Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Sport, upon notice, on 30 October 2012:

With reference to questions asked during the 2012-13 Supplementary budget estimates hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, held on 16 October 2012:

1. Was the person who resigned from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) when confronted with allegations of fraud 6 to 7 months ago also alleged to have taken items from the Australian Institute of Sport to use in their cafe; if so, what were the items.

2. Have there been any complaints relating to:

a. bullying; and

b. inappropriate behaviour, at ASC since 1 January 2010; if so, in each instance:

i. what behaviour has been alleged;

ii. how many complainants have there been;

iii. have the complaints been upheld;

iv. what action has been taken as a result, including any treatment or counselling ordered; and

v. what itemised costs have been incurred by ASC in dealing with or addressing these cases of bullying or inappropriate behaviour?

3. Has ASC used the services of Body Politics; if so:

a. what services were acquired;

b. when were they acquired; and

c. how much did the services cost?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

1. No, there has been no such allegation made to the ASC.

2a. Yes.

i. The nine instances included behaviours as listed below:

ii. Seven instances involved a single complainant. One instance relating to bullying and harassment of athletes involved two complainants, and an instance relating to unacceptable communication style also involved two complainants. Therefore in total there have been eleven complainants.

iii. The complaints were upheld in all cases except for the complaint regarding bullying and harassment of athletes. In this matter, following an investigation by an external consultant it was determined that there was no case to answer.

iv. Actions taken by the ASC to address these complaints include: training; mentoring and counselling; reassignment of duties; and changes to supervisory responsibilities.

Sanctions applied include formal warnings and in one instance a fine and suspension was applied. In relation to one of the cases of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour toward a subordinate, the sanction applied was termination of employment.

v. Four of the nine complaints were managed internally. The costs incurred by the ASC in dealing with or addressing the other five complaints since January 2010 have been for the engagement of external consultants. Since January 2010, the ASC has engaged CPM Reviews($58,673) and QMS Investigations ($114,472) to provide investigation services.

2b. Yes.

i. The one instance of alleged inappropriate behaviour related to a failure to declare a conflict of interest.

ii. The complaint involved a single complainant.

iii. The employee against whom the complaint was made resigned prior to any investigation being commenced.

iv. Nil.

v. Nil.

3. The ASC has no record in its financial management system of a payment to the firm called Body Politics.

An employee Body Politics has advised that some consultancy work was undertaken for the ASC in the late 1980s.