Police media unit lied about video of Commissioner’s controversial speech to firefighting recruits, created ‘awkward situation’: FOI docs | NT Independent

Police media unit lied about video of Commissioner’s controversial speech to firefighting recruits, created ‘awkward situation’: FOI docs

by | Jul 11, 2022 | Cops, News | 0 comments

EXCLUSIVE: Internal NT Police emails show one of Jamie Chalker’s media advisers lied to a senior fire services officer about the existence of a recording of a controversial speech the Commissioner made to fire recruits in April that resulted in calls for his resignation, the NT Independent can reveal.

The union representing firefighters called for Mr Chalker to resign from his role as chief executive of the NT Fire and Rescue Service in late May, after they claimed he had used the speech to new recruits on April 20 to call firefighters greedy for claiming overtime and threatening to “go after” a senior fire officer who was also a union delegate.

Mr Chalker’s media team however refused to respond to questions about the comments at the time, later making videos of parts of the speech available to select media which were reported as being of poor audio quality, with NTPFES communications director Rob Cross denying Mr Chalker had made the controversial comments only to the ABC – his former employer.

But emails obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that Mr Cross was concerned about how the comments from the speech had “leaked” to media and that another media officer, Elle Arnold, had misled a senior fire service member, telling him the videos had “no sound”.

However, six short videos of the speech filmed by Ms Arnold and obtained by the NT Independent through the FOI application, contain clear audio of Mr Chalker speaking to recruits during a wide-ranging and disjointed speech about his intention to put an end to union “bullies” who “carry rank in the fire service” bullying fire staff, high overtime expense claims, the ongoing EBA negotiations, training reforms, the impressive length of the Stuart Highway, the NT’s economic prospects and the Beetaloo Basin, amongst other seemingly random topics.

The comments on the released videos are similar to the claims made by the United Workers Union NT, but not in the exact phrasing claimed. It also cannot be verified if other comments were made that were not included in the video segments provided. One video segment can be viewed below.

Released internal emails show the fire services member originally requested the video of the speech on April 21, explaining that he was “happy to discuss” the matter with her.

NTPFES media adviser Elle Arnold

But Ms Arnold appeared to ignore the email and instead wrote to Assistant Chief Fire Officer Joshua Fischer to tell him the officer had requested “video footage of the executive addresses”, which she claimed was “odd”.

Mr Fischer did respond by email, but it is understood he contacted the staff member to discuss his feelings after Mr Chalker’s speech.

One week later, on April 28, the fire services member followed up on his request to Ms Arnold for the video footage.

Ms Arnold claimed she had not responded to the earlier request because International Firefighters’ Day “has kept me sooooo busy”.

“As there was no required [sic] for the footage (i.e. no one wanted anything for it) I was just filming for overlay, so I didn’t have my mic connected and it was just chopped up bits and pieces for overlay footage (no sound) for the recruits end of course video,” Ms Arnold wrote.

The video segments obtained the NT Independent were all stopped at the end of the Commissioner speaking about particular topics, indicating that sound was being monitored at the time of recording.

On May 28, the speech was raised again when the NT Independent sent questions to Mr Cross after the United Workers Union NT had called for Mr Chalker to resign over the comments.

Mr Cross did not respond, and instead forwarded the questions to Mr Fischer, Chief Fire Officer Mark Spain and Mr Chalker’s chief of staff Lisa Wilson.

Mr Fischer responded to Mr Cross within a couple of hours.

“I would suspect this would also relate to the request made the day after the address by an NTFRS staff member present for a copy of the footage taken on the day,” he wrote.

“Yes,” Mr Cross responded. “Do you know if it was supplied in the end?

“I had a couple of conversations with Elle. She was in an awkward situation. I’m curious it’s taken over 5 weeks to be leaked, or held onto and queried at this time.”

No further correspondence was included.

Mr Cross refused last week to explain what he meant when he wrote that Ms Arnold was in an “awkward situation” or why he needed to have “a couple of conversations” with her about the footage of the speech.

He also declined to answer when he was made aware that she had misled the firefighter who requested the footage or if anyone had ordered her to block the release of the videos.

Ms Arnold also did not respond to questions about why she told the firefighter the videos had no sound, or if she had been instructed by anyone to say that.

Mr Chalker also refused to comment.

The communications team permitted other media to view parts of the speech three days after the NT Independent filed the FOI application. It was unclear why they did not provide the recordings directly to reporters or why they made no mention of them before the application was filed.

‘It’s been allowed to pervade [by] people who carry rank’: What the released video footage shows

NTPFES’s Information Management Section supplied the NT Independent with six videos of the speech as part of the FOI application that show Mr Chalker speaking to fire service recruits on April 20. It was not the entirety of the speech.

In the videos, Mr Chalker can be heard clearly telling the new recruits – who were in their second day of training – that there is a new EBA being negotiated that will not provide any more money for them, that overtime is a privilege and that fire service union members who “carry rank in the fire service” had been bullying and harassing other firefighters.

NTFRS chief executive Jamie Chalker speaking to fire recruits in April.

He also positioned himself as an anti-workplace-bullying crusader, telling the recruits he would “come through” if any union member was bullying them.

“I don’t tolerate bullying, I don’t tolerate harassment,” Mr Chalker said.

“And let me be really, really clear, if someone wants to use the fact they’re a union member to bully and harass any of you in the workplace or any of the fire employees, then I will come through. What else could you expect of me?”

He then appeared confused, asking, “who in this room wants bullies to win”, which understandably failed to elicit any hands being raised.

“You all want bullies to win?” Mr Chalker said, incredulously.

“I don’t want bullies to win,” he said, raising his hand.

“But it’s been allowed to pervade. People who carry rank in the fire service, people who have been in the fire service for a long time, not the majority, let me be very, very clear. But it shouldn’t and will not be tolerated. This is a fire service that is on the move. This is a fire service that is working on a plan to see where we’re going to arrive in 2030.”

Mr Chalker later informed the recruits as shown in another video that none of them should rely on overtime pay for any reasons.

“You will hear stories of firies making significant amount of money in overtime. The fact of the matter is, that’s not always helpful,” he said near the end of his speech.

“Overtime is in addition to what you are ordinarily rostered to. Don’t ever make the mistake of factoring in overtime as your baseline for any of the loans and financial arrangements you put yourself in because overtime should not and cannot be relied on.

“However, one of the key things in treating overtime comes down to the individual. The one that does appreciate their job, that does see it as a privilege, to live and work in the community that you call home, that your friends and family call home, and that when you are rostered, you turn up. Unless you are bonafidedly [sic] unwell. And that’s what the team should be about.”

The union previously said that some of the recruits, who were on their second day of training, felt that Mr Chalker’s speech was inappropriate and derogatory towards firefighters and union representatives.

 

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