Mental health commissioner retires amid Safework investigation
The head of the state government body responsible for improving mental health in NSW has left the agency amid a Safework investigation and a horror workplace survey that revealed it is one of the unhappiest workplaces in the public service.
NSW Mental Health Commissioner Catherine Lourey informed staff on Friday of her decision to retire from the $339,890 role less than two years into her second five-year term, giving two weeks’ notice.
A statement posted to the commission’s website said Lourey had “reshaped the conversation about mental health” over a 40-year career in health and mental health planning across state and commonwealth government.
“Catherine is looking forward to this new phase to follow her passions and spend time with her family, nurturing her garden and travelling,” the statement said.
SafeWork NSW confirmed it was conducting inquiries into the commission, the stage before a formal investigation.
A spokesperson said they could not provide detail while inquiries were ongoing, but psychological safety in the workplace was a key focus for the regulator. SafeWork NSW has not identified any individuals as being the subject of its inquiries.
The investigation came after the Herald spoke to several current and former employees following the commission’s disastrous result in the public sector “people matters” survey, in which only 38 per cent of its staff recommended it as a great place to work, down from 74 per cent in 2016 and 2017.
The benchmark for the NSW public service is 63 per cent.
One staff member said at the time: “There is a joke amongst employees that if you didn’t have a mental health condition before working there, you will after, and sadly in most cases this is true, [as I’ve] seen many people destroyed by their experiences at the commission.”
Since the article, the Herald has been contacted by more unhappy employees, and been told of several resignations in January.
In response to the media reports and ensuing SafeWork investigation, Lourey sent a letter to the approximately 30 employees of the commission outlining her plans to “make the commission a better place to work”.
“Off the back of the SMH article in December, SafeWork Australia contacted us asking about elements of our operations,” the letter says. “Making sure we have a positive workplace culture is very important to me and I’ve been reflecting on some of the things I can do personally to support that.”
NSW Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson has been contacted for comment. Jackson returned from leave on Wednesday.
Lourey joined the commission in 2015 and has held the commissioner role since 2017. Former mental health minister Bronnie Taylor re-appointed her to a second five-year term in September 2022.