13 hours ago
Melbourne street sweeper wins unfair dismissal case against left-wing council after objecting to Acknowledgment to Country
Melbourne street sweeper Shaun Turner has won his unfair dismissal case after he was sacked by a left-wing council for objecting to an Acknowledgment to County before a weekly toolbox meeting.
Mr Turner was dismissed by Darebin City Council for questioning why an Acknowledgement of Country was being introduced at a meeting of the street cleaning team.
The street cleaner insisted if anyone should be thanked, it was the "people who have worn the uniform and fought for our country to keep us free".
Mr Turner said Acknowledgments to Country were "getting out of hand".
"It is now being done at the opening of a postage stamp,' he told council managers.
'I don't need to be welcomed into my own country.'
According to the Australian, during the meeting with council managers, Mr Turner was accompanied by an Indigenous support person.
He told the council managers investigating his alleged "serious misconduct" that he believed Acknowledgment to Country should only be invoked for special occasions.
According to the outlet, the Darebin City Council's chief people officer Yvette Fuller told the street cleaner that there were "very strong expectations" the Acknowledgement was undertaken at "all formal meetings".
Mr Turner then questioned why an Acknowledgment had not occurred during the meeting with investigators.
The council terminated Mr Turner and alleged he said the Acknowledgment was not necessary and that Indigenous people did not "deserve an acknowledgement at the start of meetings'.
Darebin City Council also alleged Mr Turner had made derogatory remarks about a colleague.
Fair Work Commission deputy president Richard Clancy found the council misrepresented Mr Turner's comments.
"I am satisfied, however, that Mr Turner made a comment to the effect that if anyone was to be acknowledged or thanked at a toolbox meeting, it should be the servicemen and women who had fought for this country (i.e. Australia) but I do not consider that expressing such an opinion constitutes a valid reason for dismissal,' Mr Clancy said.
Mr Clancy said the street cleaner and his team were caught by surprise at the Acknowledgment to Country and that Mr Turner's remarks, specifically his question, "are you joking?" was a reaction of genuine surprise.
'I reiterate that even if the reasons for the dismissal relating to the comments about Acknowledgements of Country and Mr Turner's colleague were regarded as valid, the dismissal was harsh because it was disproportionate,' Mr Clancy said.
The Fair Work Commission deputy president also acknowledged that an Acknowledgment to Country had not been performed before the formal investigation meeting, which was attended by an Indigenous support person.
Mr Turner said in his testimony that he believed he had been "made out to be a racist".
'Well, I've got to say that I was brought up on Broadmeadows. I come from a family of eight. My best friends out at Broadmeadows happen to be Aboriginals, one of them marrying my sister. I have a niece and great-niece and nephews who are all Aboriginals," Mr Turner said.
He has sought a full reinstatement and another commission hearing will be held to determine further remedies following Mr Turner's unfair dismissal.
has contacted Darebin City Council for comment.
