Workplace issues persist at Australian Antarctic Division
A leaked internal survey has revealed ongoing workplace cultural issues at the Australian Antarctic Division. The organisation has promised significant reforms but there are concerns progress is too slow.
Transcript
00:00 From frozen landscapes to unique wildlife, working in Antarctica is supposed to be a
00:07 dream job.
00:08 But over the past year, two damning reports into workplace culture at the Australian Antarctic
00:13 Division have revealed complaints about sexual harassment, bullying and alarming rates of
00:19 workplace stress.
00:20 A culture of misogyny, a culture of sexism, a culture of bullying and a whole range of
00:27 other unacceptable behaviours.
00:29 The AAD has promised cultural reforms, but a new staff survey shows ongoing issues, with
00:35 almost one in three female respondents saying they haven't reported the harmful behaviour
00:41 they've experienced or seen in the past three months.
00:44 Many saying they don't have confidence in the AAD's reporting systems.
00:48 Well, actually I'm very concerned.
00:51 Everyone has that fundamental right to be safe in the workplace.
00:55 The survey also revealed low staff morale. Only 13% of respondents recommended working
01:02 at the AAD, with one employee saying trust has been shattered.
01:06 Well, I think it just shows how bad things have got in the last decade at the Australian
01:10 Antarctic Division.
01:11 The Australian Antarctic Division says the results show the importance of continuing
01:16 its cultural reforms over the next two years.
01:20 These include ongoing staff training, improved governance and leadership capabilities and
01:25 responding to all reports of inappropriate behaviour.
01:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]