News

• Bovver-boy bosses are a menace to society. Their autocratic ways and narcissistic personalities crush those who work for them. A survey of 3000 workers by the ACTU in 2000 found more than half had experienced intimidation in the workplace, mostly from supervisors or managers, and almost a third had experienced abusive language. In business, the bully frequently rises to the top. Hot-tempered - or ice-cold - bosses who manage through abuse or intimidation, and through blaming others when things go wrong, can thrive and survive for a surprisingly long time. Their style may be part of a deliberate strategy to instil fear and respect, or simply integral to their personality. Bullying bosses sow stress, depression, anger and feelings of helplessness. people avoid raising subjects that might spark the boss's ire. Before an autocrat, the natural response is to become submissive, speak quietly, and withdraw. In extreme cases the workplace stress makes employees sick and wrecks their home life. From being an accepted fact of life, workplace bullying is now a subject for academic study, union campaigns and victim websites. Bad managers are sent to umpteen courses to learn how to treat people well. But it is hard to change behaviour whose wellsprings lie deep in childhood or in the mysteries of temperament. Adele Horin, Sydney Morning Herald, 4/12/2004.

* In the late 60's and early 70's traditional approaches to teaching English were attacked as ineffective and the preserve of the elite. Overseas gurus of the "whole language" approach were invited to Australia. In 1992 the House of Representatives report concluded that the whole language or natural learning approach had gained Australia-wide support and that virtually all curriculum guidelines on primary school literacy were based on this approach. The result? in Australia, England and the US, many argued that standards fell and the new approaches had failed. Many parents also voted with their feet in favour of non-government schools. Again and again, research suggests that children must be taught how to read in a structured way. Recent research concludes that the level of phonemic awareness ability in preschool is a powerful predictor of reading and spelling performance in school. Dr Kevin Donnelly, On Line Opinion, 22/11/2004.

* Public servants sent for compulsory psychiatric tests under Section 85 of the Queensland Government Public Service Act may be asked if they have ever used cannabis or been sexually abused, what operations they have had, if they were adopted or if they are homosexual. The results of the test are sent to the officials who ordered the tests whether the employee wants the officials to know or not. Dozens of public servants have told The Sunday Mail the tests have devastated their lives or careers. Some report that the psychiatric report's contents have become known to co-workers. Liberal MP and former GP Bruce Flegg said, "There are increasing examples coming forward to indicate that Section 85 is being used to intimidate staff or even force them to take stress leave or resign. " Daryl Passmore, The Sunday Mail, 21/11/2004.

• In 2003, 25 per cent of Queensland Year 2 students were identified as having substandard reading skills. Elizabeth Allen, Courier Mail 18/11/2004

* Soon to be released research on 340 Queensland teachers by Ruth Fielding-Barnsley and Nola Purdie, from Queensland University of Technology, found that 92% of teachers could spot a short vowel sound in the word "slip", but fewer than 50% knew what a syllable was and only 24% could recognise the number of speech sounds in a given word. The researchers found that there was a gap between what teachers thought that they knew and what they actually knew. The teachers had not been taught these basic rules of language themselves. Australian 17/11/2004

• There is growing concern by workplace lawyers and unionists that section 85 of the Public Service Act, which allows senior Queensland government department officials to order staff to undergo tests, is being abused as a bullying tool. Many of those forced to undergo the tests had made complaints about staff or conditions. Dr Flegg, a former GP, said that if employees had a psychiatric problem, the practice would aggravate it. If employees did not have a psychiatric problem, it was simply bullying. Daryl Passmore, Sunday Mail 14/11/2004

(A bully administrator may comment on your mental state in letters to you. They may suggest that you are "not thinking clearly" etc. This is a strategy to create the impression that you are mentally ill - so that when you complain that the bully administrator is a liar, it will appear to be because you are suffering from a mental health problem, not because of the brazen lies that the bully is telling about you. Go to a private psychologist. They will know what is going on.)

