Employment lawyer #3 - 2020 - Part 4

The national manager of employment relations and SAFETY had the audacity to not reply with my lawyers’ reasonable request, by the deadline - before 5:00pm Friday, 8 May 2020. There was no response by the deadline, disrespecting even her own legal learned friends. She obviously thought she was above or exempt from the law. 

Given all this evidence of indictable offences committed (those parts of my story, based on the documents, still to come), the law enforcement officers should finally do their jobs, and enforce the law on this perpetrator. This person should NOT be practicing the law! She repeatedly violates our laws in reprehensible ways.

On 13 May 2020 - I sent an email to my solicitor, informing her that I had applied for the last of my personal leave. Shortly after, the solicitor received a reply from that psycho with a point in relation to this. She was using a common tactic, as I discovered from this repeated “game” of hers on others, to count down the use of all accrued leave entitlements, as adverse action. This monster harasses and stalks her target to steal everything in adverse action, “on behalf of the university” (any university toxic enough to appoint her). 

The fraud and theft includes ALL employee benefits, accrued leave of two decades (in my case), wage theft, not passing on legal benefits as per regulations, to cause massive financial harm (ie. fraud), stalking, harassing, harming and menacing using a telecommunications carrier, and creating false documents or statements, which is deception, not to mention obstruction of justice in the relevant commissions, whether Fair Work or Personal Injury. Wow and WTF!

And why do employment lawyers allow this theft to happen to their clients!

To quote from my email to the employment lawyer: 

“I’m writing just to give you an update. I only have three weeks and three days of personal leave left. Given I don’t want these psychopaths to deny paying me, I submitted my doctor’s certificate today to meet the deadline. It’s from 4 May - 27 May inclusive. It makes me sick that it still goes to the person I made the complaint about. They seriously have done nothing but become a group of gaslighting psychopathic women targeting me instead. 

…As I predicted after the dispute resolution… they were vultures waiting to finish the job [with my family] too. [The HR Director’s] email to [my family] was aggressive, condescending and extremely rude…

Last night I was shaking with fear and trauma. And in the next suburb, so too was my family...

As for me, I have until 27 May for my personal leave to be recredited back to me. If a general protections order is needed, so be it. If I’m correct in saying, isn’t there also an order to stop bullying that can be applied too. If it’s relevant to my case, I’ll do that too.”

(NOTE: I still had no idea of the legal “terms” and “process”. No lawyer, whether through a system involving employment lawyers or ones in workers compensation, were forthcoming in clearly explaining the “process” to me. As for the National Tertiary Education Union, that’s coming up soon in my story. The union so vocal about wage theft and WHS). 

“Whatever is needed for the gang of bullies who joined up to target me because I had no choice but to finally report the initial bullying by [the manager], ends now after nearly an entire year. I will return to my work and do so with dignity, safely and whenever I am ready and choose to leave in the future, I will do so with dignity and with a bunch of flowers, a card and a sincere speech from one of the many people who respect me.

My request was always reasonable.”

This post is based on emails in document 46.

My personal story - Part 3 - Greek Independence Day: A Revolution

“1. I do know thee by the direful

cutting edge of thy keen sword
I do know thine eye stare ireful
counting fast the lands restored

 

2. Thou camest forth off the departed

Greeks who died and lived for thee

and like erstwhile stouthearted

Hail oh hail thee Liberty!”

English translation of the Hymn to Liberty, the Greek National Anthem, as the music put to the poem of Dionysios Solomos, written during the Greek Revolution

On 25th March, Greeks celebrate the Greek Revolution for Independence….the passage from slavery to Freedom. This day, in 1821, was the beginning of the Revolution, that signified their Liberation from the bonds of their four hundred years of slavery.

I love genealogy and tracing family history. A cousin of my mum’s researched and compiled our family tree dating back to c.1775. I obtained a copy when I was in Greece in the year 2000. 

 

I include it here, on this significant day, with my ancestry highlighted. I have proof of a great great great uncle who, as an 18 year old, fought in the Greek Revolution in 1821. 

 

Courage and Bravery to stand up for what I believe in, to stay grounded in my Values, in Truth and Justice, is in my Greek Peloponnesian DNA. But was this “strategic” war game I was forced to play, a fair fight? It was with a gang of power abusers in both Government and Corporate sectors, having “allied” themselves against the public they have a responsibility to serve ethically. 

 

One Warrior Woman fighting this cowardly group to bring the Truth out of darkness and into the Light. That connects to my Faith, as today is also the significant day of the Annunciation - the Light that guided my Way on this difficult Journey was conceived, in co-operation with a Beautiful Woman, Full of Grace, who said Yes to God.

 

For the past several years of my story, it was one Warrior Woman, until now. A new Revolution is forming by the People of Australia. 

History repeats. 

Regarding my family tree, I will translate the parts highlighted. My gratitude is to my parents, for patiently supporting me through those gruelling Greek school days, instilling in me not only the skill and knowledge of a rich language, culture and history I’m connected with, but a love of learning and the value of education. 

Dimitrios Babilis (patriarch b. c.1775) had four sons: Georgios, Eustathios, Antonakis and Haralambos. 

The red box has been placed around the first born, Georgios, who was born c.1803 and fought bravely in the War of Independence. Αγωνιστής means “fighter”. Translation: Fighter of 1821.

Knowing this is meaningful to me, because as descendants, our freedom, and the preservation of culture, traditions, Christian faith and language, was because of them. Their war cry was “freedom or death”. 

The second son, Eustathios Babilis, was my great, great, great grandfather, my lineage. He was born c.1810, still a child when his older brother fought for their Freedom. My grandmother x3 was Zoe (aka. Zoitsa) Moulou. Her name literally means Life. They had four children. 

