Bullying investigations underway at WA ports

The investigations relate to complaints made last year of bullying. Since then a further five complaints were received by WorkSafe in January, which have also been investigated.

In the past three years, there have been 12 investigations into bullying at Southern Ports, of which three claims have been substantiated.

As a result of previous investigations from events in 2014, two improvement notices had already been issued by WorkSafe, requiring behavioural change at the authority.

As a result of the complaints, the authority has stated it is focused on building a culture based on accountability, integrity and teamwork.

Chief executive Nicolas Fertin said reports of bullying were taken seriously.

He said Southern Ports is 18 months into a five-year-long cultural change programme and had undergone big changes since amalgamation in 2014 which had impacted staff, but the cultural action plan was on the right track.