Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to review TFS, SES

Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick will lead an independent cultural review of the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service.

Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick will lead an independent cultural review of the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service.

Former federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, AO, will lead an independent cultural review of the Tasmania Fire Service and State Emergency Service, in response to ongoing complaints about inappropriate workplace behaviour with the organisations.

Announcing the eight-month probe, SFC chair Allan Garcia said it was vital that Tasmania’s emergency services provided career staff and volunteers with working environments that were both safe and respectful.

Mr Garcia said that in a recent workforce survey, 38 per cent of staff revealed they had been bullied in the last 12 months, with almost two thirds of those not reporting an official complaint.

“We think that’s is an undertone there of reluctance, and we want to make sure that those people have the opportunity to come forward and make it clear so that we can understand what our issues are,” he said.

“The TFS-SES culture review will provide the SFC and the Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Jeremy Smith with a framework to build a workplace of choice with strong values and a positive and supportive culture.”

Mr Smith said the review was open to staff and volunteers who were active from January 2021 to the present, and would obtain feedback through interviews, group sessions, written submissions, and a survey.

Participation was voluntary, with all information provided to the independent reviewer to remain confidential.

Mr Smith said the TFS was not doing the right thing by its people or the Tasmanian community if staff were feeling stressed, undervalued, or unsafe while at work.

“We are very good at our operational response, and can get trucks out the door to emergencies,” Mr Smith said.

“But it’s what happens behind the scenes at a station or in an office where we’re not 100 per cent sure what’s going on,”

“Some of the feedback that I’ve received recently is that some behaviours we need to intervene in, and make sure it’s a safe and inclusive workplace.”

“To inform a respectful and inclusive culture going forward for our emergency responders, it’s important we hear the voices and experiences of all our staff and volunteers across both TFS and SES,” he said.

Acknowledging the review process could prove confronting, Mr Smith said a comprehensive, confidential support program would be put in place to assist staff and their families.

The final report will be provided to the State Fire Commission in 2025 and will be publicly released with a Framework for Action.

Ms Broderick’s Sydney-based consultancy, EB&Co, has previously conducted workplace culture reviews in sectors including the military, police, academia, and sport.

Australia’s longest serving Sex Discrimination Commissioner from 2007 to 2015, Ms Broderick was subsequently appointed the United Nations’ special rapporteur on discrimination against women and girls.

In 2016, the former lawyer was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, and named NSW Australian of the Year.