Their third child, Haralambos Babilis, was my great great grandfather, b.1854 and d.1916. He married my great great grandmother, Angeliki Kanelopoulou, b.1860 and d.1920. They had six children. 

The oldest was my great grandfather, Theodoros Babilis, b.1881 and d.1974. He was married to my great grandmother, Eleni Kitsou, daughter of John, b.1873 and d.1956. They had five children. 

The oldest was my grandfather, Georgios Babilis, b.1903 and d.1972. He was married to my dear grandmother, Ifigenia Krigou, b.1914 and d.1995. They had eight children. My beloved mum is the 7th of those eight children.

As for me, I wanted children. I wanted to continue the lineage. But men’s “behaviour” of narcissism and selfishness, of shallowness and disrespect towards women, has been “normalised” and excused in our supposedly progressive modern society. The men in my ancestral history were honourable and courageous. There was honour and respect of both men and women in a family unit. 

 

Fighting a battle with the power abusers I mentioned, won’t destroy me. What I repeatedly encountered with men in our society, and the confronting reality of these new "monetised methods” of dating and courtship, I’m not so sure. That’s why, there are now things that must be said, from parts of my personal story too. 

 

As I said in a previous post, we are not a healthy society, but a very lonely one. And loneliness is a killer, as proven by research. (See My personal story - Part 2 - There is no authenticity anymore).

Happy Greek Independence Day. In respectful memory for all who fought valiantly to free their homeland from 400 years of oppression. To my own ancestors who fought bravely. The flame of their spirit is lit from within. 

 

We, who were the generations born after 1821, no matter where in the world we live, need to uphold this legacy of Faith, Courage and staying grounded in our Values. We must continue to be Leaders in Social Justice, Human Rights, and Human Dignity in the world. It’s the Greek Philosophy of “Philotimo”, loosely translated as friend / love of Honour. 

 

A kind act is an example of honour toward another human being. It is gratitude paid forward. Such ripples become global waves of positive change.

________________________

 

You may need to zoom in on the image below.

 

Babilis Family Tree

 

 

A brief and brilliant video on the history of the Greek Revolution War of Independence

A reference for those interested in reading the English translation of the entire poem by Dionysios Solomos. There are over 150 stanzas. That is inspiring and amazing. 

Chrysopoulos, P. (2024, 27 October). 'The Greek National Anthem and Its Meaning.' Greek Reporter. [Online]: https://greekreporter.com/2024/10/27/greek-national-anthem-greece/

Psychological violence in the workplace - References - Part 2

“Gossips are worse than thieves because they steal another person's dignity, honest reputation and credibility… which are challenging to restore.” Salmansohn, K.

Savage, A. (n.d.) ‘Why gossiping in the workplace can impact your mental health and how to deal with the negativity.’ Sparta Health. [Online blog]: https://www.sparta-health.co.uk/gossiping-mental-health

Segal, L. (2019, 18 August). ‘The craziness of workplace mobbing.’ Conflict Remedy. [Blog post online]: https://conflictremedy.com/the-craziness-of-workplace-mobbing/

A brilliant definition is given: 

“Mobbing (Mass bullying): A malicious attempt by a group at work, with collusion or participation by bosses and administration, to emotionally destroy a person and force them out of the workplace through unjustified accusations, isolation, humiliation, general harassment, emotional abuse and / or terror.” 

More quotes I found insightful:

“Mobbing, also called bullying by a group, is all too prevalent in dysfunctional workplaces. It has many negative effects including impeding the productivity and harmony of an organization, causing health problems and PTSD in those who are the targets (scapegoats) and even in those who witness it…

Even friends and loved ones who care deeply about the person who is the target, can’t really understand the hell that they are going through. Unless you have experienced it yourself, it’s hard to believe the level of petty and enormous malice that a mob is capable of in a work situation where they feel threatened or somehow you have become a scapegoat….

If you witness mobbing, speak up. Depending on the situation, you can offer support to the target, offer a safe ear and place to vent, intervene and complain about their unfair treatment to management, shut it down.”

Suskind, D. (2023, 13 March). ‘Why workplace bullies try to make others invisible: Bullies use strategic ghosting to push the target out of the work community.’ Psychology Today. [Online blog]: https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bully-wise/202303/why-workplaces-bullies-try-to-make-others-invisible

Emotionally abusive behaviour, like ghosting, is mostly linked to modern dating and relationships. However, it is also happening in workplaces. To quote from the article:

“The act of being ostracized activates the same regions in the brain as physical pain, reminding us that punches hurt, words wound, and silence debilitates… Such behavior, especially from people the target trusted and cared about, creates a type of morale wounding, an injury incurred when another person’s behavior is in radical opposition to one’s own code of compassionate conduct and ethics.”

Recommendations from articles on these topics are not one size fits all. In a university community, where senior executives like the national manager of employment relations and safety, along with those who authorise such reckless conduct, including a vice-chancellor, are the ones that must be “pushed out” of a once ethical institution. We need Leaders, not Dragons and Figureheads. 

Suskind, D. (2021, 7 May). ‘Workplace bullying is a play: Meet the 6 characters. The play, “Psychological Terrorism”, rests on the plotlines of six archetypes.’. Psychology Today. [Online blog]: https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bully-wise/202105/workplace-bullying-is-a-play-meet-the-6-characters

Highlights from this article:

“Innovators are community-minded but independent, fueled by internal curiosities and a strong moral compass, as opposed to a reliance on external validations. They are energized by perspectives that challenge their own beliefs, constantly attempting to outgrow themselves. These creatives make connections across communities, research fields, and content areas. Their inclusivity and propensity to ask questions enrage the Dragon, for her power diminishes when people talk.

