Top government officials in NSW have said they are “deeply concerned” about workplace racism, rates of which have trended upwards in the country’s largest public service for the past three years.
The NSW secretaries board published a joint statement on Thursday acknowledging that racism in the public sector was a problem that needed to be addressed.
“In 2023, 17% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents and 8% of respondents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds reported experiences of racism,” the statement read, referencing findings of the latest ‘People Matter’ employee survey.
“Racism, whether it’s discrimination, racist jokes, stereotypes or negative attitudes, has no place in our workplaces and will not be tolerated.”
People Matter data from 2023 revealed reports of racism had increased to 5% last year, impacting approximately 10,500 public servants in NSW. Staff who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse were disproportionately affected in these figures.
Last year there was a slight improvement (by 1%) in the inclusion and diversity question about senior managers, with 45% of respondents agreeing that superiors supported the career advancement of all employees.
There were generally stable indicators for questions concerning wellbeing, with 54% of public servants reporting the amount of stress in their job was manageable, 34% saying they were burned out by work, and 58% saying their sense of wellbeing was positive (compared with 31% neutral and 12% unfavourable).
The release of the secretaries’ statement coincided with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (March 21).
The top mandarins in NSW acknowledged dealing with racism at the interpersonal and system levels required honest conversations and bravery.
A respectful and safe workplace meant looking deeper and reflecting on the biases (including unconscious) all people were influenced by, which may alter the way they interacted with others who were different in some way.
“We will work to strengthen awareness of what is acceptable and how to respond to racism,” the secretaries said.
“Being an anti-racist public sector means we look hard at the rules of the game and how they are applied to make sure we give people an equitable chance.”
While officials conceded that reporting racism could be challenging, they encouraged any public sector worker who had experienced or witnessed workplace discrimination to come forward. All confidential complaints would be handled sensitively and fairly, they added.
“We need to do more to prevent and respond to racism, both interpersonal and systemic. This includes open and honest conversations and the bravery to call out racism,” the secretaries said.
“If you see racism, say something. Silence perpetuates racism, while a speak up culture strengthens respect and safety.”
An anti-racist stance within government workplaces also had important flow-on benefits to improve the experience of public servants and citizens.
The secretaries said efforts to continue promoting fairness, respect and equity at work would lead to better outcomes for customers of government services.
“Our commitment to anti-racism will allow staff to bring their most authentic and best self to work and in turn, provide the best service to the people of NSW,” they said.
“No one can do their best work when they are in fear of racism.”
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