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2023 LGAQ ANNUAL CONFERENCE MOTIONS · Attachment 4 - MOTION D - Cr Finzel- Psychosocial Risk Reduction Training
ATTACHMENT 4 - MOTION D
2023 LGAQ Annual Conference – Motions template
Who is the key contact for this motion? Councillor Karen Finzel
(required)
Submitting council (required) Noosa Shire Council
Supporting organisation (if applicable) Fair Work Australia
Council resolution # (required) 20 July 2023
Date of council resolution 20/07/2023
(required)
Does this motion have state-wide relevance?
Yes. State wide relevance is recognized in relation to the Psychosocial Safety Code of
Practice approved by the Minister, taking effect from 1 April, 2023 under Work Health
and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) s26A.
Title of motion (required) Psychosocial Risk Reduction Training
Motion The LGAQ calls on the Qld State and
(required) Federal Governments to allocate Funding
for a Pilot Program to enable the LGAQ to
co-ordinate ‘Psychosocial Risk Reduction
Training’.
What is the desired outcome sought? Supporting Local Councils in meeting the
(required) 200 word limit State’s mandated requirements to achieve
compliance and discharge their duty of
care in relation to the Psychosocial Safety
Code of Practice approved by the Minister,
taking effect from 1 April, 2023 under
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld)
s26A.
Proposing LGAQ undertake consultation in
collaboration with 15 Queensland Local
Councils ranging in size small to large.
Co-ordinating the delivery of a targeted
Pilot of ‘Educational Training Programs’
addressing the management of
psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Collecting evidence with the view of
collating data to measure the impacts,
benefits, productivity, funding and
capacity with the goal of testing and
adjusting Pilot materials used in the trial.
Considering the Council Employee Code of
Conduct Legislative Principles Public
Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld) for all workers
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with the aim of fostering culturally safe
workplaces and addressing the
reasonable risks of psychosocial harms in
the 15 Local Councils participating in the
Pilot.
Progressing from Pilot to a State wide
capacity across 77 Local Government
Councils with State Funded Resources
into the future to prioritise the proactive
management of psychosocial risks and
hazards including links to vicarious
trauma and employee burnout in Local
Council workplaces.
Background LGAQ has capacity to co-ordinate a Pilot
(required) 350 word limit program with the provision by way of
resourcing from the State Government and
creating the opportunity to collect data
and establish key findings as supported
evidence.
To upscale the Pilot Program to a State
Wide initiative in the future.
Councils as duty holders are obligated to
ensure that adequate information, training
and instruction is provided to workers
about the nature of these psychosocial
risks and control measures.
Promoting a culture of reporting
psychosocial hazards.
Facilitating Managers alongside workers
to model these behaviours requires
education and training including but not
limited to Trauma Informed Care given
Council workers are increasingly on the
front line responding to unprecedented
natural disasters in the past five years.
The associated costs back to Government,
private sectors and communities when it
comes to reasonably ensuring the mental
health and wellbeing of our people is
borne by us all.
Improving health outcomes through
education and prevention with a focus on
early intervention with contributions made
by a wide range of partners to include all
levels of government in addressing the
health of women and girls is identified in
the principle objectives and actions of
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‘The National Women’s Health Strategy
2020-2030’
Steps forward support the notion that
investment into training local Council
workers has a ripple affect with our people
being seen as ‘Ambassadors’ in sharing
learned knowledge through informal
pathways.
Contributing value towards the
advancement of human rights, sustainable
development and peace as recognised by
UNESCO.
Collectively, now more than ever we need
to fast track initiatives to find practical
ways to minimize impacts of COVID
recovery and natural disaster
management now and into the future.
Building resilience to improve mental
health and well-being of our people now
living in our communities with the impacts
of natural disasters, climate change, rising
cost of living, access to affordable
housing, and job security is essential.
Case study/ Example “Council A” fails to participate in the LGAQ
(optional) 350 word limit Pilot Program and misses the opportunity
to introduce reasonable measures and
educational training programs minimizing
psychosocial hazards in the workplace
and leading to non-compliance
consequences.
Furthermore Codes of Practice are
admissible in court proceedings as
evidence of whether or not a duty or
obligations have been complied with.
The impact of “Council A” failing to
participate in the LGAQ pilot program
leads to reduced data collection designed
to adequately inform the State
Government of the need to upscale and
commit funding into the future.
“Council A” also runs the risk of
reputational damage and not being
recognized as an employer of choice
leading to:
• Falling retention rates with added
pressure on recruitment budget.
• Declining attraction rates
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• Local government seen as a less
desirable employer with poor
workplace culture, increasing
workload, reduced resources and
younger people unable to identify
career progression.
• Economic costs increasing for
“Council A” as Work Cover premiums
continue escalating due to the lack of
psychosocial safety.
• Increased absent days as work place
mental health suffers from the
impacts of outward social pressures
such as rising cost of living and
declining access to affordable
housing.
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