Ambulance Victoria review – Update 1 (23 December 2020)

23 December 2020

I am very pleased to provide an update on the Commission’s Independent review into workplace equality in Ambulance Victoria.

The Commission has been asked to examine the nature, extent, drivers and impact of discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and bullying experienced by current and former employees and first responders/volunteers in Ambulance Victoria. We’ve also been asked to examine the adequacy of measures adopted by Ambulance Victoria to prevent and eliminate this unlawful conduct in the organisation. (See the Terms of Reference for further information.)

There are three phases to the review.

• During Phase 1, the Commission will talk to as many current and former Ambulance Victoria employees and first responders/volunteers as possible, to help us understand your experiences of discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and bullying. We will then publish a public report in November, detailing our findings and recommendations for improving workplace equality in Ambulance Victoria.
• During Phase 2, Ambulance Victoria will take the lead in implementing the Commission’s recommendations, with ongoing support and expert guidance from us.
• During Phase 3, the Commission will conduct an audit to assess the extent to which Ambulance Victoria has implemented our recommendations. We will set out our findings and any further recommendations in a public report, to be published by November 2023.

Ambulance Victoria’s current and former employees and first responders/volunteers will shape every phase of the review and, through it, the future of workplace equality in the organisation. That is why the Commission is currently setting up a range of pathways to enable us to hear from as many people as possible. There will be opportunities to share your experiences via an online survey, confidential interviews, focus groups and written submissions.

The Commission takes seriously our obligation to provide safe and confidential pathways for people to share their experiences. That is why, today, we are submitting an application seeking ethics approval of our research methodology for the review. While that application is being considered, we will continue to ready ourselves for the review.

People can already register their interest in participating or to receive updates via AVreview@veohrc.vic.gov.au and some early information about the review is available online. People can also contact the Commission’s Enquiry Line on 1300 292 153 for more information about the review and we will soon have a dedicated telephone hotline for the review.

And, of course, people can continue to make complaints to our Dispute Resolution Service – it’s free, fair and timely. Call 1300 292 153 for more information. Making a complaint now will not prevent you from participating in the review, nor will participating in the review prevent you from making a complaint at a later point.

To enable as many people as possible to come forward and share their experiences through the review, Ambulance Victoria has issued a limited waiver of confidentiality obligations in non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). You can download a copy of this waiver on the Commission’s website.

As the year draws to a close, I wish you a safe and restful holiday period. We look forward to supporting many current and former Ambulance Victoria employees and first responders/volunteers to share their experiences through the review and begin this important process of cultural change. We will provide further updates early in the new year.

Kristen Hilton
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner

Media contact

Peter Davies
Mobile: 0447 526 642
Email: peter.davies@veohrc.vic.gov.au

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