The Morrison Government must act on all 28 recommendations in today’s report, ‘Set the Standard’, which outlines alarming rates of bullying, sexual harassment and assault in Parliament House. The Government must also act for all workers across the country and implement all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report.
Under the watch of this Government, federal parliament has become an unsafe workplace with 1 in 3 workers having experienced sexual harassment while working there, and more than half having experienced bullying, sexual harassment or actual/attempted sexual assault.
Consistent with workplaces across the country, today’s report has found that the temporary nature of employment and insecure work – increases the risk of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Gender inequality is a key driver of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault, as found in today’s report. Institutional structures, processes, and practices “devalue women and consequently foster gendered misconduct”.
Quotes attributable to ACTU President Michele O’Neil:
“Faced with appalling details of the dangerous culture in federal parliament the Prime Minister refused to accept responsibility and refused to answer questions about the dozens of recommendations from the Respect@Work report which his Government have not addressed.
“The Prime Minister can do more to keep women safe at work – in fact he could have done more years ago – the question now is what he will do when confronted with the reality of working life for women in his own workplace.
“Insecure and casual work increases the risk of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault. The Morrison Government has entrenched insecure work and refused to act to end sexual harassment.
“If the Morrison Government wants to be real about action for women, then they need to implement the recommendation of both Kate Jenkins’ reports and legislate that employers must take preventative action against sexual harassment.
“The bravery shown by workers in Parliament House to come forward and tell their stories as part of this report is extraordinary – the Prime Minister must do his part by urgently adopting the recommendations and providing the resources required to implement them.”
