Health and Community Services Union (HACSU)

17/11/2025

14/11/2025

The Victorian Government’s decision to scrap specialist disability watchdogs is a brutal, cowardly, and deeply irresponsible move that will leave people with disability and the workers who support them at greater risk.

Despite strong warnings from Disability advocates, unions, and community organisations - the Allan Government is pushing ahead with a plan to abolish the Disability Worker Commissioner and the VDWC, tearing down the very same safeguards that they previously deemed as essential.

This decision weakens protections, silences vulnerable voices, and blatantly ignores the Royal Commission’s call for stronger independent oversight.

HACSU State Secretary Paul Healey describes this move as a: “…slap in the face to every worker who has fought for safety, dignity, and professionalism. The Government has lost touch with its Labor values.”

HACSU strongly opposes this dangerous move, and stands with advocates, workers, and the disability community. We demand real, independent safeguards, not a diluted system that puts vulnerable Victorians at risk.

HACSU will not stand by while safeguards are dismantled. Workers and people with disability deserve better.

Full article here:
https://buff.ly/1DA5zu3

14/11/2025

Bullying and Harassment at work is NEVER ok. Workers deserve to feel safe and respected every single day.

Media Release from the Health and Community Services Union.

Damning statistics show the bleak state of affairs at Albury Wodonga Health

The mental health workforce at Albury-Wodonga Health (AWH) are at breaking point with HACSU demanding immediate intervention from the Victorian and New South Wales governments to address the escalating crisis, where chronic underfunding, unsafe workloads and cultural dysfunction are negatively impacting workers and consumers.

Shocking workforce data has revealed that 49% of HACSU members working in the public mental health system across Wodonga, Wangaratta, Beechworth, Benalla and Albury have personally experienced bullying and harassment, with a further 40% saying they witness it happening to other colleagues. Staggeringly, 76% say the source of the bullying and harassment is the AWH Executive and/or Senior Leadership.

Of great concern is that 73% of mental health members say that they feel unsafe raising concerns about inappropriate behaviour or workload with management due to fear and 61% strongly disagree that AWH care about their psychological safety obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Members have reported that the cultural issues plaguing the service are amplified by the extreme over-reliance on locum registered nurses and allied health staff, and some psychiatrists working remotely resulting in it being difficult for them to have a handle on consumers and participate actively in clinical governance.

HACSU holds serious concerns regarding psychiatrists working remotely and their capacity to safely conduct assessment orders within the required 24-hour timeframe, the broader use of restrictive intervention authorities, and their ability to adequately support multi-disciplinary teams on wards and in the community. Remote psychiatric practice raises significant questions about the quality, timeliness, and safety of care, particularly in acute and crisis situations where in-person assessment is critical.

These issues are long-standing and stem from a failure of non-mental-health senior leadership to understand and support specialist mental health practice. Such failures are out of step with what is required under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act and the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

The crisis comes amid ongoing leadership turmoil and delays to the long-promised hospital redevelopment, leaving staff demoralized and the community without confidence in their local health service. Despite years of warnings from workers, clinicians, and unions, state and federal governments have failed to deliver a plan to stabilize the workforce, fix the culture, and fund the service properly.

"Our members are telling us they're drowning", said Assistant Branch Secretary Rebecca Sprekos. "They're working double shifts, managing impossible patient loads in a climate of over-reliance on locums, some psychiatrists working remotely - even overseas in a a toxic workplace culture, while trying to wrangle a broken and underfunded service".

This is not simply a matter of resources. It is the result of systemic and repeated failures by Albury Wodonga Health to value their mental health workforce. The system is not safe for consumers or for the clinicians working within it, and urgent intervention is required to restore a dedicated, specialist mental health service that puts safety and care first

12/11/2025

HACSU stands against the Allan Labor Government's proposed Social Services Regulation Amendment — a bill which seeks to quietly abolish the Victorian Disability Worker Commission, amongst other problematic regulatory changes.

This stealth abolition of a crucial and respected body once again demonstrates the Allan Labor Government's disregard and disrespect for disability workers, participants, and their families.

As a union, we are calling on the State Government to withdraw this amendment. We will have more information on the bill in the coming days.

11/11/2025

Senator Jana Stewart visited an LWB house with HACSU officials to see first-hand the skilled and essential work that Disability Support Workers do every day. 🤝

With only 50 days left until the end of the State Government SIL subsidy it's never been more important to highlight the often overlooked work our members do to support Victoria's most vulnerable. 💪

To support our campaign go to savedisability.org at the link in bio. ✊

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06/11/2025

Today is 55 days until State Government funding for Victoria’s Disability Services runs out on 31 December. ❤️‍🩹HACSU held a Snap Rally at Member for Preston, Nathan Lambert’s, office. ✊

HACSU members and officials attended in full force 📣 was nowhere to be seen, despite having over a dozen Group Homes in his electorate.

Victorian families, participants, Disability Support Workers and providers deserve answers now! The Victorian Government cannot continue to abdicate the responsibility they have to Victoria’s most vulnerable citizens and the workers who care for and support them! 😡

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31/10/2025

We’ve officially wrapped up our HACSU Delegates and Activists Conference for 2025!

We’ve had three great days of solidarity, strength, and togetherness – working through the wins and challenges from 2025 and looking ahead to the future of our union. With opera, comedy, deep political and industrial analysis, and some great quality yarns, this might be our most exciting conference ever.

A special thanks to our sponsors – Aware, Hesta, Unity, Slaters – and of course thank you to all our dedicated and passionate delegates and activists.

See you again next year! 🥳

24/10/2025

On Wednesday it was 70 days until State Government funding for Victoria's Disability Services runs out on 31 December. HACSU held a Snap Rally at the Minister for Disability, Lizzie Blandthorn's office. 📣

HACSU members and officials attended in full force, along with staunch advocate Cheryl Soafkin – whose son Jeremy is losing his home. ❤️‍🩹 Thanks David Ettershank MP, who showed support and solidarity for HACSU members once again. ✊

Members had missing posters for the Minister and the question on everyone's lips remains "is Lizzie too busy for disability?" 👀

Victorian families, participants, Disability Support Workers and providers deserve more than best wishes. Regardless of how much money the Victorian Government gives to the Federal Government for NDIS, they cannot abdicate the responsibility they have for Victoria's most vulnerable citizens and the workers who care for and support them. Lizzie Blandthorn We need action now! 💔

See video from the rally in caption.

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23/10/2025

I recently had the opportunity to meet with disability support workers from the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) during their visit to the Victorian Parliament.

They shared powerful stories and insights from their roles in the Victorian disability sector, and we discussed how State and Federal governments can support their critical work in supporting others.

I want to thank these workers for all they do and for advocating for improvements to these vital services.h

23/10/2025

When you're the specialist union for Disability Support Workers, every day is a day of action.✊😎

Read our full plan for Disability here: https://buff.ly/ukhE6Ky

21/10/2025

HACSU members at Spring street sharing stories about the crisis in Disability ✊

Go to www.savedisability.org to find out more! 🦺💜🧡

21/10/2025

It was wonderful to welcome Federal Member for Deakin, Matt Gregg, into one of his local Life Without Barriers group homes during Carers' Week.

Coming off the back of Carers' Week and with the holiday season fast approaching many Victorians are overwhelmed by the impending crisis in Disability. Right now, participants, workers and families are threatened with losing the support and care that they rely upon.

With 7,500 workers set to lose a third of their wages and 580 group homes set to close it's crucial that we start getting answers from the government.

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