Innovators often become the Dragon’s target for one of three reasons: Their productivity, popularity, and expertise threaten insecure colleagues; their creative ideas challenge the “we have always done it this way” mindset of the organization; or their high ethical standards charge them to expose questionable and illegal practices that hurt the people the company is called to serve…

Figureheads create steady but stagnant cultures that dull creativity, encourage compliance, and produce silence surrounding injustices.

By contrast, when a Leader hears the angst of an Innovator, she takes action by researching the problem, asking tough questions, and speaking truth to power in order to work for impactful change. Leaders, unlike Figureheads, earn their position by disrupting systems in search of solutions and tying their self-worth to ingenuity and progress, not their name on the door.

In Conclusion : Innovators ask “Why” and “What if?” Dragons are the bullies. Shapeshifters fuel the fire. Community Builders ignore the heat while smiling. Figureheads pretend there is no battle. Leaders walk into the war and stop the bullying.”

Swaity, S. (2022, 27 September). What NOT to do when being bullied at work. [Online]: https://discover.hubpages.com/business/When-You-Are-Bullied-At-Work

Training Improvement Solutions. (2024). ‘Does workplace bullying have long-term effects?’ [Online]: https://tistraining.com/does-workplace-bullying-have-long-term-effects/

University of East Anglia. (2025, 22 February). ‘Workplace bullying linked to sleep problems in employees and their partners.’ News Medical Life Sciences. [Online review]: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250222/Workplace-bullying-linked-to-sleep-problems-in-employees-and-their-partners.aspx

Reviews the findings in recent research published: 

Rodríguez-Muñoz, A., et al. (2025). ‘Your Job Makes us Lose Sleep: The Effect of Workplace Bullying on Own and Partner’ Insomnia’. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/08862605251318291

Wilson, C.R. (2021, 18 December). ‘Workplace bullying: 24 examples & ideas to support adults.’ Positive Psychology. [Online blog]: https://positivepsychology.com/workplace-bullying/

Yamada, D. (2014, 30 August). ‘Workplace bullying as crazy making abuse.’ Minding the Workplace: The New Workplace Institute Blog. [Online blog]: https://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2014/08/30/workplace-bullying-as-crazy-making-abuse/

Employment lawyer #3 - Part 3 - 2020

“Humanity should eliminate processes that base one’s happiness in another’s unhappiness. Moral people follow this direction, but there are still people with malicious intentions that must change”.  Maria Karvouni

On 7 May 2020, the Safety Manager dared to continue to embroil my family in her disgusting manipulative conduct. I’ll say it again. I’m disgusted that leaders of a publicly funded university, conduct themselves in immoral and corrupt conduct, and disgusted to see where they have chosen to waste an exorbitant amount of money, to intentionally harm their public stakeholders, the community. They engage in such immoral conduct than actually ensure the WHS AND WELLBEING of their staff, students, visitors, families, alumni and senior citizens, which is a LEGAL OBLIGATION. 

My family forwarded the email to me, with their response, because it had caused them anger and distress. Little did I know it was only the beginning. It got worse as an entire family were left in the hands of a corporate psychopath to “handle”. There was an external complaint that needed to be “handled” ethically. Not making community members who made a formal complaint a target. THIS IS A PUBLICLY FUNDED UNIVERSITY WITH A COMMITMENT TO THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON AND COMMON GOOD. IT IS NOT A CRIMINAL GANG, OR SO I THOUGHT. 

We DEMANDED from the university to keep that safety manager away from not only me, but my family, as she INVADED THEIR PRIVACY TO CAUSE HARM TO ME, BUT DID NOT EXPECT THEY WOULD MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THEIR PRIVACY BEING BREACHED BY A UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVE. 

THEY HAD A RIGHT TO COMPLAIN AND FOR THE UNIVERSITY LEADERS TO STOP THE SAFETY MANAGER HARASSING THEM. 

THE THEN VC AND NOW VC ALLOWED THIS CORPORATE PSYCHOPATH TO CONTINUE HARASSING AND HARMING ME AND MY FAMILY. SHE DARED TO WRITE TO MY FAMILY.

THE COMPLAINT WAS ALSO ABOUT HER! 

That psycho wrote:

“I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your complaint lodged with [The University] by email on 28 April 2020.

As your complaint is about staff at the university, it has been referred to the Director, Human Resources, in the first instance.

Your complaint raises a number of concerns, involving allegations of staff conduct and potential privacy issues, traversing a period of more than 10 years. The university is considering the appropriate process(es) for dealing with your complaint, and will advise you of next steps as soon as it is in a position to do so.

I confirm your advice that your complaint is on your [family’s] behalf. (MY NOTE : SEPARATE TO ME. IT WAS TO DO WITH THAT CORPORATE PSYCHOPATH GOING NEXT LEVEL IN ABUSE AND BREACHING THEIR PRIVACY. MY FAMILY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY REQUEST FOR A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT! THE IRONY OF WHO WAS ULTIMATELY CAUSING THE HARM AS THE PERPETRATOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE, DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT.). 

Your complaint is also about matters involving your sister, who is a current staff member of the university. You will appreciate that the university may communicate only with Vicki or her legal or other authorised representative about her employment relationship with the university.

I will be your point of contact with the university regarding your complaint.”

OH FUCK OFF. Keep this disturbed psycho away from us! Such disgraceful conduct, not only from this person, but those who gave her the authority and autonomy to break multiple laws and abuse community members as COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. Senior citizens, alumni, prospective students and talented staff working for the benefit of the university, applying its mission, ethos, code of conduct when senior executive leaders refuse to apply those themselves. WE ARE ALL STAKEHOLDERS. 

My family’s response later that night:

“I reply to your e-mail sent to me at 6:10 pm, on 7 May, 2020.

1) My complaint is against [the manager] (mainly), and then to a lesser, but significant degree, [the Library associate director] and [the HR associate director] (not The University). I have made this very clear in my letter.

