The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”
August 2020 was the only contact I had with colleagues after the union meeting. Then HR influenced or coerced silence from my industrial association too, isolating and ostracising me again, causing great fear. The response from one of my colleagues, also on the union committee at the time, wrote, “You are valued at [the university]!...I know you quite well from GCHE days and you are one of the most collegial, well organised and diligent (as well as pleasant) people I have come across at [the University] - many others would agree with me.”
Then why are they still coerced to mob me? And why did the National Tertiary Education Union agree to do this to a member? What’s going on? I finally need answers. I have a right to answers. But only through a legitimate, impartial, external investigation, with no association to the organisation and any potential conflicts of interest disclosed. It is calledprocedural fairness.
I know I’m not alone in my distrust regarding “internal” investigations. They might as well call these “cover up” investigations, or sham investigations.
On 7 September 2020, Rena Christmann, the national manager of employment relations and SAFETY, continued to ignore my demand for her to stop harassing me. She now used the HR notifications email account, rather than her direct university email. This was her “workaround” tactic to my email, where I wrote that I did not want to see her name in my inbox again. Wow, right readers?
I replied, “I have already said, I don’t want Rena Christmann contacting me. Do not try to cover up all the unethical behaviour of HR executives. I have undergone a factual investigation report for the insurer for my WorkCover claim. I know what it involves and this professional procedure was not followed by HR at all...If Rena Christmann communicates with me again (very cunning to go through the general HR email) I will proceed with an application for an order to stop bullying via the FWC”.
As I’ve noted in previous posts, thank goodness I didn’t, because the Fair Work Commission is a sham that does not protect employees from bullying. They protect the organisations engaging in adverse action. Hidden agendas that lead torelationships between politicians and VCs, the revolving door that has become the career after politics, the implanting of “friends” in commissions, political donations in return for protection of institutional and corporate interests, it’s any number of factors that have resulted in obvious systemic abuse inflicted on those it is meant to protect: the workers.
Ultimately, it reaches a level that’s too obvious to ignore. The systemic abuse becomes so huge in denying people’s rights in procedural fairness and natural justice, the people retaliate and speak up, with evidence deliberately ignored for too long. People demand accountability, transparency, answers, systemic change, redress and their human rights and dignity to be protected. It must happen, it ultimately does happen. But as always, the carnage left behind by the “closed” group of power abusers cannot be ignored.
Going back to that email sent by (or via) “HR notifications”, there is reason to suspect serious privacy violation of illegal / prohibited surveillance of my communication with my industrial association reps. I called my colleague who was on the union committee, in tears and distress, begging for help to make the harassment from this perpetrator stop.
While on the phone, while locating my email, my colleague noticed something “weird” - it seemed HR had intercepted my emails. I then emailed via her direct NTEU account. To quote what I wrote, in fear and distress:
“They intercepted my communication? I live paralysed in fear. In my proper factual investigation report for CCI I have stated I feel like I’m being stalked. I’ve been given more evidence of this. I had planned some nice things today as part of my wellbeing and recovery. These bullies always succeed in finding ways to prevent my moving forward and recovering. I have records stating that very person is to leave me alone…
We start the process again and done properly this time.
I need to just sit here, take deep breaths and calm down. I have been alone in this entire “process”.
I’m so sorry I was so distressed. You can’t imagine what they have put me through for an entire year, and the audacity such people have to continue.”
My colleague replied:
“Keep safe and strong! Please don't apologise for being distressed. This is being HUMAN!”
Yes. I am human, like each and every one of us. Do I need to explicitly remind fellow humans, to start treating other humans with the same dignity, respect, support, trust, kindness and honesty, that they expect for themselves? Haven’t we all got the same human right in our society and in our workplaces, especially one that is “committed to the dignity of the human person and common good” in its very Identity and Mission, and Catholic Social Justice principles?
The attached document was Rena Christmann’s response to my initial complaint, allegedly done with Q Workplace Solutions. I have not viewed and read the document, for my emotional safety, except a quick scan that proved my “detailed statement” in the factual investigation report for Catholic Church Insurance, was indeed, accessed without my knowledge or consent, by R. Christmann. CCI have therefore violated the Australian Privacy Principles.
It is more of R. Christmann’s spin. It’s her name at the end of the “report”, with a typed section on the last page that apparently it was copied to the then Provost, now VC. I had told Ms. Christmann to leave me alone. She did not obey or respect my request.
It would be respectful for SafeWork NSW to finally truly investigate and present this report and statements to my colleagues, giving them an opportunity to provide a true version of events, especially if false statements were written that they supposedly made.
On 8 September 2020, I sent an email to the NTEU branch organiser at about 3am. The trauma and distress had returned after I had attempted to prioritise my health and wellbeing because I wasn’t left alone from the real cause of the trauma - the HR / WHS bullies.
I quote from part of my email: “It’s 3am and my trauma is such that I cannot sleep again. How is it that she would have access to a legal and confidential 42 page factual report that was for CCI and not for her to read?”.
The union branch organiser never replied or advised. From here on, I’m ignored and mobbed by the NTEU, too. How many other union members have been burned like this too? The union remained silent throughout the entire ordeal where I pleaded for help to make the harassment stop.
I did attend a second union meeting via Zoom around this time. I wrote a comment in the chat box during that meeting (verbatim): “If governance, the upcoming new VC and executive leaders take care of quality staff, they’re taking care of the student experience”.
