Comment on CultureSafe liquidation - by Cath P

CultureSafe NZ Ltd has been placed in liquidation. Were/are Allan's comments on Social Media contentious and provoking? Absolutely. Does the ERA have the authority to fine him? Well, he says "No". I say it’s an interpretation of the powers they were given, however that was not the intention of the government, and apparently judges can't even decide. Were the fines against him totally incongruous given what is awarded by the ERA to bullied employees even when or if they do find in favour of bullied workers? Definitely.

After sometimes years of soul destroying re-examination over and over of bullying that has traumatised employees in the first place the ERA often awards pathetic sums, it cannot be called compensation. They fined Allan without hesitation and double barrelled it by fining both him personally and CultureSafe NZ.

Should employment advocates have a governing body? Perhaps, there are advantages and disadvantages. Before the NZ Government put time and resources in deciding that, why are they not putting time and resources into addressing the bullying culture that prevails in NZ that begins with our children? When will the NZ Government address the long term harm bullying causes? When will they address the overwhelmed mental health system, with the appalling rates of suicide, self harm, and poor life quality which have become systemic and generational? When will the government realise the NZ quality of life could be greatly improved if bullying was addressed?

During the Court hearing on Tuesday 2nd August even Norris Ward McKinnon Lawyer Jesse Savage agreed that lobbying the government to address bullying should continue. So I ask, what alternatives are available to get the NZ Government to take notice if comments on social media about bullies are edited? How do we get the NZ Government to act if campaigners such as Allan Halse are silenced? How do we prevent more harm if the ERA do not see bullying as a serious workplace health and safety issue and if they will not adequately penalise bullies in the workplace? What could be more effective methods to get the NZ Government to take notice that what has already been tried? I seriously seek answers all to these questions. Perhaps we can all provide Allan with new tools to continue his campaign.

Editor's note: the image is from the flier for the CultureShift conference on workplace bullying in 2018 that was funded by CultureSafe NZ Ltd and opened by Hon. Andrew Little.