2) I understand my complaint being forwarded to [the HR director], but I am at a loss to understand why exactly my very serious and confidential letter of complaint has been forwarded to you.

3) My letter of complaint is indeed from me (on behalf of the family), concerning the way [we] have been treated firstly by [the manager], and then [the library associate director] and [the HR associate director]. These people have involved us in my sister’s employment matters. We have not involved ourselves in my sister’s employment matters. Keep this at the forefront of your mind.

4) I fail to understand exactly what you mean when you say “The University is considering the appropriate process(es) for dealing with (my) complaint.” Does [the University] not have processes in place already for dealing with such matters? I have carefully read the [University] Misconduct and Serious Misconduct Policy and Procedures, so I expect that these procedures will be followed. Is there some other official policy or procedure that will be used concerning this matter? If there is, I ask that you forward it to me immediately.

5) Given the fact that [the family] have tolerated the serious incident in our home ten years ago, and then continued to tolerate (for years) abuse/harassment and violations of our privacy from the very same person, I expect to be kept fully informed of every single step that will be taken in the investigation.

MY NOTE: That incident was the harassment toward my own mother, in our family home, by my manager, the morning after my father died by suicide. And they tolerated this in their distress. They tolerated so much from this person. Did I have no right to Compassionate Leave either? 

6) My complaint is an entirely separate issue to the complaint of workplace bullying my sister has submitted. It is staff in this very process who have violated my privacy, and involved my very separate and very private matters in a workplace bullying complaint. Being a workplace issue, staff have absolutely no right (by law) to implicate, harass, exploit, and/or pry into the private matters of any family member not employed by [the University].

7) I repeat, to clarify, with my letter of complaint I am not representing my sister. I do appreciate she is represented by her own lawyer in her employment matter. You, however, don’t seem to appreciate that I am well within my rights to complain for the violation of our own privacy and the abuse/harassment inflicted upon us [the family], especially at times of death and/or illness in my family. Do not attempt to confuse one issue with the other.

8) I will not be contacting you. I will wait for you to inform me, in writing, of each and every step that will be taken in order to investigate my complaint(s) as outlined in my letter. I expect a response within the next five working days.”

On 7 May 2020 at 10:34pm I forwarded this email correspondence to my employment lawyer:

To quote what I wrote: 

“My family’s very separate complaint went from the DVC (Education & Innovation), (NOTE: the NOW VC OF THE UNIVERSITY - who was also apparently the decision maker in the “independent” investigation in this part of the unlawful “process”) to the office of the academic registrar (why, when it doesn’t involve a student issue) and then to the Director of HR who again fobbed it off to [the safety manager].

Please read her pathetic email and my family’s reply ensuring she stops attempting to confuse the two very separate cases.

As I said, these psychopaths are capable of anything, but we are not idiots.

If she dares to come back with more bs, read my family’s reply because all this harassment needs to end immediately. She knows she’s in the shit, because she made an unorthodox but calculated decision to do what occurred in that “dispute resolution”.

The two complaints are separate and she better not dare attempt to involve one with the other, because she is also a guilty party for the low and immoral action in the “dispute resolution”. My family’s complaint should not be in her hands, period.

…My workplace bullying complaint never involved my family. But they did.

The harassment and bullying must end. (Apologies for the swearing. Not my usual language but I need these psychopaths to stop the games).”

On 8 May 2020 at 12:02 am, I email my family regarding the safety violations towards community members from my publicly funded university employer. I wrote: 

“I’m doing what I can. They have no right to continue this harassment and attitude.”

At 1:57am, I email my employment lawyer: 

“Once again as I attempt to get my health back on track, I’m so distressed I can’t sleep and I’m hyperventilating. I feared this privacy breach and insensitivity regarding my family’s complaint would happen…

My family are not minors, have been distressed at vulnerable times and I was compromised by my manager when I needed to temporarily take carers leave. These situations were exploited and their privacy violated, when I finally called out the workplace bullying. They have a right to complain for harassment in their private home and for being further implicated in my own complaint…

I need the following to happen as we wait for [the safety manager’s] reply by 5pm (NOTE: The one that had to do with my issue, especially regarding steps to be provided that the university were going to take toward a safe work environment). 

[The safety manager] is not to be responsible for handling my family’s complaint (she too was involved in the privacy violation. It wasn’t “potential” privacy violation. It actually happened). The complaint is to go back to the HR director and the official policy and procedures for misconduct are to be followed.

The particulars that I have provided are the only points to be investigated by the external investigator. Mine are directly related to what I was put through at work.

All I have asked is to return to my work in a safe environment, and for my personal leave I was forced to take, to be recredited.

My family, however, may choose to get legal advice and be compensated for what they have suffered when they’re not employees. They were implicated unfairly. And harassed in their home and their safety put at risk when I had to support and care for them, and their privacy violated.

One thing I request in the process of all this is a written document from my employer as to how they’ll assist in helping me and my family heal from the psychological injuries they inflicted upon all of us. In my case, I want reassurance there will not be any covert passive aggressive bullying toward me for enforcing my rights to a safe work environment when I return. I have cooperated, tried to reason and made genuine attempts to resolve the issue fairly for everyone. I didn’t complicate this. Enough abuse from these bullies.

Please protect me from further torment.”

In conclusion, my family were very angry and upset at having their own privacy violated by the organisation’s HR executives in a work-related matter. HR breached the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). My family chose to complain about all the harassment and privacy violations they tolerated by certain managers and executive staff. The complaint went to the very people harassing and bullying and exploiting an entire family’s privacy, to continue to do so. My family did not need to justify, via my solicitor, their reasons for a separate formal complaint to the university regarding harassment directed at them. 

