Labour, National to open conference on workplace bullying

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 SEPTEMBER 2018

Labour and National Party to open CultureShift 2018 conference on workplace bullying

Justice Minister Andrew Little is set to open a major New Zealand conference that highlights and aims to combat workplace bullying including sexual harassment. National Party spokesperson on workplace relations and safety Scott Simpson will open day two.

Little and Simpson will be joined by a compelling line-up of high-profile speakers, including representatives from Worksafe and the Council of Trade Unions, at Culture Shift – New Zealand’s first ‘Action, not just words’ anti-workplace bullying summit. ‘CultureShift 2018’ is looking to drive positive change and are honoured to have the presence of Government, Worksafe NZ and the Council of Trade Unions.

“To have both Labour’s heavy hitting Justice Minister and National’s spokesperson on workplace relations and safety kick-off our conference is a coup,” CultureSafe NZ director Allan Halse said.

The event will be held on October 24 and 25 at Te Papa in Wellington and is sponsored by CultureSafe.

The conference features an impressive range of speakers including; keynote United States-based Dr Gary Namie, of the American Workplace Bullying Institute; Worksafe NZ chief executive Nicole Rosie; E tū national director of organising and vice-president of the Council of Trade Unions Rachel Mackintosh; Olivia Wensley, legal disruptor; and Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson.

CultureSafe director Allan Halse is also hosting the event. Allan has been nominated in the New Zealander of the Year and New Zealand Innovator of the Year categories of the New Zealander of the Year Awards.

“It is great to have Government officials and the Council of Trade Unions on the same platform as CultureSafe NZ Ltd for the first time. I believe it time to transition from an ‘us vs them’ adversarial relationship to a partnership where we can work together to create solutions that will bring an end to New Zealand’s bullying workplace culture.

“Holding the summit in Wellington clearly sends the signal that we need to collaborate to create a solution including agreement and commitment to a legislative and cultural programme that will see bullying have its own separate legislation and the support that it truly deserves. So it’s brilliant to see Mr Little and Mr Simpson both attending in acknowledgement of this,” Halse said.

To register to attend see https://cultureshift-2018.lilregie.com/booking/attendees/new

NOTES
1. Link to the Conference and Conference speakers/registration:
http://culturesafenz.co.nz/

2. The cost of bullying to the economy is unquantified in New Zealand. In Australia figures for bullying equate to between $6 billion and $36 billion a year.
3. A NZ study had shown that throughout New Zealand 1 in 5 people are bullied in the workplace.
http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle=sorry-chef-but-youre-a-bully-15-04-2010
That’s equivalent to 400,000 New Zealanders who are subject to some form of bullying in the work force

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