Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, Senator Paterson, I am. Yet again, colleagues—and, in particular, colleagues from Victoria—we are seeing further disturbing reports about union bullying. Recent reports in The Age outline a culture of bullying and intimidation of employees of the Country Fire Authority in Victoria by members of the United Firefighters Union. The report says:

Literally hundreds and hundreds of respondents gave detail of behaviours that included criminal sexual assault; sexual harassment; physical altercations; bullying; intimidation; harassment; threats of violence …"

A staff member is reported to have said:

Bullying starts with UFU on CFA, managers against staff. This is a circus, not a work place.

What is worse is that Professor Caroline Taylor, who undertook the survey into bullying in the CFA, was herself bullied. Professor Taylor stated:

Nobody goes to work to be intimidated or harassed or sexually assaulted or raped, and find that, not only can they not report, but when they do they are set upon …

In The Weekend Australian, Simon Benson also reported allegations of intimidation and bullying.