Teen apprentice Alec Meikle, killed himself after being bullied

By Gemma Jones
The Daily Telegraph
June 24, 2009 12:01am

New guidelines ... the Federal Government has been prompted to work with
every state to fight workplace bullying.

Teen Alec Meikle bullied as an apprentice Was set on fire and threatened with
rape. Was so badly affected he committed suicide

A TEENAGE apprentice took his own life after bullies at a State Government
rail contractor set him on fire and threatened to rape him.

The death of Alec Meikle, 16, who worked with Downer EDI in Bathurst,
New South Wales, has prompted the Federal Government to work with
every state to fight workplace bullying.

Alec confided about the bullying to Bathurst Councillor Warren Aubin in the
months before he died on October 13 while the councillor was teaching him
to drive, The Daily Telegraph reports.

"It was horrible, he had stuff sprayed on him, he was set on fire a couple
of times.

They poured liquid on him then lit it up and they would stand back and
watch him put it out," Mr Aubin said yesterday. "He had glue put on him.
He told me he was on compo.

" The Federal Government brought his situation to the attention of a NSW
inquiry into bullying of children and young people and the terms of the inquiry
have been broadened to include apprentices and trainees.


Sydney WorkCover investigated the bullying and a spokesman
confirmed yesterday the abuse of Alec included "setting him on fire
and threats of sexual assault". As a result of the inquiry Downer EDI was forced
to implement a respectful behaviour policy. "This is a troubling case. He was
subjected to physical and verbal assaults," a spokesman said. "This is a very
big company and obviously things weren't done as they should have been.

" WorkCover began paying Alec compensation on May 27 last year to cover
counselling but Alec was so badly affected he first attempted self harm in August.

His family decided to move him to his native New Zealand in September but
he was dead within weeks. In its submission to the NSW inquiry into bullying
of children and young people, the Federal Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations described Alec's case as extreme.

"The department responded to an extreme place of workplace bullying in
NSW which led to the suicide of an apprentice," the submission said.

"The Commonwealth is undertaking discussions with state and territory
governments to determine ways of responding to issues of bullying in the
workplace relating to young apprentices and trainees.

" The Meikle family has employed a Bathurst solicitor but declined to
comment yesterday. A spokeswoman for the Australian Manufacturing
Workers Union said bullying was becoming rarer. - Readers seeking
support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline
on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263).