The perpetrators are to be be legally restrained from any further contact and involvement with myself and family. I do, however, encourage my family to resubmit their formal complaint to the university, this time including the multiple incidents of reckless and wilful misconduct of the national manager of employment relations and SAFETY. What is the now vice-chancellor, going to do, this time? 

This post is based on document 45. I only focussed on this document because this part is very important and serious. It needed to be in detail. It displays adverse action for requesting generally protected workplace rights, discrimination, harassment, privacy invasion, deception, malicious, vexatious and reckless 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. 

Psychological violence in the workplace - References - Part 1

Almonte, A.M., Sultan, A., Gökçebay, N. & Beaulieu, A. (2023, 20 March). ‘Rethinking workplace misconduct in a changing compliance landscape.’ HRDive. [Online blog]: https://www.hrdive.com/news/rethinking-workplace-misconduct-in-a-changing-compliance-landscape/645384/

American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (2025). ‘Workplace bullying : The devastating experience.’ [Online]: 

https://www.aaets.org/traumatic-stress-library/workplace-bullying-the-devastating-experience 

Costi, S. (2023, 2 November). ‘Bullying and harassment in workplaces are killing people.’ HR Leader. [Online blog]: https://www.hrleader.com.au/wellbeing/24761-bullying-and-harassment-in-workplaces-is-killing-people

“Only by embracing our shared humanity can we prevent further suffering and build a working world embodying justice and compassion.”. Well said, Stefanie Costi. 

Dignity Together. (2020, 17 April). ‘Why “just leave” (immediately) is absurd advice for a workplace bullying target.’ [Online blog]: https://www.dignitytogether.org/blog/why-just-leave-is-absurd-advice-for-a-workplace-bullying-target

“… it's about damaging personal pride, the injustice of it all, and loving their jobs. That awareness, level of integrity, and self-defense are motivated by strength, not weakness, and a building block for a social movement to end workplace abuse.”

Halliday, A. (2023, 16 February). ‘It’s All Fun and Games Until You’ve Created a Hostile Work Environment: How Workplace Bullying is Linked to Mental Health.’ Science for Work. [Online blog]: https://scienceforwork.com/blog/its-all-fun-and-games-until-someone-looses-the-will-to-live-how-workplace-bullying-impacts-mental-health/

Kislik, L. (2017, 7 November) ‘How to work with a manipulative person.’ Harvard Business Review. [Online]: https://hbr.org/2017/11/how-to-work-with-a-manipulative-person 

Luong, A.D. and Green, C.A. (2023). ‘Mental health and harassment in the workplace.’ Journal of Emergency Nursing. 49(3). 341-344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2022.09.011 [Open access]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0099176722002380

“Bullying has been noted as … threatening, stalking, and intimidating…all actions used to harass coworkers. Gossip, false rumors, and inappropriate comments are conducive to workplace harassment.”

(NOTE: But what if the uncivil conduct in the quote above is coming from the very National manager of employment relations and SAFETY, intentionally appointed by a VC and their “club” of unethical lawyers? Her job description was to ENSURE COMPLIANCE as per regulatory requirements, not be the corporate offender of such harm in illegal adverse action, including WHS breaches and fraud. Read the articles below by Olivia Petter and Fiona Purcell). 

McMenamin, L. (2021, 20 April). ‘Why long-term workplace trauma is a real phenomenon.’ BBC. [Online]: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210415-why-long-term-workplace-trauma-is-a-real-phenomenon

Petter, O. (2022, 24 December). ‘Most days I would get home in tears’: Why do women bully other women at work? Independent. [Online]: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/workplace-bullying-women-toxic-emily-in-paris-b2249886.html 

Purcell, F. (2023, 17 October). ‘Bullies, manipulators and narcissists: Navigating psychopathic behaviours in the workplace.’ ABC News. [Online]: https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/102967418

“Dr Penney emphasises that everyone has the right to feel safe at work, at home, and in public, and says antisocial behaviour that infringes on those rights is "never acceptable".” (NOTE: my thoughts exactly). 

Government - Trust - References

Gittins, R. (2022, 14 December). ‘2022: The year our trust was abused to breaking point.’ The Sydney Morning Herald. Online: https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/2022-the-year-our-trust-was-abused-to-breaking-point-20221213-p5c5tv.html

“Trust is just as important to the smooth functioning of the economy. Bosses need to be able to trust their workers; workers need bosses they can trust...Our democracy runs on trust. We trust the leaders we elect to act in our best interests, not their own...The trouble with trust, however, is that it can make us susceptible...it can be just too tempting to the less scrupulous to take advantage of our trusting nature...They can get away with a lot before we wake up. But when we do, there are serious repercussions...The Australian National University’s Australian Election Study has found that the two most important factors influencing political leaders’ popularity are perceived honesty and trustworthiness...The ANU study always asks questions about trust in government. This year it found 70 per cent of respondents agreeing that “people in government look after themselves” and only 30 per cent agreeing that “people in government can be trusted to do the right thing”...Labor’s own election report explains this as “part of a long-term trend driven by declining trust in government, politics and politicians”...If businesses can’t be trusted to do the right thing, they must be required to do so by tighter regulation...There’s nothing that generates extra expense and slows things down more than not being able to trust the people you must deal with...Comparing countries, economists have found strong links between more social trust and higher levels of income. Trust is one of the top determinants of long-term economic growth.”. (Bold added). 

House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment (2012). ‘Workplace Bullying: We just want it to stop’. Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth Australia. Online: https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=ee/bullying/report.htm

Published in 2012, it took many more years for the codes of practice for managing psychosocial hazards to be published by SafeWork regulators. But what about accountability and compliance, when employers refuse to comply and cooperate with multiple laws, as per their legal obligation and duty of care, and HR, responsible for WHS, can be the biggest offenders as adverse action taken for an employee ironically requesting a psychosocially safe work environment? Universities have become the biggest offenders of WHS violations, abuse of power and corruption of large organisations. No one self-regulates. And if universities are corporatised, they must face the same accountability, compliance, regulations and legal ramifications if proven they have a blatant disregard for Federal and State laws.

