Sex abuse 'victim' has salary halved
EXCLUSIVE by JOE HILDEBRAND
THE Iemma Government was rocked last night by revelations RailCorp managers accused of sexual harassment remain at home on full pay while their alleged victim's is halved.
The new abuse of taxpayers' money, uncovered by The Daily Telegraph, comes in a week when the Government has been exposed as being heartless to Waterfall train crash victims and giving serial killer Ivan Milat luxury perks in jail.
It also raises fresh questions about government priorities and its bureaucratic management just eight months from the next election.
In the latest case, RailCorp secretary Anastasia Dhillon is stuck jobless on a $400-a-week workers compensation pension while her alleged tormentors remain on six-figure salaries a year after she complained about them. The men are accused of having bombarded her with lewd phone messages, photographs of naked men's buttocks and pornographic magazines.
Despite Ms Dhillon making her complaints about the alleged behaviour of Central station manager Tony Osmani and five other managers a year ago, RailCorp has not completed an internal investigation.
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Sources in RailCorp said Mr Osmani remained stood down on his $120,000 salary while the other five managers have been transferred after suspensions of up to four months – all on full pay.
At the same time Ms Dhillon has been forced to get by on a pension of $400 a week because RailCorp says it cannot find any other work for her.
RailCorp's failure to act has also stalled Ms Dhillon's complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Board – made in April 2005 – because the agency has not responded to the ADB.
Ms Dhillon was the only female worker in the Central station office and was subjected to a string of humiliations and insults, according to witnesses.
The Daily Telegraph has been told some of the male staff would get leftover pornographic magazines from a nearby newsagency and openly view them in front of her, taunting her about her figure.
In another incident, an A4-size photograph of a man's buttocks was allegedly left on her desk. There were also a string of insulting phone messages and lewd text messages left on her mobile phone.
After her complaint Mr Osmani was stood down on his full salary of $120,000 a year and the other five managers, on $100,000 a year or more, were stood down and later transferred, all the while still raking in their salaries.
Barry O'Farrell MP
Deputy NSW Liberal Leader, Shadow Minister for Transport, Shadow Minister for Waterways
Revelations of delays and unfair treatment by Rail Corp in dealing with a serious sexual harassment complaint raises questions about the State Government’s commitment to workplaces free from sexual harassment, Shadow Minister for Transport Barry O’Farrell said today.
“It’s unacceptable that a sexual harassment complaint against senior RailCorp staff is still unresolved more than a year after it was first lodged,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“Claims the victim is living on workers compensation payments while those at the centre of the harassment allegations are at home on full pay are outrageous,” he said.
“Sexual harassment is a serious issue.”
“RailCorp’s treatment of this complainant, and the delay involved, send a terrible message to the entire NSW public sector workforce.
“It’s hardly a signal to employees to report sexual harassment. What happened in this instance will only deter other victims from coming forward.
“Employees should be able to carry out work free from the sort of depraved antics that are alleged to have occurred at Central Station.
“Workers who believe they have been victims of sexual harassment deserve to have their concerns investigated promptly and without being unfairly penalised.
“John Watkins has again dropped the ball.
“Given this case first made the headlines in October last year, why hasn’t the Minister ensured it has been dealt with better?
“Once again the Labor Government’s preference for media management, rather than a commitment to fixing problems, has been exposed.
“A complaints system that appears to penalise the victims and does not address employees concerns will only deter other victims from coming forward.
“The State Labor Government must ensure employee complaints are dealt with as soon as possible,” Mr O’Farrell said.
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