Unfortunately my message was ignored by all, executive leaders and union alike. I am only one example of how executive “leaders” treat ethical staff who are a positive influence, supporting the career goals of students, staff and researchers. Many in the university community know me and experienced my work ethic. Yet for this, I’m being tortured and defrauded to death. These are disgraceful examples of discrimination and harassment, among many workplace leaders who refuse to reasonably manage psychosocial hazards. How much longer will the assault on my professional life, and on many other good people, continue, before the laws and regulations are enforced?
Before my colleague union rep had a chance to advise and get me back to work (I had managed to tell her what happened and why I finally made a workers compensation claim), I later received an email from this colleague that she cannot communicate with me anymore and I’m not to talk about it with others. I was completely creeped out and frightened.
It’s hypocritical, disrespectful and disgraceful that I’m still being mobbed by a university boasting a mission committed to the dignity of the human person. But I was not going to be intimidated into silence regarding such serious adverse action, that now included employer fraud under workers compensation, and the very offender that was the cause of my claim, who harassed, discriminated and bullied me to a traumatic level, also continuing to violate WHS laws under workers compensation regulations.
It is here the NTEU also begin to mob me too. Withholding information to disadvantage a person is bullying. All of a sudden, everyone went quiet. I have been seriously frightened. Is any of this behaviour from an organisational entity and individual humans, especially duty holders, an example of meeting their WHS legal obligation and duty of care? How is this a commitment to ensuring my safety and wellbeing? They have breached the employment contract with me because I never signed up for this. There were no clauses of this nature.
This post is based on documents 89-93. It displays adverse action for requesting generally protected workplace rights, being a member of an industrial association, prohibited workplace surveillance, privacy violations, discrimination, deception, malicious and vexatious conduct that condones engaging in WHS breaches and creating psychosocial hazards, not managing the risks as the PCBU is reasonably expected to do so, BY LAW.
Relevant legislation:
I won’t repeat the anti-discrimination, WHS, Privacy and Fair Work laws already cited in previous posts. They apply and have been breached multiple times. I now include the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (NSW). For me, this includes my private text messages to a colleague, in the hands of HR, who then attempted to take one out of context to slander me, with the most defamatory dangerous false narrative, as vexatious retaliation for requesting a safe work environment:
Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (NSW)
S.16 Prohibition on surveillance using work surveillance device while employee not at work
“When I look at narcissism through the vulnerability lens, I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary. I see the fear of never feeling extraordinary enough to be noticed, to be lovable, to belong, or to cultivate a sense of purpose.” ― Brené Brown
I don’t want to go into what I’ve heard Brené Brown call “childhood shit” in a TED Talk. My childhood was generally good, but one can’t ignore the shadow that narcissism casts over an empathic child.
My earliest memories of narcissism and gaslighting were around the age of five. Of course, in my childhood years, I had no idea that what I was experiencing was gaslighting and the passive aggressive behaviour of a covert narcissist.
I’ve briefly mentioned this relative in previous posts about what she did (and said), only two days after my dad’s suicide (Eg. see paragraphs 5-7 in the post From the day after the tragedy).
Given the young age of the person who displayed narcissistic characteristics, I was curious to find out if they’re inborn. I used ChatGPT to ask the question.
It isn’t a topic I want to spend time researching. I copied and pasted the answers to my three questions below. I know the app. searches the web to compile an answer, but I also noticed that there are no references cited. Perhaps that’s my teaching, learning, academic research and professional training coming through. I’m sure there’s been much debate about AI in universities. But I’m too busy trying to save my life, livelihood, career, and assets from grossly negligent regulators and the NSW Chris Minns government in office, to remain current in my own professional development.
Here are the questions, the answers I received and my reflections, based on my childhood memories.
Question: Is narcissism inborn?
Answer: No, someone is not born a narcissist in the clinical sense. Narcissistic traits or Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) develop over time through a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Genetic predisposition
There may be a hereditary component—some people might be more temperamentally sensitive, emotionally reactive, or inclined toward traits like extroversion or low empathy. But these are risk factors, not guarantees.
2. Early childhood experiences
This is the most influential factor. NPD is often associated with:
•Excessive pampering or excessive criticism
•Neglect, abuse, or inconsistent parenting
•Parents who are overly focused on achievements, appearance, or status
•Lack of secure emotional attachment or validation
3. Social and cultural influences
A culture that emphasises competition, material success, or superficial appearances may encourage narcissistic tendencies, especially if reinforced during formative years.
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Summary:
While temperament might be partly inherited, narcissism is largely shaped, not inborn. It’s a response to environment and early life dynamics, not a predetermined trait at birth.
Reflection: that’s very interesting. The family dynamics showed inconsistent parenting, emotional neglect, lack of secure emotional attachment or validation. My uncle worked hard in the milk bar / take away food shop business he owned. When we look at the basic needs required for a child, there was shelter, clothing, food, school supplies etc. What was missing was fatherly love and affection. My uncle lacked empathy and was emotionally detached.
What was worse, the love and affection his own children needed, were directed elsewhere (he wasn’t having an affair or had other children of his own with someone else). I won’t delve into this personal memory, but I will say this. Despite my anger and trauma with what my cousin put me through growing up, what harmed both our families, albeit in different ways, was a common denominator: a sociopathic and manipulative aunt.
Her father was emotionally detached when it came to expressing love toward his children. My father was not emotionally detached. Had my immediate family been left alone as I was growing up, with no manipulative interference from his sociopathic relative (among others tied to her in this behaviour), we were fine. That’s why, my cousin’s behaviour and cruel words only two days after my dad’s suicide, was not only disrespectful, it was inhumane. A covert narcissist preying on people in their most vulnerable moments. My manager, as described in my blog posts, was another prime example of that toxic behaviour.
