The Hobart City Council is reviewing what has been described as a ‘discouraging’ workplace culture for women. 

A group of  40 Tasmanian local government representatives from 16 councils recently signed a statement that exposed their concern about workplace culture in the sector, particularly for women.

Next month's Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) meeting is expected to see the Hobart City Council call on others to support a push for the state government to commission Equal Opportunity Tasmania to review the situation. 

Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said bullying and harassment must be addressed.

“We know full well that people have left councils, particularly young women, during that 2019 period, and it's really not good enough to not recognise that there are problems,” Ms Burnet said.

“We're not part of the council staff but it is like a workplace when we turn up to meetings, and meetings with the public, so there should be an expectation and delivery of good behaviour by everybody, but it's just not happening.”

Ms Burnet says she has experienced the unhealthy workplace culture herself.

“There have been situations where I have not felt that I've been treated with the respect and sometimes not felt comfortable in certain situations, and will sometimes avoid situations where I might be walking into a minefield, so that might be in a particular room, or in particular meeting settings,” she said.

“There are situations [where] women … may be discouraged from running for local government by the level of personal attacks they may see.

“Everybody should feel safe and welcome, and should not be turned away because of a feeling that councils are not places where your views can be expressed free of harassment, free of any sort of bullying, and certainly free of any sort of sexual harassment.”

The state government claims it “supports safe and respectful workplaces for all individuals and is committed to supporting the local government sector to explore options to address issues raised about discrimination in local government workplaces, including any alleged bullying and harassment of women”.

However, the government also told the sector that it “considers that an independent review of the workplace health and safety of councillors is most appropriately led by the local government sector”.