Townsville Probation and Parole office email dump revealed as staff reported to be “exhausted”

The work culture at Townsville’s Community Corrections appears to be down the drain with staff claiming they are “exhausted and not supported” while serious offenders roam free.

A public toilet generic

A high ranking public servant has put staff on blast via a group email denouncing the office’s lack of toilet etiquette.

In emails obtained by the Townsville Bulletin, a Townsville Community Corrections supervisor has sent multiple emails to female staff members regarding reported skid marks in the toilets.

An email sent to 20 female staff members on July 3 read:

“Good morning, you are all receiving this email as you are the only females in the office this morning when this has occurred – therefore the only logical conclusion is it is one of us responsible for the remains of faeces left in the toilet,” she wrote.

“If you are the individual responsible, please go and do the mature thing and use the toilet brush provided to clean it up.

“The next steps will be to call all the women who have been present – in to a meeting to have this message delivered face-to-face.”

Another email was also sent to the women on June 11 from the same District Manager who said there had been “regular occurrences in the last month of somebody defecating in the toilet and leaving either full samples or marks and mess that are quite frankly appalling for others to discover”.

A source close to the female staff members said some of them were “exhausted and not supported” and did not appreciate what they perceived as being“targeted for trivial matters” such as toilet etiquette.

“The staff left have huge caseloads (up to 80 people) which is an impossible task to (oversee). They are exhausted and (and feel they are) not supported.”

Managing director at Employee Matters, Natasha Hawker weighed labelling the chain of emails a “successful way” to “annoy people, make them feel guilty by association … and generally distract people from their everyday work.”

“If, however, the more likely aim is to sensitively deal with a situation so no one feels singled out, gossip is not generated, workplace productivity remains high and the issue is resolved amicably, then a different approach is needed,” the business expert said.

She said that while “the intention maybe honourable” the approach was “heavy handed”.

Queensland Corrective Services was contacted for comment and defended the approach.

“Like all employers, Queensland Corrective Services has a legal obligation to provide our officers a safe workplace,” the spokesman said.

“Workplace Health and Safety obligations include providing safe and clean toilet facilities.”

Originally published as Townsville Probation and Parole office email dump revealed as staff reported to be “exhausted”