The national workplace health and safety regulator is investigating two incidents in which National Australia Bank workers died by suicide just weeks apart.
On Wednesday, Comcare – the federal authority tasked with work health and safety regulation and workers’ compensation – confirmed it was investigating the circumstances around both suicides.
“Comcare is investigating both incidents. We can’t comment further,” a spokesperson said.
Victorian Police confirmed on Wednesday that the force would prepare a report for the coroner on the death of a man in Docklands in Melbourne, where NAB is headquartered.
“The body of a man was located on Bourke Street about 2pm [on March 5],” a police spokesman said. “The death is not being treated as suspicious.”
Employees who were working at the headquarters on the day, and spoke on condition of anonymity, told this masthead there was widespread shock and confusion at their colleague’s death.
A spokesperson for NAB said that following the first incident, “immediate efforts were focused on providing care to our colleague’s family, friends and their team”, and that leaders and external partners “have and continue to provide support and make health and wellbeing resources available to our teams”.
The second incident, which occurred several weeks after the first, did not occur at a NAB workplace and involved an individual who worked in a separate team at the bank.
Sources with knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said the second worker had been on long-term leave from the bank when they died.
The Australian Financial Review reported that the issue of the two worker deaths had been raised at a board meeting last week, where directors were concerned about allegations of broader cultural problems at the bank.
The Finance Sector Union declined to comment.
NAB – which employs more than 40,000 staff – has made several announcements related to staff cuts in recent months.
It has culled hundreds of positions across its back office. This has included restructuring of teams in its retail banking division, technology and operations departments.
Millie Muroi is the economics writer at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. She was formerly an economics correspondent based in Canberra’s Press Gallery and the banking writer based in Sydney.Connect via X or email.
Elias Visontay is a National Consumer Affairs Reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.