• 26 of Australia's leading literacy researchers wrote to Education Minister Brendan Nelson to warn him that the whole language approach was ineffective for many children and had no scientific credibility. Children were failing to learn to read. Caroline Milburn, The Age 08/11/2004

( What is really sad about this is that 26 leading literacy researchers took so long to say this. And that they only dared to say it together. When whole language was introduced in about 1978, many experienced teachers repeatedly said that it was not effective. But they were told that they were "having difficulty adapting to change". In 1987 I attended a conference in another state at which the writing of children in year 5 was compared with the writing of children in year 5 five years earlier. It was quite obvious then that the more recent "whole language" writing was much worse - but we were asked not to talk about it because whole language was so politically/fashionably correct. Teaching fashions are often built on "philosophies" (magical beliefs) rather than facts, and teachers who try to discuss and evaluate some of these daft philosophies are considered to be "troublemakers". One teacher who tried to discuss some problems with "New Basics" reports that she was put into a punishment program by a less experienced and less well qualified bully administrator. The bully administrator commented that she wanted to "change the way that (the more experienced and better qualified teacher) is thinking". This Queensland teacher was being punished for thinking her own professional thoughts. Queensland teachers can be punished until they think like a less experienced, less well qualified administrator.)

• Dozens of public servants contacted The Sunday Mail to share their experience of the abuse of Section 85 orders. Daryl Passmore, Sunday Mail 07/11/2004
• Up to 80 of the 400-odd employees at Cooloola Sunshine Institute of TAFE have received compensation from Q-Super and WorkCover for stress-related and psychological illnesses. More than 30 past and present employees have also taken out a class action against the institution, with claims of bullying behaviour, sexual discrimination, impairment and personal injuries. The complaints were originally made to the Crime and Misconduct Commission but referred back to the department to be internally reviewed. Jason Gregory, Courier Mail 05/11/2004

* Bill Wilkie, a psychiatrist for 30 years, says six or so "hired gun" psychiatrists were used on a regular basis by some government departments to conduct compulsory examinations on employees. "There are psychiatrists in this town who...will damage a person's credibility on cue- they are like attack dogs. " Dr Wilkie blamed a management ideology within the public service. "There's a lot of bullying and very primitive behaviour. It has become a culture, " he said. He believed Queensland Health was the worst offender, followed by Education Queensland. "There must be some circumstances in which Section 85 has been used properly- but I have not actually heard of any, " he said.

Sean Reidy, a Brisbane lawyer who handles many workplace cases, said: "It is a very serious interference with people's civil rights...it can be triggered by somebody's whim.

Former and present public servants swamped The Sunday Mail with calls after last week's report. "It was like a Gestapo thing, " said a teacher with 30 years' service who was suspended and ordered to undergo a psychiatric check after he criticised his principal in front of a department officer. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. There have been suicides. There are marriage break-ups over this stuff.

A survey, by the employment agency SEEK, reported that 68 per cent of Queensland government workers are unhappy with their jobs. They are the unhappiest group of employees in Australia. Daryl Passmore, news.com.au 31/10/2004

* Susan Moriarty, a former adviser to Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Commission, says lives are being ruined by the abuse of compulsory psychiatric tests to bully "difficult" employees. Every one of her clients who was compelled to undergo a psychiatric assessment had previously made a complaint about working conditions. The Queensland Public Sector Union agrees the assessments are being used to punish people who have lodged a complaint against their boss or co-worker. The employer responds to the complaint with a section 85 referral and delays investigating the original complaint. Daryl Passmore, news.com.au 24/10/2004

* A parent reported that an affair between a teacher and her 15 year old male student was well known in the local community. So why the silence? (One woman) told of bumping into a male teacher from a school under investigation for harbouring paedophiles one day while sitting in her GP's waiting room. "This man recognised me because he'd seen me on television talking about child abuse and he just broke down in tears. He had reported the abuse at his school but instead of being listened to, he was ostracised by the other staff. No one wanted to know about it and so they made him a victim too. " The Bulletin 31/08/2004, p.26.