I read this report in 2021. I can’t reread, ironically because of my own traumatic experience of psychological violence. 

I also find myself thinking, “so what”. Another inquiry commissioned, but what’s really changed? It doesn’t help reading that Alan Tudge was a member of this standing committee, given his negligence and lack of integrity in the illegality and safety risks caused to vulnerable people in the Robodebt case. Hence the reference recommended below: Trust and political behaviour.

O’Dea, J. (2018). ‘Trust and political behaviour’. Australasian Parliamentary Review. 33(2). pp.118-137. Online: https://www.aspg.org.au/a-p-r-journals-2/spring_summer_2018_vol_33_2-2/

I highly recommend reading this article.

From the Introduction:

“Trust is the most important asset in politics. Trust can generate community and business confidence, leading to economic growth and improved political success for an incumbent government. The more a government is trusted, the more people and business will generally spend and invest, boosting the economy. People are also more likely to pay their taxes and comply with regulations if they trust government. Trust promotes a social environment of optimism, cohesion and national prosperity.

When trust is lost, it is difficult to win back. Where it is eroded, a general malaise can develop that is destructive to the essential fabric of society and operation of democracy. Unfortunately, in Australia and internationally, there has been a growing erosion of trust in politicians and in politics. People are losing trust in institutions including governments, charities, churches, media outlets and big businesses.”

Employment lawyer #3 - Part 2 - 2020

On 24 April 2020, that HR director fobbed off my lawyer to the offender / perpetrator of harm as introduced in that grossly reckless “meeting” on 9 March 2020 : the corporate psychopath employed as a national manager of employment relations and SAFETY! 

In reviewing the email from my lawyer, she actually spoke with this psycho on the phone. That “safety manager” spoke about the bullshit ongoing dispute under the Enterprise Agreement, and wanted to know whether I wanted to proceed with the dispute. 

THIS IS WHY EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS NEED TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND REALLY RESPECT AND LISTEN TO THEIR CLIENTS REGARDING GASLIGHTING TACTICS AND INVASIONS OF PRIVACY TO CAUSE HARM, AND NOT GIVE MORE AMMUNITION TO CORRUPT “LEARNED FRIENDS” TO THEN FIRE AT THEIR OWN CLIENT!!!! 

As I wrote in the previous post, the letter sent to the dismissive HR director, was partially inaccurate. But it was very serious inaccuracy. It emboldened the psycho safety manager to continue her offences. 

In my correspondence with my legal representative, I wrote, “I attach the correspondence when I had said once to [that HR associate director], "since you're using sick leave against me, and I can't return until this issue is resolved, I will apply for annual leave in January 2020". They refused to approve my annual leave, forcing me back to my GP for another medical certificate. They ordered me to stay on sick leave, and as I had said in the first email to you, they have directed, through me, that my GP continue to provide medical certificates. They forced me to use so much personal leave, if I genuinely needed this leave in the future, I won't have any. They are trying to slip out of their negligence. I seriously want all my personal leave re-credited from mid-August when the formal complaint was submitted. I'll draw out all my relevant records that show the evidence of my genuine attempts and their sick responses. I am considering applying for annual leave (I have exceeded the amount - so to their benefit that I take some). Let's see what they do. How dare she patronise me and give me unsolicited advice when I am not incapacitated at all!” 

I also wrote:

“I had enlisted the services of another employment lawyer from January 2020. I appreciate my former lawyer’s work, especially the preparation of the formal legal letter sent that outlined the chronology of events and listed what [the university] failed to do. However I realised she had inexperience with dispute resolution meetings and thinking quickly with any deliberate “tactics” thrown at her. I need this resolved with a fair outcome so I can return to my job. I had said to both Library management and HR, I just wanted to do my job with dignity, in a safe environment, with a clear and realistic workload and good communication. Any logical attempt I made to resolve this has been ignored and I was taunted and harassed.

I attach two documents for you and the legal team to be prepared for what [the safety manager] may start defending. One document are my notes of what took place in what was described as a dispute resolution, but wasn't. The other is the entire communication in text messages that I had sent to the staff campus minister, where I was not informed or gave permission for my private communication … to be handed over to HR. Please read my description of what happened.

…Given that not only my privacy was violated and I left a meeting feeling not only unsafe to work, but so distressed, I felt unsafe to leave my home, the privacy of my family has also been violated and I will not stand for this harassment any more…

Please help end this adverse action taken against me as soon as I reported the bullying formally. I'm finally getting my wellbeing on track and I can't let these people do the exact opposite of all their policies and procedures and mission and values.

And now I apologise for the rant. I am greatly disturbed and disgusted at the extreme lengths these people will go to and where they prefer to use the organisation's money, than to ensure I continue to work productively as I always had, in a safe work environment. Hence why I am very skeptical about how independent and transparent the investigation into my bullying claims will be.”

In another email to my legal representative, in this compilation of records, I wrote:

“I became so afraid and sick, I felt paralysed and couldn’t even get out of bed from the shock and fear of constant harassment, violation and isolated like a criminal. It’s that feeling like someone’s bugged your home and is watching your every move. I need you to know all this because the only word I can use is “creepy.” I don’t want to meet with these women again. If they’re not going to be fair and reasonable (and ethical in my view), I have to apply for a protections order.”

