‘Council staff are part of Kaipara communities, and they deserve to be safe and respected at work’ are the key messages raised in a new campaign being released by Kaipara District Council.

Called Our Council, Our Community, the campaign includes a series of staff profiles with information about the mahi (work) they do, their relationship with the district and why they love Kaipara. The campaign reveals the real people who pick up the phone when you call, who answer your emails and Facebook messages, and who deliver vital services across the district.

Chief Executive, Jason Marris, says Council staff are subjected to aggression from customers and members of the public far too often.

“Around 16% of hazards reported in the last year involved workplace aggression and violence,” says Jason. “I have heard first hand from our people the impact these incidents have on their wellbeing and the way they do their job.

“Our people have described being intimidated, subjected to racial slurs, and even physically attacked by members of the public.

“Many Council staff live in our communities – they’re your neighbours, they volunteer alongside you in community groups, they play in your sports team. They are mums, dads, aunties, uncles, and grandparents. They deserve to feel safe and be treated with respect, just as you do.

“We are always looking for ways to improve the services we deliver and welcome constructive feedback from our community. However, we’re asking people to be polite and respectful to staff so they can address your concerns and work on a solution.”

Council takes staff safety seriously and is improving processes to prevent and respond to unsafe situations.

Meet Gail, the first staff member profiled for the Our Council, Our Community campaign, at kaipara.govt.nz

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