• Education Queensland will take no action against the Deputy Principal of a central Queensland state high school accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old female student. But the teacher who reported the allegation to the police was reprimanded by the principal for violating the Education Queensland Code of Conduct. The teacher resigned, saying the matter was not properly investigated.

The Courier Mail has interviewed current and former staff members of the school who claim that during 2002 the Deputy Principal also made unwelcome advances on a female staff member. This female staff member was traumatised by the behaviour of the Deputy Principal. She also resigned from the school. Tuck Thompson, The Courier Mail, approx 08/2004, p.6

• The Queensland Education Act has been amended to ban unruly and abusive parents who enter schools to threaten or attack staff and students. A Sunday Mail investigation in 2003 detailed examples of attacks in schools, including two parents who assaulted teachers during parent-teacher interviews. Mark Alexander, news.com.au 20/06/2004

(Some parents bully teachers.)

* More than 200 Queensland schoolteachers received payouts for psychological illness in the past financial year. The reasons for the psychological disorders were mostly given as disruptive or violent students and interpersonal conflicts in staff rooms or with parents. None were believed to be for pre-existing conditions. QTU president Julie-Ann McCullough said the real story was in the "hidden" number of victims who had claims rejected or continued teaching despite their psychological illnesses. Jason Gregory, news.com.au, 10/05/2004

* New standards for what is and is not considered workplace bullying or harassment will be introduced in Queensland on June 1st 2004. Under the Workplace, Health and Safety Act, employers are obliged to ensure these standards are met. Industrial Relations Minister Tom Barton yesterday said the newly defined standards would go a long way to stamping out the "modern Workplace scourge" of bullying and harassment. Steven Wardill, The Courier Mail, 26/04/2004

• Teachers want Queensland government backing to sue students who make malicious allegations against them. Teachers are being suspended for long periods while false sexual and assault claims are being investigated. Their reputations are damaged and their careers may be ruined. Julie-Ann McCullough, QTU president, said that the system had to be fairer to teachers. Claims against teachers should be better and more promptly handled by Education Queensland. Daniel Knowles, The Sunday Mail, 25/04/2004, p.8.

(Some students bully teachers.)

• Queensland teachers will be fined up to $1500 if they fail to report suspected sexual abuse of students by other school employees. Teachers must report suspected abuse in writing to their supervisors and the supervisors are then required to notify police. Rosemary Odgers, The Australian, 19/04/2004
• Nick Kapis was waiting last night at home to be taken as an involuntary patient to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital. He is due to face the Supreme Court over his stated intention to release the details of more than 13,000 Workcover claims which, Mr Kapis claims, show that stress-related claims are 80 per cent over target. John Ryan, Education Queensland Human Resource Services Director, said that Mr Kapsis obtained the records while he was temporarily employed by Education Queensland in early 2002 to analyse its workers' compensation database. Chris Griffith, The Courier Mail, 11/03/2004

* In 2003, 90 Education Queensland employees were investigated for alleged misconduct. 15 teachers and other school-based staff were sacked after being found guilty of misconduct.14 resigned before any disciplinary action was taken. 29 were given an official reprimand, a pay cut or a transfer for their bad behaviour. 36 were still waiting for the outcome of investigations by the department, police or the CMC at the end of the year. QTU president Julie-Ann Mc Cullough said, "We have 39,000 teachers and the overwhelming majority are exemplary in their behaviour. " Rosemary Odgers, The Courier Mail, 24/02/2004

• Would you recognise Ken Smith, the Director General of Education, in the street? Well you should. He earns $180,000 plus a year-and it all comes out of your pocket. You don't get to vote him in, or out. You can't judge if he is worth $180,000 a year because there is no public and independent performance review of his role. In the private sector, when things go wrong the person in charge is dumped. But the Queensland Directors General face no shareholder wrath. This all seems very at odds with a government that prides itself on openness and accountability. There is a need for independent public audits of the roles of these powerful, anonymous individuals. Madonna King, The Courier Mail, 17/02/2004