As for the inconsistent parenting, her mother’s side of the family had huge egos. Achievements, appearance and status became an obsession that was likely caused by insecurities, fed by being surrounded constantly by huge egos and arrogance. It was all about checking the right boxes, even when it came to finding someone to form a marriage partnership. The right “external” boxes.
It was a recipe for burning bridges, destroying relationships and using words to discourage others from pursuing their own goals, as I came to be on the receiving end of such behaviour and words of discouragement in my life, growing up. Whether it came from a place of jealousy, insecurity or unhealthy competitiveness, I’m not sure. I think it was a combination of all these factors.
I may be stubborn and determined, but the truth is, as a child, you need to be protected until you’re not as impressionable, believing abusive lies. I wasn’t protected, because narcissism and gaslighting are not easily seen and identifiable. For a child trying to communicate this experience, including how it makes them feel, it’s difficult to articulate. I suffered in silence.
Question: What is a covert narcissist?
Answer: A covert narcissist is someone who has narcissistic traits but expresses them in subtle, insecure, or self-effacing ways, rather than through arrogance or overt grandiosity.
Key Characteristics of Covert Narcissism:
Hypersensitivity to criticism - Easily hurt or offended, especially by perceived slights or rejection.
Insecurity and low self-esteem - Craves validation but may appear self-doubting.
Emotional fragility - Often feels misunderstood, anxious, or depressed.
Envy and resentment - May secretly feel superior but also jealous of others’ success or attention.
Victim mentality - Often presents themselves as wounded, overlooked, or underappreciated.
Grandiosity in fantasy - May believe they are special or destined for greatness but lack the confidence to act on it openly.
How It’s Different from Grandiose Narcissism:
Covert Narcissist
Quiet, withdrawn, sensitive
May appear anxious or depressed
Seeks admiration indirectly
Grandiose Narcissist
Loud, dominant, attention-seeking
Often appears confident and charming
Demands admiration directly
Psychological Origins:
Covert narcissism often arises from early attachment wounds, emotional neglect, or conditional love—where self-worth becomes tied to approval, yet that approval feels impossible to secure.
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Note: covert narcissists often go undetected due to their more subtle presentation.
Reflection: “perceived” slights means having to constantly walk on eggshells, to avoid a sudden passive aggressive attack. It is horrendous to feel hyper vigilant around such covert narcissistic individuals, all … the … time. They are energy vampires. YES to the sulking, sarcasm and guilt-tripping behaviours. I’ve copped them all, including when they are maliciously gossiping about others. No one is “safe” from the tongues of covert narcissists. Nasty behaviour and ENERGY VAMPIRES.
Regarding psychological origins, see my previous reflection, including the note above that I made bold and red. If we can’t convince people in adulthood, of the emotional harm caused by being on the receiving end of a covert narcissist’s bullying behaviour, what hope does a child have in describing this and being believed?
For a textbook case of a grandiose narcissist, look no further than my local state MP for the electorate of Kogarah, also now the NSW Premier, Chris Minns. He enters my story in October 2021.
Question: How does a covert narcissist use gaslighting?
Answer: A covertnarcissist uses gaslighting in ways that are often subtle, emotionally manipulative, and rooted in insecurity rather than dominance. Unlike overt narcissists who may gaslight through obvious control or aggression, vulnerable narcissists often gaslight through guilt, self-pity, or passive-aggressive tactics. The goal is still the same: to destabilise your reality and maintain emotional control.
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How a Vulnerable Narcissist May Gaslight:
Playing the victim - Example, “I can’t believe you’d accuse me of that. After all I’ve done for you.”Purpose - Makes you question whether you were too harsh or unfair.
Guilt-tripping - eg. “You’re making me feel worse about myself than I already do.” Purpose - Shifts the blame to make you feel responsible for their emotions.
Denial with emotional fragility -“I never said that. You must be imagining things - why would you think I’d hurt you?” (said with sadness or distress). Purpose - Makes you second-guess your memory, but framed as hurt feelings rather than attack.
Passive-aggressive forgetfulness -“Oh, I forgot you told me that. You didn’t make it clear.” Purpose - Undermines your sense of communication or clarity.
Projection through insecurity - “You’re the one who’s selfish - you only care when I’m upset.” Purpose - Turns the accusation back on you to deflect attention from their behavior.
Minimising your feelings - “You’re being too sensitive - why do you always take things the wrong way?” Purpose - Invalidates your experience while appearing gentle or confused.
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Why It’s Effective:
Their fragility makes you feel guilty for pushing back.
They often appear wounded, not abusive, which confuses boundaries.
They can mask manipulation as vulnerability, making it harder to identify the emotional abuse.
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Psychological Effect on the Target:
Chronic self-doubt
Increased emotional caretaking of the narcissist
Suppression of one’s own needs or perspective
Feeling like the “bad guy” in the relationship
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Summary:
A vulnerable narcissist gaslights not through overt control but by weaponising their insecurity, playing the victim, and covertly shifting blame. This can be even more confusing and damaging because it blurs the line between woundedness and manipulation.
The greater responsibility, however, is on organisational WHS, HR and senior leaders, who allow it to fester and cause harm on a massive scale. Then add the gross negligence of regulators like SafeWork NSW and their inspectors and managers, and other government agencies like SIRA NSW, FWO, IRO, the NSW Department of Customer Service generally, and if you’re really unlucky, a grandiose narcissist as your local MP, who exploits you for his own political interests and ambitions, Chris Minns.
I was one woman putting up with, pushing and fighting back this shit on a massive scale. It needs to be written. My story needs to be told. As I’m finding out, it’s a similar (and sometimes the same) story of many good people in Australia.
