2 weeks Ago By Jane Vasey
This week’s Strengthening the Service report marks a significant step forward in tackling systemic discrimination in the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Conducted by the Queensland Human Rights Commission over 16 months, the independent review highlights the vital role of partnerships between human rights agencies and duty holders in driving meaningful change. QPS has faced long-standing issues of sexism, misogyny, racism and harassment, as highlighted in a 2022 inquiry into policing responses to domestic and family violence.
These systemic failures were found to impact workplace culture and policing outcomes, including how police respond to victims of family violence. Addressing such entrenched challenges requires more than identifying individual misconduct — it demands an overhaul of the systems and cultures that perpetuate inequality. The Strengthening the Service review provides a roadmap for cultural reform, including 36 recommendations including reviewing and reporting on diversity targets across all ranks, and a comprehensive Workplace Equality Strategy.
This work, informed by more than 2,800 staff and former staff members, highlights a central truth — systemic discrimination calls for systemic solutions. Addressing issues piecemeal will not yield sustainable change, no matter how well-intentioned leadership may be. One of the critical lessons from this review is the importance of collaboration in facilitating cultural change.
Doing work on an organisation such as QPS, rather than with them, would be to ignore the principles of co-design and the realities of policy transfer. The Commission’s considered decision to consult QPS on recommendations before finalising the report minimised unintended consequences and fostered trust. This approach also recognised that while human rights agencies bring expertise in equality, they are not experts in the operational realities of policing.
Any effort to make systemic and cultural changes to uplift equality will encounter resistance, particularly in male-dominated organisations such as QPS. However, resistance can serve as a catalyst for growth. A workforce survey conducted during the review revealed widespread opposition to measures promoting diversity, often based on deep-seated misconceptions about fairness.
By addressing these underlying beliefs, organisations can shift perspectives and build consensus for reform. The Strengthening the Service review underscores the need for collaborative partnerships to address entrenched cultural issues in high-pressure, male-dominated workplaces. As Queensland prepares for new anti-discrimination laws requiring organisations to take proactive steps to prevent harassment and discrimination, this model offers a pathway for other institutions to follow.
Reforming such organisations is not a quick fix, and there is often no complete solution. It is a process that is gradual, cumulative and contested. But through collaboration and a commitment to addressing systemic issues, sustainable, lasting change is possible.
I look forward to starting our evaluation of this work with QPS in two years to see if our approach has improved workplace equality. I’m sure we will have much more to learn..
