted them.

The spokeswoman added that, because Smith was now undertaking a second stage of his investigation, “it would be inappropriate to comment further while that process is ongoing”.

VBA chief commissioner Michelle McLean, sent detailed questions about both Karkut and wider issues, responded by saying: “This was an incredibly tragic event – and our thoughts remain with our colleague’s family.

Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson.

Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson.Credit: Jason South

“We’re focused on implementing all the recommendations from the independent inquiry and working hard every day to ensure we have a safe work environment for all our people.

“In the interests of our people, we all should accept the findings and recommendations of the independent inquiry and work together to implement them as soon as possible.”

Holden said the impact on Karkut’s mental health from the constant pressures he was under each day had been terrible, in part because “he identified who he was with his job”.

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“When he got his 10 and 15 year employment certificates, he got them bound and put them up on our wall,” she said. The certificates remain up on Holden’s wall.

Karkut was well-known in Flemington because of tree planting and greening projects he was involved in. Soon after his death, Housing Minister and Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson, the local MP for the area, spoke about Karkut.

“He was committed to turning inner-suburban streets into habitat for birds and plants, making them a better place for humans to live too,” Pearson said.

“Rob’s great talent was encouraging locals to participate in his ninja strikes – planting, collecting rubbish and making local streets more beautiful for all. I have fond memories of time spent with Rob and my wife and kids doing what we could to green up Flemington.”

“Rob was known for his generosity of spirit and the gentle way he helped and supported his elderly neighbours,” Pearson said.

Holden this week made clear just how much Karkut had touched some of those neighbours.

“One lady down the street, she’s 89, she accidentally got our utility bill. She paid it for us. She said she just wanted to help. It was $350,” said Holden, who told the neighbour she needn’t have done that.

“She said, ‘Andrea, I didn’t know what to do, I just wanted to do something to help’.”

If you or anyone you know needs support call Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

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Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/building-inspector-s-suicide-points-to-wider-problems-at-authority-20221013-p5bpi7.html