Me as a spirited toddler
As for overt (or grandiose) narcissists, it seems to have become a “normalised” trait in our society, especially in men. Again, I can only speak from my own direct personal experience. Is not overt narcissistic behaviour, that harms women in dating and relationships, an example of toxic masculinity?
The photo above is of me as a toddler, before my memories of narcissistic abuse. My mum has told me that I would dance in my pram as a tiny tot. People would say to my mum that I’ll likely be snatched up early in my life. Not only did that not happen, men have treated me so badly and selfishly, this little girl has now stopped dancing.
I share a TED Talk on the power of vulnerability by Brené Brown:
On 13 August 2020, as a member of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), I received an invitation to an NTEU Zoom meeting regarding union activism and upcoming enterprise bargaining.
To quote from the invitation:
“This is an opportunity to talk about what sort of university we want and to consider the sorts of activities we can do to together as a union to build it.”
On 20 August 2020, I joined and attended. I felt part of my workplace again, before R. Christmann coerced the NTEU to collude in mobbing, fraud, negligence, policy breaches and psychological violence against me as a member.
The online NTEU meeting was my first contact with colleagues in over one year.
Prior to the online meeting, I emailed the branch organiser, providing my input to some of the questions. Given my records proving the use of prohibited workplace surveillance of my personal email accounts when communicating to my union reps, I suspect R. Christmann accessed and viewed the detailed input I provided to another union rep. She already knew I was a union member from the factual investigation report, strictly confidential for Catholic Church Insurance, who willingly violated privacy laws and gave access to the worst perpetrator detailed in my report.
My email to the NTEU branch organiser:
What sort of university I want to see.
In sharing my ideas of the [university] I want to see again (at least in terms of the integrity it once had), I'm going to share my story of what I've been put through and what I'm still, to a degree, going through, that I don’t want any employee to ever experience from [the university] again. The announcement of a new VC is … very timely. To quote from a speech by the Hon. Alfred Kingon at a Catholic conference in 1992 (he was the US Ambassador to the European Union during the Reagan Presidency), "there are no accidents in the universe" (see https://youtu.be/otvkfQcn3l0?si=FUFi2gUv3Uou_JQG&t=420).
I have been committed as an employee to [the university] for almost 20 years. In July 2019, for the first time, I needed to ask for support from the organisation to resolve an issue causing risk to my health and safety. It was a legal obligation for the university to follow established policies and procedures to ensure a safe work environment. They not only failed to do this, they breached a number of WHS and other laws.
To quote from the Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying by Safe Work Australia, “The WHS Act prohibits a person from engaging in ‘discriminatory conduct’ for a ‘prohibited reason’. Eg. it’s unlawful for a person to terminate the employment of a worker for raising health and safety concerns or performing legitimate safety-related functions in relation to their workplace” (SafeWork Australia, 2016, p.7). I escalated a workplace issue after I attempted multiple times to resolve it with my manager. I tried to communicate and reason with her. It was a toxic, distressing and unsafe environment for staff in that workspace. It was a risk to the health and safety of staff and it had to stop. From 2017, with a poorly implemented restructure, I was without support and guidance and left exposed to workplace bullying, even being pressured to manage my team in the same unethical way regarding health and safety. I stand my ground for what is right and for the “commitment to the dignity of the human person.” If I recall, that is still in the mission statement. I went to my manager's manager, who failed in duty of care too, who then referred me to a human resources officer. The bullying was then escalated by the HR unit to a whole new frightening level. I felt like a soccer ball being kicked around.
I think it is fair and reasonable that the university finally meet their legal obligation and duty of care toward me by cooperating, collaborating and respectfully communicating with support to my return to work…The more they commit to cooperating with myself and my trusted health professionals, the sooner full recovery is likely to happen. I am a human being and won't allow anyone at [the university] that are "qualified" in WHS laws and should have known better, make any more attempt to write me off.
“Workplace bullying should always be reported. If you believe you are experiencing or witnessing workplace bullying, you should report it as early as possible. Your employer cannot address the problem if they do not know about it” (SafeWork Australia, 2016). I did report it and HR executives made every attempt to cause me serious harm. They encourage workplace bullying, and therefore, are violating a number of employment laws. The future VC seriously needs to review toxic environments, starting with the HR unit, and unsafe work practices being encouraged that put good staff at risk. They are a liability risk for him. He will not succeed with executive staff like that if their unconscionable conduct continues.
Enterprise bargaining is coming up.
Clauses in the Enterprise Agreement that are used as a loophole by HR managers to continue victimising, threatening, bullying, discriminating and relentlessly harassing to break and destroy an employee need to be removed. Unfortunately for them regarding my case, all they did was shoot themselves in the foot so many times, giving me all the records I need as evidence of the sick game they chose to play. I don’t want this to happen to anyone ever again. Submitting a general protections application with the Fair Work Commission for the adverse action taken against me is now a given. Will the Union support me with this action?
(NOTE: No, the NTEU don’t care. This was now under workers compensation regulations. Had they cared about their members, they would provide information about employee legal entitlements, not agree to mob them and withhold information members have a right to be informed of. The NTEU does not value its professional members. The NTEU causes harm to its members by agreeing to omit information to disadvantage them, and support the HR perpetrators committing fraud as wage theft).
HR managers also violated my privacy in multiple examples of adverse action taken against me for enforcing an employee right to a safe work environment free from bullying, harassment and discrimination…
This university had a duty regarding my grievance, to exercise due diligence to ensure they met their WHS obligations. I was the only one trying to reasonably resolve this issue for a sustainable and fair outcome. From their end, I was victimised, harassed and discriminated against. What I needed to do my work safely was reasonable and an employee right, as well as a human right (especially regarding the deliberate isolation and marginalisation for over one year). I’ve shown a degree of resilience to survive for such a prolonged length of time. But I am traumatised, broken and humiliated. The organisation is in breach of their employment contract with me and in breach of a number of other laws.
