Australia goes woke: The word that’s now BANNED as part of new Respect at Work training – despite it being ‘as Aussie as you can get’
- NSW government ministers have slammed ‘woke’ inclusion training seminars
- Colleagues were told to not use word ‘mate’ and not drink alcohol in the office
- Consultations labelled ‘PC insanity’, ‘straight out of 1984’ and ‘mumbo jumbo’
NSW government ministers have slammed a ‘woke’ inclusion training seminar after they were told they should not refer to each other as ‘mate’.
The NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet conducted a series of ‘diversity and inclusion’ consultations this week.
The program listed a number of workplace changes including bans on drinking alcohol in the office, yelling at colleagues and gossiping about staff.
The seminars are estimated to have cost taxpayers $202,000.
Some ministers have criticised the ‘Respect at Work’ consultations and labelled them as ‘PC insanity’, ‘straight out of 1984’ and ‘mumbo jumbo’.
NSW government ministers have slammed a ‘woke’ inclusion training seminar after they were told they should not refer to each other as ‘mate’
A series of workplace changes were listed including bans on drinking alcohol in the office, yelling at colleagues and gossiping about staff
‘I use ‘mate’ all the time – it’s as Australian as you can get. How can it be offensive?’ one told The Daily Telegraph.
Another added: ‘We’re not allowed to have individual opinions. We have to engage in group thought … This is straight out of 1984.’
All staff must be invited out to after-work drinks to ensure ‘inclusivity’ while work tasks must be fairly divided between senior and junior colleagues.
Veterans Minister David Elliott said he kept a bottle of whisky in his office to ‘placate my parliamentary colleagues’.
The seminars lasted three-and-a-half hours and were run by an external ‘diversity and inclusion’ consultant.
The sessions were aimed at fostering ‘inclusive leadership’, ‘unconscious bias and mindful inclusion’, ‘gender equity’ and ‘cultural inclusion’.
Ministers were also taught how to properly report allegations of sexual abuse to the department.
A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesman said the consultations were held in response to a report into bullying and harassment.
All staff must be invited out to after-work drinks to ensure ‘inclusivity’ while work tasks must be fairly divided between senior and junior colleagues
Ex-premier Gladys Berejiklian had ordered the review and placed former sex discrimination commissioner Pru Goward in charge of the report.
It was handed to the NSW government in April 2021 and included 13 recommendations.
‘The NSW government takes its work, health and safety obligations very seriously,’ the Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesman said.
Ms Berejiklian previously said she was ‘keen to adopt all the recommendations’.
‘If we’re serious about making change, we have to do it properly and this will involve engagement with NSW Parliament and any survivors.
‘I want to have a clear conscience that I’ve done everything I can to make sure that our workplace is supportive, respectful, and fair and that staff are always comfortable in coming forward in a safe setting.’
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