When Silence Becomes the System: A Psychosocial Risk Case Study

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What this session is about

In 2015, a senior lawyer at the Melbourne Coroner's Court was promoted into a dual role she was told would last a couple of weeks. Eight months later, she was still carrying both positions, working nights and weekends across a workplace later described by an independent coroner as "toxic." In 2018, Jessica Wilby took her own life. In 2023, Court Services Victoria pleaded guilty to failing to manage psychosocial risk and was fined $380,000.

This episode of the Trust at Work series examines the WorkSafe Victoria v Court Services Victoria case in detail, looking at what went wrong, what the organisation missed, and what leaders in any industry can learn from it.

David Morgan, Managing Director of Verimark's Whistleblower Technology Solutions, is joined by Tony Morris, a workplace health and safety expert with over 30 years' experience across law enforcement, prosecution, Ashurst, Deloitte, and his own consultancy, SAFE TM. Together they explore the intersection between psychosocial risk management and whistleblowing, two disciplines that too often operate in silos.

What you'll learn

In this session, David and Tony cover:

How seven psychosocial hazards (job demands, role clarity, bullying, harassment, change management, traumatic material, and poor organisational justice) combined to create a toxic workplace culture
Why Jessica chose not to report, and what that reveals about power dynamics, career fear, and the limits of internal reporting channels
The differences between WHS criminal prosecution, Fair Work complaints, and HR-led responses, and why organisations need to understand all three
When whistleblowing is the right reporting avenue for psychosocial risk, and when it isn't
Tony's psychosocial risk maturity model, adapted from the Hudson Safety Maturity Model, and where most Australian organisations currently sit
What boards and executive leadership teams should be asking for in their reporting, and why all-green dashboards should concern them
How Australia's regulatory environment compares globally, and what recent changes to WHS regulations mean for employers of all sizes

Who should watch

This session is for board members, executives, general counsel, HR leaders, WHS professionals, risk and compliance teams, and anyone responsible for workplace culture and employee wellbeing. It's relevant across industries, though the case study will particularly resonate with organisations managing white-collar psychosocial risk for the first time.

About the speakers

David Morgan is Managing Director of Veremark's Whistleblower Technology Solutions. With extensive experience in workplace investigations and whistleblower programme design, David advises organisations on building governance frameworks that encourage early reporting and protect those who speak up.

Tony Morris is the founder and director of Safe TM and a recognised authority on psychosocial risk management in Australia. His career spans more than 30 years across law enforcement, prosecution, major law firms including Ashurst, and a partnership at Deloitte. He previously founded The Briefing Group, which he led for 13 years. Tony specialises in WHS criminal matters, investigations, and helping organisations proactively manage psychosocial risk. He is also known for his mock courtroom training programmes, which prepare professionals to give evidence under cross-examination.

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