We have a change of university leadership.
…When I started working for [the university], I loved it because I aligned to its mission and values. I still do, and they still exist, but unfortunately, only as false advertising to the community. What I'd like to see is the integrity of [the university] to be restored, because, sadly, it's been lost over the last decade. What kind of qualities does the new VC want in his leaders and managers? What kind of employees does he want to attract? Let's be honest, at the moment, it's not an employer of choice anymore. For [the university] to become one again, attracting the "right" people that will support the VC's vision and be committed to the mission and values, because it's a way of life, must happen. What action is needed for people to feel safe to communicate concerns and issues, to resolve something quickly for a positive outcome and prevention of future liability and reputational damage to the organisation? The VC's vision has a greater chance of being realised by having the right team supporting him. He is not a one man show.
To refer to my example again, the worst unreasonable behaviour and serious misconduct was modelled by HR managers, including victimising, humiliating, intimidating & covertly threatening discipline without grounds for such action. HR managers had a legal obligation to support me in resolving my grievance. "Effective leaders model their organisation’s values and standards for workplace behaviour through their own conduct” (SafeWork Australia, 2016, Guide for preventing...p. 12). The message from leaders is a contradiction to the brand and image presented by [the university] to the wider community, especially promotion that they’re an employer of choice. Many workers have witnessed, via my case alone, that the organisation is not serious about preventing workplace bullying and choose to perpetuate the problem, leading to a negative workplace culture where unreasonable behaviour is tolerated. It is unacceptable.
Being a legal requirement, what has been inflicted upon me was not only unethical, negligent and unprofessional conduct, it was very immoral. I was harassed and discriminated against in times of serious adversity in my personal life, including my father’s suicide, which I never reported (and you can see why). It also happened at times when I needed to care for my health or a family member’s. It was no less and no more than what we, as human beings, experience at some point in our lives. I was under the impression that is why leave entitlements exist. I received no compassion, support and care, including any reasonable accommodation of duties at a tragic time, to support my healing and ease me back into work.
Due to constant and relentless work-related stress that was further exacerbated by HR managers, I now suffer psychological and physical injuries (ie. hypertension diagnosis). My work-related stress started in mid-January 2017. I was exposed to serious psychosocial hazards. In my case and with evidence, there are examples of poor support, poor workplace relationships, low role clarity, poor organisational change management, low recognition and reward and poor organisational justice. The combination of these issues increased the severity of the harm I now suffer. What will the new VC do to identify and address dysfunctional and toxic environments due to incompetent or bad behaviour of leaders / managers that have resulted in serious unsafe work practices and environments? Eg. Training, counseling, disciplinary action including possible termination for serious misconduct and engaging in risk assessment to identify and address these potential hazards?
What I want to see from our union.
The university breached WHS laws ... I’ve kept complete records, which is evidence of everything I’ve been put through for more than a year by HR alone. Will the union be able to support me in this process?
Only recently, when I demanded the harassment to stop, and only after I applied for WorkCover, has recovery started regarding my health and wellbeing. I exhausted every strategy I could think of for a reasonable outcome. Intervention, as soon as I reported the issue, was a legal requirement. HR did not comply with the law. Furthermore, a workplace culture and procedures that supports staff disclosing if they are feeling ‘overwhelmed' is a duty of care to staff by the employer. It would have prevented me developing a psychological injury and finally having to apply for workers compensation (they even bullied me to use all my personal leave and kept reminding me, through an employment lawyer, how much annual leave and long service leave I had left. Translation: "Use up all your entitlements and get lost." I will not get lost after [the university] reaped the benefits of my service excellence (and what that service excellence is, you can ask the recipients themselves). Service excellence, for almost two decades, to then be thanked by stripping me of everything, including my dignity, and attempting to throw me in the trash. I'm not trash and I won't tolerate being treated like I am. I never did and never will treat anyone like this.
In a “dispute resolution”, a calculated plan was used to cause me harm. It did cause me serious harm, but the violation of my privacy implicated a family member in my work-related issue. HR managers accessed communication without my knowledge and permission from a neutral staff member... It was irrelevant to the work issue. This violation angered my family (rightly so), so they decided to make a formal complaint regarding the serious harassment they tolerated in their home and due to malicious rumours from my manager (the initial bully). This became worse due to hostile comments overheard by them through the phone, when I called to talk with her manager, and finally, to seal the deal, the privacy violation in a meeting with HR managers. I didn't agree, in the employment contract, to play strategic war games. I wanted to do my job with dignity in a safe work environment. This would have been positive for other staff also suffering in a toxic and dysfunctional work environment. It’s our employee right.
They violated a serious private health matter on top of discriminating against me for daring to care temporarily for my immediate family at that time. HR proved they exploited every possible vulnerability I felt at that time to character assassinate me… Also, my family are not employees governed by an Enterprise Agreement… Emails to my family have been extremely vile, out of line and disgraceful, especially from the HR director. To an alumnus. They don’t apply the staff code of conduct at all. The best form of advertising is word of mouth regarding student experience, based on the future VC's vision and outcomes. But he needs the right staff and then he needs to take care of the staff. I think he needs to start now with my case.
