“It’s what you do that defines who we are”

“If they are breaching their own Code of Conduct.

You are not in a safe workplace.” Steve McDowell. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mcdowell-471a29184

The quote above was posted by Steve McDowell on LinkedIn. He went on further to say: 

“Rules that are supposed to guide behaviour become meaningless if leadership treats them as optional. 

If the standards they proudly publish don’t apply to those in power, then integrity, respect, and accountability are illusions. 

A workplace that breaks its own promises isn’t just inconsistent. It’s unsafe. 

Pay attention to the gap between what’s written and what’s lived. That gap is where trust erodes, and where harm begins.”

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The title of this post is the slogan that introduces the staff code of conduct. Many staff have been loyal and committed to abiding by the staff code of conduct, the mission and values espoused. For me, what’s written is a way of being. 

Once upon a time, the leaders were role models in applying the staff code of conduct. Not anymore. The abuse inflicted on staff, who do apply the staff code of conduct, is horrendous. 

It is called the code of conduct for all staff - does that not include the senior leaders? 

Let’s unpack some of the staff code of conduct for all staff: 

“…It’s your values, action and passion that makes the difference. … We expect the highest standards of social and ethical conduct, and believe all our staff deserve a fair workplace, and treatment with the utmost dignity and respect.”

But leaders are treating those staff who displayed the highest standards of social and ethical conduct with contempt. The VC and senior executives are ostracising and harassing staff, isolating them while engaging in malicious and vexatious actions, defrauding them as though they were slave labour for twenty years, tearing to shreds the staff member’s dignity, and even intimidating and disrespecting family members in greater WHS violations. 

“[The] Mission is central to the University, and informs every area – integrating the dignity of the human person, the common good, and ethical and social justice considerations...

…It complements our policies, employment and industrial agreements, and relevant legislation.”

But the VC and senior executives don’t apply the policies or honour the employment agreement with staff, nor the injury management plan agreement or relevant WHS and workers compensation regulations and other legislation, including privacy and anti-discrimination laws. 

“This Code outlines the behaviour we expect of all our staff and affiliates of the University... We expect our people to take ownership of their actions, and accept responsibility for any inappropriate/unethical behaviour or wrongdoing.”

But the VC and senior executives DO NOT take ownership of their actions, nor accept responsibility for seriously inappropriate and unethical behaviour and extremely serious wrongdoing. They “connect” with other “leaders” in the system, going to extreme immoral lengths to cover up the offences committed, rather than compliance with WHS Regulations and their legal obligation to ensure a safe work environment. 

“Our managers should be modelling proper and principled behaviour in all that they do.

We know that there may be times when you have a question, or experience an issue in the workplace. If there is anything you’re unsure about, please run it by the appropriate person, which in most cases will be your nominated supervisor.”

I DID RUN IT BY THE APPROPRIATE PERSON. AND LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO ME! 

READ MY BLOG POSTS SO FAR. http://mystory-myvoice.blogspot.com/

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People are not garbage, especially in an organisation that has a commitment to the dignity of the human person in its mission. Where is the commitment and integrity? 

I was all alone trying to figure it out myself. Without mental clarity due to bullying, harassment and discrimination, I couldn’t make the best decision. I was thrust into the realm of HR to be victimised and taunted further. Why aren’t the policies and procedures followed and applied? How does this display zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination and bullying behaviour?

My work was never the issue. Unreasonable and unrealistic work expectations and bullying, harassment and discrimination were the issue. So much for policies and zero bullying tolerance.

I want to go back to my job. I had said repeatedly, I just want to do my job with dignity, in a safe environment, with a clear and realistic workload. Any logical and reasonable attempt I made to resolve this was ignored and I was taunted and harassed. 

In the end:

o How do you put a monetary value on all the additional injury suffered from HR and WHS staff, who also chose to bully, harass, victimise and NOT apply the staff code of conduct?

o How do you calculate the value of having one’s dignity torn to pieces from an organisation that has a commitment to the dignity of the human person in its very mission statement?

o How do you calculate the value of the effects of humiliation, taunting, hostile behaviour, feeling isolated and abandoned, treated like a criminal for requesting a right to a safe work environment?

o How do you calculate the value on the damage from gaslighting, malicious rumours, vexatious gossip, judgement and disrespect from leaders and managers who don’t apply the staff Code of Conduct or the Policy and Procedures for bullying, discrimination and harassment?

I need to finally be truly protected from further bullying and ensure I do return to a safe work environment.

Those who have committed these offences need to be investigated and held accountable. 

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This will be my last post on my professional psychological thriller story for this year. I’ll continue to unpack the code of conduct for ALL staff in 2026. 

The last thing I’ll do is begin listing the financial damage caused by ongoing self-insurer fraud as severe adverse action for requesting a safe work environment.

Let’s start with a total cost of employment law fees paid for a non-existent matter, but something that is the employer’s legal obligation and duty of care to comply with WHS regulations.

Total employment law fees for $0 Return on Investment regarding any procedural fairness (and unnecessary given the university’s WHS legal obligations):

TOTAL = $16, 231

I now have added distrust and trauma caused by lawyers.

Other than professional negligence / negligent advice from three employment law firms, I was betrayed, harmed and failed to be protected by NSW Police, the local court registrar, SafeWork NSW and the National Tertiary Education Union. Some assumed I knew the workers compensation “process” (SafeWorkNSW) or deliberately omitted information regarding my workers compensation entitlements being withheld (NTEU). The union also deliberately ignored my distressing pleas to stop the harassment from the national manager of employment relations and SAFETY.

The university is grossly negligent and intentionally reckless to continue the abuse rather than comply with WHS regulations.

This is an “at fault” claim or whatever legal jargon describes the cause of my workers compensation claim (still unprocessed) for continuing to harass and intimidate me and even my family, under workers compensation regulations. The very WHS senior executive responsible for the “wellbeing” of an entire national university community went to great immoral lengths, even hiring Clayton Utz lawyers as “hitmen”. But the VC and senior executive group authorise this reckless conduct with intent to cause harm. 

Does the staff code of conduct for ALL staff not apply to these leaders? 

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Reference

Vedelago, C. (2020, 22 December). ‘Catholic Church’s insurance company in financial trouble over abuse payouts’. The Sydney Morning Herald. Online: https://www.smh.com.au/national/catholic-church-s-insurance-company-in-financial-trouble-over-abuse-payouts-20201222-p56pg0.html

This article was published not long after leaders in Catholic Church Insurance, a self-insurer registered non-profit with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC), agreed to continue the most immoral adverse action for having requested a safe work environment. CCI, as you now know from my story so far, agreed to do so by committing the crime of workers compensation fraud. They have not passed on legally owed weekly payments and refuse to cooperate to implement the injury management plan agreement drawn up by them! See http://mystory-myvoice.blogspot.com/2025/06/injury-management-plan-legally-binding.html.

Thank you to the lovely and ethical case manager for doing her job efficiently, before “leaders” in Catholic Church Insurance removed her, never to be replaced. 

One would think CCI committing workers compensation fraud by withholding legally owed compensation payments, is not good business sense. They caused me massive financial damage on top of greater injuries for which they are now liable to compensate.

Had they complied with regulations, like they were meant to, it would have been minimal cost for everyone involved. And “businesses” should be held accountable and liable as any company. They shouldn’t be registered as charities or be given religious charity privileges. They need to be de-registered and forced to pay tax like everyone. Given I’ve documented all the evidence, the “risk” of theft from an injured worker wasn’t worth it.

But NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA NSW) let’s it happen. They are equally responsible and reckless for allowing such serious self-insurer misconduct and workers compensation fraud to happen.