Rural water corporations across Victoria including Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water, GWMWater, have banded together to call for co-operation following a string of aggressive incidents.

GWMWater joined Goulburn-Murray Water, GMW, Lower Murray Water, LMW, and Southern Rural Water, SRW, to stand against workplace aggression.

The groups said their employees were there to support customers and community members, but would take a zero-tolerance approach towards aggressive behaviour.

GWMWater executive manager customer and employee experience Adele Rohde said workers at the organisation understood the cost-of-living pressures facing many customers, but they were not an excuse for abuse.

“GWMWater has recently been more proactive in our approach to supporting customers to pay their bills. We have dedicated resources to assist customers to access utility relief and hardship grants,” she said.

“Our staff are here to help and we appreciate mutually respectful conversations with our customers, whether that is over the phone or in person.”

The water corporations asked people to show respect to workers in roles that required customer interaction, including maintenance workers, those undertaking meter readings and people working in contact centres.

GMW distributions services manager Greg Shannon said staff were there to assist customers and had the right to a safe workspace.

“Whether an employee is on someone’s property to resolve a maintenance issue, or is talking to a customer on the phone, they are there to help,” he said.

“We understand some customers are currently in stressful situations due to the dry weather, but threats and abuse are never acceptable.”

LMW manager of strategy and communication Owen Russell said staff at rural water corporations occasionally had to conduct out-of-hours maintenance on assets including meters and flume gates, and when the assets were on private property, the relevant water corporation would always try to notify landholders in advance.

He said contacting landowners was not always possible but staff would always wear uniforms and have identification on them.

“We expect our staff to always treat customers and each other with courtesy and respect, and in return we ask that customers treat our staff in the same way,” he said.

“We take workplace safety seriously, and strive to ensure that all team members go home safely.

“No employee should have to experience workplace aggression. It not only impacts their work but can be deeply damaging on a personal level.”

Support options available to irrigators can be found on Agriculture Victoria’s website agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/
dry-seasons-and-drought-support/dry-
season-support.

People can also contact GWMWater to discuss financial hardship plans or how they can alter their entitlements by emailing info@gwmwater.org.au or calling 1300 659 961.

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