…HR managers are worse than the initial issue, in handling my family's complaint, as members of the public who have tolerated more than enough serious misconduct by managers representing [the university]. And I am certain, while I have been forced into solitary confinement like the worst criminal offender in Australia, the initial bully has been slandering me and my family with more malicious rumours. I need to know what is going on. Will someone help me, because the biggest heartbreak for me has been the feeling of abandonment from my colleagues... I cared about, supported and inspired them for two decades. Where are they? Bullied into silence all this time as well? I have been told that Professor Skrbis is to be the decision maker once the independent investigation report is submitted. It’s been three months to date and I have received no updates.
This entire experience has been as traumatic as losing my father to suicide, including all the attitude and stigma we were subjected to on top of our shock and pain at that time. I have given almost two decades of excellent service to [the university]. They took so much and did not show respectful compassion, care or made temporary reasonable adjustments even when this sudden tragedy occurred.
…I have applied for more leave while waiting for a decision from the insurer (I'm feeling anxious, because I really am running out of leave, how am I going to financially support myself when I have a job and gave my all to it - I expect all the leave I was deliberately forced to take to be re-credited back)... Everyone made zero effort to support and care for me.
Given a change of leadership, I expect improvements to repair the integrity this university has sadly lost. Otherwise what they market in the community is false advertising and misleading. I read the announcement... To quote Professor Skrbis in this announcement, “I am committed to providing [the university] with leadership that is grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and predicated on a strong commitment to excellence, enterprise, and empathy. My ambition is that we evolve as a dynamic and innovative university, while being globally recognised as an institution that adheres to its strong Catholic principles and makes a tangible improvement to the lives of others through excellence in education, research, and community engagement.” His appointment as VC begins in January 2021. If he is committed to delivering on this statement, I hope it can start now with my case. I’ve been committed to such principles for almost 20 years. Why was this not reciprocated and instead, why was I treated with such inhumanity?
Concluding comments.
I worked hard to build relationships with my clients and colleagues and make a contribution of excellent service aligned to the university’s mission and values. I live by the staff code of conduct. The disrespect and injustice I’ve experienced, even denying my human rights by deliberately isolating me like a criminal in solitary confinement, has been a form of cruelty I never thought possible from a university that promotes the extreme opposite in the community. I won’t be thanked in such an immoral way from a university “committed to the dignity of the human person” after two decades of quality service. Most likely my case is not a one-off occurrence, but potentially one of the more serious examples of negligence and safety breaches.
The university (or rather, the HR executive managers who supposedly represent [the university], which they don't - staff like me are the true representatives), failed on every point as outlined in the table of SafeWork Australia’s Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying, regarding how the organisation should have responded (2016, p.19). Listed in the table were all the reasonable steps that I had asked for. I have kept records and compiled evidence of this entire unsafe and distressing situation I found myself in.
I expect the university will stop causing me and my family members any more distress by cooperating…Can a union representative help me get somewhere with this issue too? The person that supposedly is the only one I can contact is the National manager of Employee Relations and Safety, the very person who breached a number of privacy and discrimination laws, harassed and victimised me and caused extended health, safety and wellbeing risks to my family by implicating them in a work-related issue. She has displayed serious misconduct. Does Professor Skrbis know this?…The incompetence, negligence and unprofessionalism that three HR executives displayed is a disgraceful example of bad behaviour and misconduct…Having now been through an investigation process for the WorkCover claim, I'm aware of the process regarding external investigations…
I need communication with someone truly impartial where I feel safe to ask questions about the investigation process. I need to know it will be conducted in a fair, objective and timely way (it’s been around three months already, does anyone consider this to be timely?). To date, the following has not happened (REMINDER NOTE: and given an investigation for CCI now under workers compensation regulations was submitted to the insurer on 9 June 2020, it did not need to happen. But no one informed me of this in my traumatised, cognitively overloaded state):
• who is conducting the investigation (this is the only detail I know. It is Q Solutions and that Professor Skrbis is the decision-maker)
• conflicts of interest—these should be declared before the investigation proceeds (there has been no communication or transparency in anything I’ve attempted in this entire case. I don’t trust the HR executive managers)
NOTE: and rightly so that I didn’t trust them. Conflict of interest (or rather, collusion), will soon be proven.
• obligations including of the investigator regarding confidentiality (NOTE: yeah right…they violated my privacy here too).
• the expected timeframes of the investigation
• how the issue will be investigated e.g. interviews with the parties and witnesses or viewing documentary evidence (they have not asked to interview me and the particulars of the complaint have no staff names identified – I had no idea how to write the report given no one supported me. I asked for an edited version that included names of staff to be forwarded to the investigator. The employee relations and safety manager refused. This version is in my compilation of documents).
(NOTE: I still hadn’t received the “report”, so I had no idea that Catholic Church Insurance breached the Australian Privacy Principles and gave access to the factual investigation report already done for them, with names of staff included).
• who will receive copies of statements and records of interviews (if obtained)
• what support mechanisms will be in place (NOTE: answer is NO SUPPORT MECHANISMS) and
• possible outcomes
Who are Q Solutions and why has there been no attempt to provide me with updates by an impartial and truly professional staff member? If I’m subjected to any of the three HR executives anymore, I’ll have to submit an order to stop bullying and harassment via the FWC.
And finally, in this meeting or later, can I find out if anyone at [the university], … truly cares and will provide me with some support? I need validation that someone is going to listen, treat me like a valuable human being above anything, and show compassion. I may be a little more resilient than other people but I'm human too and feel broken, traumatised and sickened to my very core with every unethical and immoral attempt used by HR managers to cause me harm. They didn’t succeed, thank God. I have a right to safely return to my work. The organisation needs to comply and cooperate because it was a legal requirement to have done this from the start. How will they put together the broken pieces, caused mostly by the three HR executives beyond the initial complaint, to make me whole again?
