Unsolicited emails to State Servants (09 Jun 2023)

Dear Colleagues

Recently, there has been a growing number of TSS employees concerned about unsolicited emails being sent to their departmental email accounts, namely from political parties. We have been advised that there is no legal impediment to this type of email being sent to State Servants, however we have detailed instructions below that staff may wish to follow, to enable messages to be blocked.

You may be receiving these emails due to your details being publicly available on the Government Directory.

If you do not wish to receive these emails, you can block the sender. To block unwanted emails from particular senders:

Click on the email and select > Junk > Block Sender from the ‘Home’ ribbon at the top of the screen.

Alternatively, you may wish to block the whole domain. To do this, go to Junk Email Options on the same menu as above, and enter the domain name.

Please note blocking a domain name, rather than a particular sender, could inadvertently block other bulk emails you may still wish to receive. If you are unsure, opt to block the sender.

As outlined in the State Service Act 2000, TSS employees are responsible for behaving in a way that upholds the State Service Principles. This means ensuring the TSS remains ‘apolitical, performing its functions in an impartial, ethical and professional manner’.

Please remember that you must not use your work email to share or forward political emails (as some senders might encourage), as we are not permitted as State Servants to use departmental resources for political purposes.

For more information regarding your responsibilities under the Act, view the above link or refer to your Agency’s Human Resources Department.

Best wishes

Jenny Gale
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
09 Jun 2023