EROTIC ANIME FIGURINES AND SECRET SURVEILLANCE

What sort of people is this Government putting in charge of our workplaces?

The Government appointed Gerard Boyce to the role of Deputy President at Fair Work Commission – which pays $460,000 a year – in December 2018.

Last year he had to be counselled for making partisan political and anti-union social media posts – damaging the Commission’s reputation as a fair and impartial umpire.
 
In Senate estimates today we learned this same guy decorated his section of the workplace with “a large number” of sexualised anime figurines that were the basis of an avalanche of complaints from his colleagues.
 
What did he do in response to these complaints? He set up spy cameras in his office to intimidate his colleagues.
 
This is truly bizarre behaviour and the Government must explain how they think Mr Boyce is a fit and proper person to hold this important position.
 
I welcome Senator Marise Payne’s acknowledgement in estimates that this behaviour is inappropriate and her undertaking to raise it with Minister Christian Porter.
 
But the conduct revealed today will undermine trust in the professionalism of the Commission.

The Government must act to restore that trust.
 
Someone who is blatantly partisan, who sparks a series of workplace complaints, and who then uses surveillance cameras to intimidate his colleagues is the last person who should be an umpire over what’s fair in the workplace.
 
It says everything about this Government that they have chosen him to be a Deputy President.
 
Mr Porter is due to make further appointments to the Commission in the coming weeks. Surely he can do better than people like Gerard Boyce?

WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 2020