Now that I demanded the harassment to stop, I already feel safer and my cognitive clarity is improving. I need to return to work and for 2021 to be a fresh start and better year for me too. It hasn't been from January 2017, as soon as I started a new role I earned on merit. It's not right or just for me to be punished for the crimes of others or, at best, because of a string of mistakes linked to a poorly implemented restructure.
I've read the following three documents (I referred to these in my message):
Thank you for reading this detailed reply. Nothing is an accident in the universe, and my voice, for the common good (also in the mission) will finally be heard.
Kind regards and "see" you on Thursday. Vicki.
——————————
I made an annotation on document 88, noting:
I am very skilled at my work, but naive with how grievances are meant to “work”. Given I’ve been marginalised and deliberately isolated since July 2019, for something I honestly thought would be resolved in confidence, fairly and quickly with established procedures, a human being does break and reaches out to ask if any of your respected colleagues ever cared about you in return. The worst is the relentless harassment that led me to react with distress signals in ways I never would, had I felt peace and safe from bullying and left alone. My “behaviour” is fear for my safety and job security, for no other reason than wanting to resolve an issue with my manager, that I couldn’t reasonably tolerate anymore. I have trauma that keeps getting triggered by HR managers. I want these bullies to finally leave me alone. It’s gone on long enough.
On 23 July 2020, I was coerced (this time under workers compensation “law”) to attend yet another IME. Given my first horrific experience with Deepinder Miller, I started shaking in trauma at the thought of another one of these shitty unethical things as part of a shitty unethical “process”.
I was right.
My NTD has the report. As expected, it is deliberately full of suspicion, innuendo, anecdotes or unsupported information from any source, that, according to SIRA NSW guidelines, is not acceptable (a link to the guidelines is provided below). But we are “forced” to accept this traumatic bullshit as part of a “process”, with SIRA NSW having done nothing more than produce a fancy publication informing us all it is “unacceptable”. Since when did that ever stop corrupt conduct without proper enforcement and compliance in place, and a “process” that stops such harmful conduct, to begin with?
I cannot view this slanderous report because it was full of innuendos, malicious lies, vexations etc. that’s unacceptable as an excuse to deny a claim, as per SIRA NSW guidelines. This practitioner was as unprofessional and deceitful as the one on 14 November 2019. Also, my support person was refused entry to support me. That’s suspiciously dodgy (let alone unacceptable) for a psychological injury. It became obvious why during that (yet again) weird and disturbing meeting.
How much more slander and defamatory reports can I bear? I can’t bear it, I should not be repeatedly forced and coerced to bear it, I WILL NOT be subjected to such defamatory bullshit ANYMORE. These “doctors” should be struck off, not be paid more for being unethical and engaging in human rights abuse!
My notes immediately after another traumatic IME experience:
“[Why were seriously personal questions asked in this “process”? What was the motive behind this unethical attempt? How dare she ask such violating and irrelevant questions!]
Such questions wouldn’t be lawful in a job interview so why were such personal questions asked in this “exam”? Extremely irrelevant, personal and a violation of my privacy. I was very confused and taken aback with these questions... It was inappropriate…
We know that an example of harassment is when a manager is asking / interrogating an employee with personal questions, prying into private information that is not their business and causes an employee to feel awkward and uncomfortable. I’m very disturbed by this “consultation.”
I’ve been interrogated, violated and put in awkward and uncomfortable situations repeatedly while this manager is at work with freedom to potentially continue the slander, malicious rumours and damaging gossip. A continuing violation of my privacy as it has always been. For this reason alone, I am considering a request to view the report.”
A NOTE I WROTE ON 18 OCTOBER 2020: I did make the request from the insurer. I received no response. My GP also does not have this report and on a SIRA NSW brochure, the GP should have been provided with this and it’s my right to request the report. I’ve submitted a complaint with WIRO – to date there’s been no response there too.
“I immediately ended any question about family. Their privacy must be respected (and should have always been respected). They, like me, did not take kindly or appreciate hostile comments made like [the associate director] revealed on the phone at 4pm on 3/01/20, “Vicki, we have been informed that you have family issues affecting the ability to do your job.” I was in their living and we all heard this loud and clear. I think we all, however, have a right to now know who has been doing the informing and who are the people who have been informed. [And what exactly were they being “informed” of].
Personal leave exists for a reason and it is a legal entitlement for each employee. What everyone fails to understand is I have a right to my privacy and interrogating me on why I need to take sick leave (in 20 years as human beings it’s inevitable that sometimes you need it for health-related care), is harassment and not accommodation. I don’t think it’s right that I am continuously interrogated about my private life that is irrelevant to my work. Even the fact that these questions are asked is inappropriate.
I told the practitioner I’m doing better already, now that the harassment has stopped. My cognitive function is improving, I go on beach walks, talk to friends, play music, read books etc. My health and wellbeing already started improving as soon as the relentless harassment stopped.”
NOTE: the harassment did not stop, even with a certificate of capacity to focus entirely on my health and wellbeing. It deliberately continued from the biggest cause of my claim, as per incident #24 in that signed legitimate detailed statement I had provided to Catholic Church Insurance, that was meant to be strictly confidential, for the insurer.
“I told her … I had tried reasonable communication first with the manager causing me health and safety issues, then her manager and then one whole year with HR. I asked for a meeting, then mediation and a number of other approaches. The lack of cooperation was from my employer. I had cooperated with what they had requested (mostly the library associate director’s “mishandling” of the situation causing me further brokenness and burn out), but there was no support and cooperation being reciprocated. In nearly two decades, it was the first time I needed support to resolve a workplace issue impacting my health and wellbeing. I made multiple reasonable attempts to resolve this quickly mid-last year. They did not comply with WHS & Wellbeing legislation and did not follow their own policies and procedures for handling a serious complaint like this.
