Hazel
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Hazel, early 50s, is autistic. She told the Royal Commission she’s ‘a stickler for numbers’ and loves spreadsheets. ‘I love rules.’
She’s worked in the state government for more than 30 years, always in roles that are black and white.
‘I love budgets, I love finance, treasurer's guidelines, instructions and the like. I guess I'm not the most popular person because you need to make decisions based on facts, data and guidelines.’
About seven years ago the department asked her to use her bar licence to operate a bar on a Friday afternoon for senior staff. Hazel agreed, but would only operate within guidelines and wouldn’t do anything ‘that didn’t feel right’. She became known ‘as a bit of a problem child’ and ‘rain man’ for her adherence to the rules and regulations.
Then two years ago one of the executive assistants told her to buy the wine from her husband. Hazel refused because it was against the rules. The assistant started threatening her, calling her ‘a retard’ and told her ‘I’m going to make you pay’.
Not long after this the department boss decided to provide alcohol free-of-charge every Friday afternoon. Hazel told him he couldn’t do this because it was outside department guidelines.
‘A fight sort of ensued between him and myself, where he said I had no political or social acumen, which is right in a sense, because I don't understand why he couldn't understand he shouldn't be doing it. It sort of all got a little bit out of hand.’
Hazel was upset her boss couldn’t understand he was doing the wrong thing. Friends and colleagues told her the department could do what they wanted and she needed to do what she was told. ‘I'm happy to do that, but it's supposed to be in writing or it's not correct.’ She lodged a complaint about the misuse of public funds to buy alcohol.
Hazel became so distressed she went to her doctor who prescribed anti-anxiety medication.
Not long after, a new person started and ‘befriended’ her which she ‘found strange’. The person then accused her of sexually harassing him ‘which was not true’. Her boss launched an investigation and found she had ‘sexually harassed’ the person ‘for her husband’s sexual gratification’. This led to police raiding her home and seizing her and her son’s computers. Police charged her with ‘criminal activity’ and the matter went to court.
‘It was thrown out of court by the magistrate, because they could tender no evidence, because I actually haven't done anything wrong … then they allowed me back at work, but I had to put signs on my door to tell everyone I was autistic, which I've never had to do in my life.’
Immediately after she returned to work the department initiated another investigation and told her to return home.
‘All I've wanted was that the public should not be paying for the [department] to have unlimited use or abuse of resources such as alcohol, or anything else that they choose fit.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.