November 9th 2024.
In a concerning report, the new support service for Parliament has shared that there were 30 alleged cases of serious sexual assault, intimidation, and stalking reported in just nine months. The annual report, which covers the period of October 2023 to June 2024, reveals that there were a total of 339 cases handled by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service within the walls of Parliament House in Canberra's Capital Hill.
Out of the 339 incidents reported, there were also 33 cases of bullying, 62 cases of family and domestic violence, alcohol and drug use, or mental health concerns, and 90 cases of workplace conflict. Additionally, 124 cases were classified as "other, unknown, blank, or not applicable". These numbers are a stark reminder of the need for change in the workplace culture at Parliament.
The establishment of the behavioural watchdog in the nation's capital came after a review by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in 2021, which exposed a "revolting and humiliating" work environment. Titled "Set the Standard", the Jenkins report gathered information from 1723 current and former parliamentary staff, with findings that Prime Minister described as "appalling". The issue of culture and behaviour within the halls of power has been under scrutiny since former staffer Brittany Higgins came forward with allegations of rape in 2019.
Higgins, in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, stated that while the number of complaints regarding sexual assault and rape was alarming, it was not surprising. She also acknowledged that there is still work to be done, and both political parties have been dealing with workplace incidents with varying levels of success.
The report also notes that the high percentage of sexual assault complaints may be due to the support staff's trauma-informed approach, where incidents are recorded as described by the client. It also highlights the fact that the term "sexual assault" can encompass a wide range of behavior, from feeling uncomfortable to incidents that would traditionally be labeled as rape.
The report also mentions that some of the complaints may be from several years ago. In response to the report, Nationals leader David Littleproud stated that while the statistics are shocking, they are a step in the right direction. He also emphasized that the reforms implemented in the past year have created an environment where people feel comfortable coming forward and are supported not only emotionally but also legally in cases of serious crimes.
The report, which is available to the public, reveals that more than half of the complaints were made by political staffers, with an additional 12% reported by parliamentary department staff and 17% from MPs or senators. All cases remain anonymous in the report.
Recent notable incidents within parliament include allegations of bullying by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles' chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky and accusations of both bullying and sexual assault made by Independent senator Lidia Thorpe. The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service was established in September 2021 and offers an "end-to-end human resource service for parliamentarians and their staff". Additional support is also available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT.
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