As I said to this practitioner, yes, I can return tomorrow if the issue affecting my health & safety is resolved…
One caller on the phone to Melissa Barrett, during the session, was “Deepi”. I kept calm but it triggered not only the stress I was put through with empty threats from HR if I didn’t go to see “Deepinder Miller” for an IMA on 14 November 2019, but this practitioner’s hostility & dishonesty regarding her decision to terminate the session, advising me to speak with HR to understand why I was sent. HR, however, continued to refuse all my attempts to communicate so I understand why. What made it worse was that the excuse changed each time I persevered. The excuse was getting more immoral and unethical and causing more damage to the organisation regarding evidence of adverse action for enforcing my employee rights. Hence why I finally had to apply for compensation. I had a support person when I was made to visit “Deepi” under threats from HR. She didn’t inform HR of the fact? According to her report back to HR, the IMA did not go ahead because I was apparently hostile and abruptly walked out. It doesn’t instil great trust in the integrity and authenticity, honesty and professionalism of such practitioners. If the person who called was this “Deepi”, I am very cautious regarding this examination…
That I was calm, I was. Any responses I made aligned to my 42-page report regarding the incidences resulting in my injuries. My health is improving now that the harassment has stopped, that is obvious. But I need to give feedback regarding what I believe are inappropriate and discriminatory questions. I have been put through the wringer very unfairly for too long by people that should have known the legislation regarding these work-related matters…
I’ll wait for the insurer’s decision but I will request to see the report from the IME if there’s any more injustice toward me... But these are the factors that greatly concerned me.
23/07/2020 3:00pm”.
As I mentioned, my “support” person was refused entry to support me. We all know why, given Catholic Church Insurance leaders now appeared to have “agreed” to collude in adverse action with the perpetrators within the insured. But to have the phone ring during the consultation, from Melissa Barrett’s “friend” Deepi Miller, to organise lunch together, such low levels they all chose to stoop to. Was money thrown in their direction to do this too? Oh, but there is no “witness” with me to prove it happened. Let’s look at the balance of probabilities in the entire thriller, instead.
My support, a good friend of mine, wrote this in the waiting area, on 23 July 2020:
“At 1pm, I asked [the receptionist] why rooms are not made available to have a support person, when advised a support person may come. Was advised Dr Barrett normally allows a support person, but due to Covid can decide not to. I said it’s disappointing as it may show there are alternate reasons not to allow a support person, especially when another client was seen to go in with a support person (mother). [The receptionist] said he understands.”
Hmmm. Excuses and double standards. Readers, on the balance of probabilities, what do you think?
If COVID was an issue for “Dr. Barrett”, we should have had a videoconference, with the presence of my support person. This should be a right and not up to these unethical “practitioners” to decide. But later, you’ll all come to learn that even when it is stipulated as a right by the Personal Injury Commission, these unethical IME “practitioners” have no problem agreeing to obstruct justice.
According to the SIRA NSW guidelines:
“Note: Suspicion, innuendo, anecdotes or unsupported information from any source, including the employer, is not acceptable.”
But what is SIRA NSW doing to STOP such misconduct? In such cases, people have already been subjected to workplace psychological violence, including slander, malicious rumours, vexatious actions, innuendo and gaslighting! That’s why it resulted in a claim! And to seriously force this abuse on them for a second time? And the audacity of workers compensation solicitors to say these unethical (and corrupted) “practitioners” are entitled to their opinions? But the very victim of such repeated abuse is denied their own human right to a voice in what caused the harm to them. Victims being victimised by a screwed “system” and public servants with no common sense and practical wisdom, yet again!
And for that matter, why did SafeWork NSW not use their powers to STOP the psychological violence in the workplace, if the PCBU refused to manage it, when it was reported to them? Or worse, like in this case, where it included staff in the WHS unit, who were engaging in psychological violence as diabolical adverse action?
Regarding Dr. Melissa Barrett, once they start getting a taste of the money, it seems morality and ethics are on a steep decline. These are reviews from other experiences on ratemds regarding this SIRA NSW “approved” IME “practitioner”:
2021
“A cold and dismissive person who should not be working in mental health.”
“Difficult to build rapport with, lacks empathy and doesn’t take the time needed to find out the core of the issues. Would not recommend!”
2022
“Not good… Thinks [of] herself not the patient’s best interests”.
2023
“Lack of empathy, no concentration at all and most of the time it is all about what she had already made up in her mind, so pretty much racing over the whole conversation and asking you irrelevant questions just to build her report.”
2024
“Absolutely abhorrent, the report was nothing more than a cut-and-paste from somebody else’s. She was late to start the appointment, she interrupted the appointment with her own personal phone call and just put mine on mute.
She continued to tell me to hurry up and presented new questions before I had completed answering the question prior.
I think my experience is very much a medical negligence case and there was nothing positive; what I said and what she wrote are worlds apart.
Clearly this doctor is well received by the insurance companies and she’s paid well to write what the insurer wants to hear.
I would strongly recommend that you do not use this doctor. You do not need to be retraumatised by her deny, delay and deceitful reports. Which will only obfuscate your matter.
IPSI-DIXIT my matter is being appealed given the 26 pages of false and misleading opinions.”
BUT SIRA NSW HAS ALLOWED SUCH CONTINUATION OF ABUSE TO HAPPEN. THEY FAILED IN THEIR DUTY OF CARE TO REGULATE ALL KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
