Frontline workers at Australia’s disability agency have faced stalking, harassment and violent threats while urgent safety reforms took years to progress.
A government-commissioned review into staff safety at the National Disability Insurance Agency found workers were exposed to serious risks, including assaults, death threats and intimidation by distressed participants.
The 2023 review, led by former Victorian police chief Graham Ashton, was launched after a Services Australia employee was stabbed at a shared service centre.
The review made 36 urgent recommendations to improve safety for frontline staff working within the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Despite being handed to NDIA management in May 2024, the report was not shared with staff or unions for about 15 months, raising concerns about delays in addressing known risks.
Workers described being filmed and livestreamed while on duty, receiving death threats, dealing with suicidal callers and being present during violent incidents at service centres, including lockdowns and evacuations.
Unions and staff have called for faster action, warning that delays in implementing safety measures continue to place workers at risk.
