Department of Communities failed to follow up on plans to create working group to address ‘racism’ report

The WA Department of Communities had initially planned to create a senior working group to respond to a scathing report which exposed “wide scale and endemic” racism within the organisation, but never followed through on the plans. This week The West Australian revealed how a report by respected psychologist Dr Tracy Westerman had warned racism and cultural incompetence within the department were so bad there was a perception that Indigenous workers were of “less value” than non-Indigenous staff. Dr Westerman’s report, which was commissioned by the department but never released publicly, was given to the organisation in 2019 and made 49 recommendations for change. However, a follow-up report by PricewaterhouseCoopers Indigenous in 2021 said there were concerns the recommendations had not been actioned. The West has now obtained an agenda from an executive meeting of the department in 2019. The corporate executive heard a presentation from Dr Westerman and agreed to “discuss the establishment of a working group to progress the response to the report”. However, The West understands that this working group was never set up. Dr Westerman said the failure to engage with her as the report’s author is evidence the government had not implemented her recommendations. “The Government’s alleged adoption of the expert advice is not valid given its complexity,” she said The West has been told that the department held crisis talks with staff this week in response to the report being revealed. Communities director-general Mike Rowe, asked if it was correct Communities had not persisted with plans to form a working group to respond to Dr Westerman’s report, said the department had drawn on many of the recommendations to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people. “With any paid report it is not usual practice to provide ongoing feedback to contractors on implementation of recommendations,” he said. Mr Rowe said Aboriginal cultural appreciation training was “now a compulsory part of Communities’ induction program” and the department had launched a cultural learning program for all staff.