Campaign urges respect towards city’s staff

THE City of Greater Geelong has recorded a surge in incidents targeting the organisation’s frontline staff, and has launched a new campaign urging the community to treat city workers with respect.

The Occupational Violence and Aggression (OVA) awareness campaign, announced on Tuesday this week, centres on city employees sharing their personal experiences, with the overarching message that violence, abuse and aggression toward city workers is never acceptable.

It highlights the personal impact of aggressive behaviour, with employees sharing real experiences to humanise the issue. One message reads: “I was spat on while helping someone’s mother. That’s not okay.”

The city’s chief executive officer Ali Wastie said the OVA campaign was prompted by an unacceptable rise in incidents targeting city employees.

“Over the past 12 months alone, more than 250 reports of occupational violence and aggression have been lodged by city employees.

“These are people turning up to work every day to help our community, whether in customer service, local laws, waste collection, childcare, libraries, or home support. They deserve to feel safe.

“We’re here to help, not to be harmed. You wouldn’t speak to your mates this way — and our staff deserve the same respect.”

For Cr Chris Burson, chair of the council’s safety, graffiti and regulation portfolio, the OVA campaign has particular significance.

“I’ve experienced occupational violence firsthand, so I understand how confronting and lasting its effects can be,” Cr Burson said.

“Our staff are out in the community every day doing their jobs and they do it to help people. Aggression is never part of the job.”

“They’re not just workers in uniform, they’re someone’s parent, friend, or neighbour. It’s time we treated them with the dignity and respect they deserve.”