(NOTE: I meant a stop bullying order. I was confusing generally protected workplace rights with the application for an order to stop bullying. But it’s evident of the power plays, gaslighting and power in who has the knowledge in this “process” and who does not. Now I know, because I’m not harassed, relentlessly taunted and stalked and gaslit by that psycho national manager of employment relations and safety appointed by VC#3. Given the connection to politicians and fellow learned friends in the legal profession, including ones appointed as a Vice President in the Fair Work Commission, and a public case file that proves it, a stop bullying order would have been a waste of time and money. NO ONE PROTECTS WORKERS IN WORKPLACE ABUSE). 

“I will say this to you. My parents came as migrants, sacrificed their own dreams for a better future for their children. We respected and valued what they did for us. We acquired multiple degrees and have a strong work ethic. Please help stop these bullies. I think of my dad who did die by suicide (all the more reason what they’re doing is immoral, knowing their accusations deliberately distress me), and for my mum. She’s been through enough. She says she didn’t raise two kids with values and to respect everyone equally, to have integrity in all they do, and to end up being treated like this.

I add this as a personal reason to understand why it’s about human value and dignity. I’ve exhausted every possibility for now, but goodness knows what they’re capable of.”

This communication was between 24 April - 29 April 2020. 

HR would now proceed to defraud me of all my accumulated annual and long service leave entitlements, while continuing to harass, mob and withhold further benefits from me, this time breaching worker’s compensation regulations (coming up - I still hadn’t made a claim. I was exhausting every reasonable avenue to resolve a bullying, discrimination and harassment complaint as PER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND WHS REGULATIONS AND LAWS). 

On 4 May 2020 - yet another formal letter from my legal representative, this time the to corporate psychopath, the national manager of employment relations and SAFETY, at a university committed to the dignity of the human person and common good, in its mission. 

I emphasise the following points in the letter:

“1. Our client has raised a number of complaints … Disappointingly, it appears that these serious complaints were never investigated and merely ignored.

2. We do not wish to further ventilate these complaints, however for the sake of clarity, the formal complaint lodged by our client on 15 August 2019 dealt with a number of our client’s concerns. The concerns raised by our client have not been dealt with or investigated.

3. The dispute resolution process that took place on 9 March 2020 did not involve discussions about our client’s return to work but rather a direction to undertake an IMA. We are finding it very hard to ascertain on what basis our client is being directed to undertake an IMA when her treating medical practitioner has confirmed that she is fit to return to work and fulfil her duties. Our client has provided a number of clearance certificates declaring that she is fit for work. On that basis our client has elected not to proceed with the dispute resolution process.

4. Our client feels that she has been bullied for the following reasons:

… The University has a responsibility to take all reasonable steps to ensure the workplace is free from bullying. This obligation by the University has not been discharged.

The investigations have caused our client to feel anxious, stressed and humiliated amongst her colleagues.

There have been no efforts by the University to engage with our client about her return to work.

The University has not shown any interest in ensuring that a safe workplace is provided despite our client raising a number of serious allegations.

5. The University’s actions thus far have created an unsafe workplace for our client. Accordingly, our client feels that the Department have not discharged their obligations in accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).”

The second part of the letter includes: 

 “The accumulation of the above, has meant that our client has been away from her primary duties for an extended period of time which has resulted in excessive leave... our client has been denied the opportunity to return to work...We also demand that our client’s used leave is recredited back to her …”.

(NOTE: This still stands. NON-NEGOTIABLE. IT IS THEFT. EVERYTHING STOLEN BY THE “LEADERS” OF THIS UNIVERSITY ARE TO BE RETURNED TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER. Imagine if I had committed this crime of theft against them. The laws apply to ALL). 

Third part was yet another reasonable request attempt:

“Moving Forward

9. We request that our client’s complaint of 15 August 2019 be investigated by an external third party.

10. We also request that you write to us before 05:00pm Friday, 08 May 2020 confirming the following:

The details of the investigator and the decision maker;

The steps that will be taken by the University our client’s concerns;

The steps that will be taken by the University to ensure a safe workplace;”

(NOTE: Still waiting for those steps). 

“Provide us with a redacted copy of the investigation report. We expect that only the names of witnesses will be redacted.”

It is now that it gets “interesting”, as the exposure of a network of “strategic alliances” in corrupt conduct becomes evident. ALL DOCUMENTED AND CAPTURED. 

The reply from that psycho was very disturbing beyond distressing. She is a very disturbed person and my requests for her to stay away from me and my family were ignored for too long thereafter, even by the National Tertiary Education Union, the NSW Police, the registrar at Sutherland local court in my attempt at an APVO as per advice from police and Law Access, and finally, from the very regulator itself : SafeWork NSW. 

Who was apparently the decision maker? The now vice-chancellor of this university with a mission and commitment to social justice principles, like no other university, in Australia. He is on a $1,000,000 salary. Should he even be the VC of a university? 

This post is based on documents 43-44. It displays adverse action for requesting generally protected workplace rights, discrimination, deception, malicious, vexatious and reckless 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. 

Employment lawyer #3 - Part 1 - 2020

25 March - 14 April 2020 – enter employment lawyer #3. I had to repeat myself, again, again, again. With each new attempt I made for compliance from the university, there was retaliation and new distressing incidents added to my now growing volume of evidence. 

Between the above dates was the beginning of communication with employment lawyer #3. I was retraumatised by having to repeat myself, along with new aggressive, abusive, malicious, vexatious, defamatory, negligent and reckless adverse action, now mostly by the national manager of employment relations and SAFETY - a senior executive with a core responsibility for WHS and compliance.

On 24 April 2020, the first formal letter was sent to the HR Director from my larger, more “experienced” law firm representative.

Reviewing these documents now (without the cognitive impairment caused by the psychological violence, distress and trauma inflicted on me by the SAFETY MANAGER), I realise that parts of these letters are inaccurate. But how fair is it to force this power imbalance onto me, being abandoned by EVERYONE to have to navigate how employment lawyers, in a failed fair work system, function, and trying to repeatedly explain the situation again and again, while becoming more injured in my health? ENOUGH. 

