Local Government Minister Nic Street targets toxic workplace cultures at Tasmanian councils

An MP, who was a deputy mayor before parliament, says bullying and harassment has triggered a raft of resignations at Tasmanian councils. Here’s how the government says it’ll fix the problem.

Minister Nic Street attends budget estimates hearings in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Stamping out bad behaviour in Tasmanian council workplaces was an essential task that required time to achieve, a parliamentary committee heard on Thursday, with Minister for Local Government Nic Street saying there was “no silver bullet” to fix the issue.

Mr Street also said the government was committed to encouraging a greater diversity of candidates running for municipal office in the state, but warned that many would-be councillors were unaware how onerous the job could be.

Greens member for Clark Helen Burnet — who was Hobart City Council’s deputy mayor before being elected earlier this year — told the committee that bullying and harassment issues had triggered a significant number of resignations across Tasmanian councils over the last two years.

She asked the Minister how the government planned to improve code of conduct provisions to protect municipal staff, especially women.

Greens member for Clark Helen Burnet. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We did provide money to LGAT before the last local council elections for forums across the state, encouraging women to run,” Mr Street replied.

“But I agree that if the workplace they are being elected to is unacceptable, that we’ve got a more fundamental problem than just encouraging women to run for local government.

“We will do everything we can to improve the culture and the standard of behaviour in the workplace, but it’s going to take time there.

“I think you would agree there is no silver bullet to fixing this particular problem, as much as we would like to.

“The office of local government has been significantly proactive in … responding to initial complaints and trying to nip issues in the bud.”

Labor member for Lyons, Anita Dow, pressed the Minister on whether local government representatives should be required to hold a registration to work with vulnerable people, saying it was an ongoing constituent concern.

Anita Dow MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

Minister Street told the committee that the government had not changed its view that the making the card a mandatory requirement for local government service was not what the protection was designed for.

“I completely understand why people look at the working with vulnerable people card as some sort of panacea, but an application for the card is a point-in-time assessment and doesn’t have ongoing investigative processes behind it,” he said.

“So we are reluctant to go down that path.”

“Cards have been cancelled simply because an allegation has been made … I’m not sure that we want to get into a position where elected members in any sphere of government can’t perform their duty simply because an allegation has been made against them before it’s been tested.”

When asked by Ms Burnet, whether the government planned to require council candidates to undertake professional development training prior to elections, Mr Street said he wanted people to educate themselves about the role they were stepping into.

“What’s not intended is some sort of screening of people for suitability to run for council,” the Minister said.

“But we have had numerous examples since the last local elections where people have been elected for the first time, and have walked away in less than three months.

“Because either the job wasn’t what they expected to be, or they didn’t feel like they were up to what was expected of them.

“But I would like to see more people running for local government.”