Friday 2 October 2026
The Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association of WA (CPSU/CSA) has been successful in our Mentally Healthy Workplaces Grant Program application. The grant will empower the CPSU/CSA to co-design and deliver Psychosocial Safety in Practice: A WHS Risk Capability Program for WA Public Sector Workers, a staged, evidence-based capability-building initiative that will strengthen how psychosocial hazards are identified, assessed, controlled and sustained within WA State Public Sector workplaces, with a deliberate focus on real work systems, real governance processes and durable practice rather than awareness-only activity.
Over the course of program delivery, the union will engage with up to ten Government agencies, to deliver the program and will support Agency-based HSR teams to work effectively within existing WHS systems, improve the quality of consultation, and strengthen how psychosocial risks are considered, escalated and addressed through normal organisational processes. State Government Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs), managers, WHS advisors and all workers within those agencies will be considered throughout development and delivery of the program.
CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Melanie Bray, said with greater psychosocial hazard risk assessment and control education, the union hopes to achieve an improved work health and safety culture, and build lasting capability to manage these challenges and workforce impacts, to enable better public service delivery across the width and breadth of the WA public sector for all Western Australians.
“The CPSU/CSA welcomes the opportunity to develop and deliver our Psychosocial Safety in Practice: A WHS Risk Capability Program for WA Public Sector Workers, with the support of the WA Government. Our union is a trusted collaborator with WA Government agencies, with extensive understanding of regional worksites, and depth of knowledge of practice and experiences across the sector. We are uniquely suited to build this program and deliver outcomes in accordance with the grant program; helping the sector build and retain critical skills to successfully manage these workplace challenges.
“At the close of the project, the union will have developed a variety and diversity of resources and tools to assist all public sector agencies, HSRs and WHS teams in building organisational capability to prevent and manage psychosocial hazards in public sector workplaces, regardless of union coverage. Through the improved prevention of these hazards, the union aims to improve staff retention, lower workers compensation costs on the sector and improve public service delivery for all Western Australians.”
ENDS
● This initiative is supported by the Western Australia Government through the Mentally Healthy Workplaces Grant Program, administered by the WorkSafe Group of the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety, in collaboration with the Mental Health Commission.
● The Minister for Industrial Relations, Hon Simone McGurk MLA, has also published a statement on the grant program (wa.gov.au).
● The CPSU/CSA covers 44,000 general public sector workers, one-quarter of the WA public sector, including child protection officers, youth custodial officers, park rangers, veterinary scientists and dental technicians.
● Note to Journalists: Please ensure the full acronym, “CPSU/CSA” when mentioning us. “CPSU” is typically used to refer to the Union that covers Commonwealth, ACT and NT public sector workers. We are related but separate organisations.
For more information or to arrange further comment from CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary Melanie Bray:
Alex Wallace
CPSU/CSA Media and Stakeholder Officer
M: 0421 934 794 E: [email protected]
