It is alleged Sovereign Hill ‘fell well short of its duty of care to provide workers with a safe workplace’
Sovereign Hill, one of Victoria's most popular tourist attractions, has been hit with multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour, including sexual harassment of female staff.
The allegations include the female staff being groped, manhandled and on more than one occasion having a male staff member expose himself to them.
HRD contacted Sovereign Hill for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publication.
In a statement, Sovereign Hill said they have very robust policies put in place, including a formal Anti-Discrimination & Harassment Policy document since 2003.
Moreover, they have a Staff Code of Conduct which each staff member must follow and signs on employment, induction training and a regular and comprehensive staff training program.
They also claimed to provide the opportunity for staff to submit confidential feedback with engagement surveys, for regular anonymous feedback through internal processes and also in regular staff performance appraisals and interviews.
Sovereign Hill also said any formal complaints made are always fully and confidentially investigated in accordance with our investigations policy, including both internal and external procedures as appropriate.
Moreover, Jeremy Johnson, CEO of the Sovereign Hill Museums Association, said 50% of the staff at the attraction were female.
"Around 50% of our management staff are female, our management team, our directors, two out of six are female. Five out of 12 of our board directors are female," said Johnson.
However, MEAA Victorian regional director, Adam Portelli, said the reports are “shocking but unfortunately they are not surprising”.
“We have raised a number of concerns around similar harassment and OHS issues over the last year or so,” said Portelli.
“Sovereign Hill is one of Victoria’s premier tourist attractions, employing hundreds of people, and it is a badge of honour to work there.
“But we have concerns that Sovereign Hill has fallen well short of its duty of care to provide workers with a safe workplace.”
Portelli said in some of the cases they have dealt with, employees making genuine complaints to management have subsequently been subject to disciplinary processes by management.
“There seems to be an ad hoc approach to discipline – employees who complain appear to have been disciplined for minor infractions while serious complaints are left unresolved.”
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