And ultimately, THE LAWYERS ALL FAILED ME IN A BIG WAY, AS READERS WILL FIND OUT IN MY STORY. IT IS PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE. I EXPECTED BETTER FROM THIS EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM. 

Do employment lawyers not know what GASLIGHTING TACTICS do to a target? Half the letter is inaccurate and actually gave AMMUNITION TO THE PSYCHO IN SAFETY TO CONTINUE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE!

I AM EXTREMELY ANGRY! 

I will reveal who this law firm was in a later post. They need to drop the arrogance a few notches. I SHOULD NOT have to convince those I pay to legally represent me, of my resilience and strength and THE TRUTH. 

I quote some of the more accurate parts of the letter:

“[The university] has failed to ensure procedural fairness in respect to the handling and investigation of the complaint by:

a. failing to investigate the complaint, and the extent and nature of each allegation raised.

b. failing to provide notice to [our client] regarding the person (or persons) who will be investigating the complaint, whether the investigation person (or persons) are independent, and the person (or persons) who would be the decision-makers in respect of the allegations raised in the complaint.

c. failing to adequately respond to [our client’s] concerns regarding the manner in which she has been treated in her employment.

d. failing to comply with [the University’s] Staff Enterprise Agreement...

[The university] has further continued to discriminate against [our client] by deliberately ignoring her and her genuine attempts to engage with [the university], its processes and attempts to return to work … 

 [“The university] has shown a decided failure to comply with the requirements of procedural fairness and natural justice in relation to the allegations which have been made... [The university] is advised to adequately respond to [our client’s] complaint and ensure that it hereby provides [our client] with procedural fairness moving forward, particularly, ensuring the independence of the investigating officer of the allegations”. 

To this date, there still has been no procedural fairness in my case, although it is coming. I exhausted every government and professional avenue I could think of, for guidance, protection, support, resolution and procedural fairness. I WAS FAILED, BETRAYED, NEGLECTED, EXPLOITED AND ABUSED BY EACH ONE. 

Readers will start to find out, one by one, who these hypocrites were. And still are, given the public interest, as voters, taxpayers and stakeholders.  

Where were the regulators, both federal and state? Employment lawyers are useless for these circumstances. There should not be a need for workers to pay a fortune to ironically save their job from illegal tactics of abusive and diabolical adverse action. As for the National Tertiary Education Union, you will learn the truth about them too. They enter my story soon, in May 2020. 

This post is based on documents 40-42. It displays adverse action for requesting generally protected workplace rights, discrimination, deception, malicious, vexatious and reckless 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. 

The aftershock from the sabotage - March 2020

RUMOUR: “Upon my tongues continual slanders ride, The which in every language I pronounce, Stuffing the ears of men with false reports”. William Shakespeare, Henry IV Part II

On 9 March 2020 - at home, after that creepy meeting, I emailed the employment lawyer. To quote:

“Read the whole context - find out about [the manager] and how I felt about how I was being treated and how this was handled. Was I distressed? Yes. Was I afraid? Yes. Did I feel no one cared that I was dealing with a personal issue that was none of their business and a bully violating my personal boundaries over and over, and in the end, after giving to everyone, I was self-absorbed according to her? Yes…

…I honestly didn't remember that text message, it had nothing to do with them. It was frustration and the fear I was feeling from being victimised and persecuted at my “caring” workplace. How much more violation and discrimination will I be subjected to?”

Oh and of course, there was, yet again, no duty of care from my employer in getting home safely, after this orchestrated gaslighting, privacy invasion and character assassination attempt. The entire experience has been surreal and frightening. I was really really distressed and frightened. I was traumatised. And I was left all alone to get myself home safely. Remember, the individual who orchestrated this was the National manager of employment relations and SAFETY. 

SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORGANISATION’S WHS AND WELLBEING AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.

I couldn’t sleep from the shock and fear. At 3am, I sent another email to the solicitor regarding the incident. I couldn’t even recall the text messages from 6 months ago. I went back and looked up the entire communication with the campus minister, on my phone. Not only is it another example of denying me my right per policy, the HR associate director deceitfully accessed private communication relating to an incident irrelevant to my workplace complaint (if anything, it was following the pattern of behaviour of the manager I complained about). It was unethical, immoral, and serious negligence and reckless organisational behaviour.

To quote from my 3am email: 

“It is 3am. I can't sleep. I feel so violated. My privacy…has been accessed without my permission. It was not relevant to this complaint of bullying and taken completely out of context…. Evidently even private communication regarding myself and my family have been tapped into. But only the ones that suit their character assassination attempt… Since they violated my privacy so much and took one text message that was none of their business out of the entire context and irrelevant to what this is actually about, take the rest of the messages as evidence of my correspondence…”

It was this incident that angered my family and motivated them to make a formal complaint of their own. They had every right to make a formal complaint. How it was “handled” should be investigated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). But I’ve lost my trust in government agencies and public servants. I repeat my question: what do they all get paid, with our tax contribution, to do? 

I can’t read the advice from lawyers meant to represent me anymore. That in itself has become a trigger of trauma. It’s unfair and unacceptable advice. It is a disrespect to my years of hard work to earn my own degrees and hard work for two decades all for the benefit of this very university committed to the dignity of the human person and common good. 

WE HAVE A RIGHT TO A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT. WHERE ARE THE REGULATORS TO STOP THIS RECKLESS CONDUCT BY THE VERY STAFF IN A PCBU RESPONSIBLE FOR WHS? MISSING IN ACTION.

I rejected the advice of employment lawyer #2 and started searching for a more experienced and bigger law firm to become employment lawyer #3. 

This post is based on documents 37-39. It displays adverse action for requesting generally protected workplace rights, 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.