The federal parliament has formally acknowledged and apologised for the bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault experienced by staff at parliament house and the harm it has caused.
The formal acknowledgement is the first recommendation in Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkin’ review of the workplace culture inside parliament.
The statement was delivered at the start of parliament by the Speaker of the House of Representative and the President of the Senate on Tuesday. It was followed by addresses from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and leader of the opposition, Anthony Albanese, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Greens leader Adam Bandt and crossbench representative Zali Steggall.
Speaker of the House Andrew Wallace began by acknowledging “the unacceptable history of workplace bullying sexual harassment and sexual assault in commonwealth parliamentary workplace”.
“We say sorry,” Wallace said, who noted that the acknowledgement should be taken as a declaration of “personal and collective commitment to make the changes required”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison then rose to address the parliament.
“I rise to enthusiastically support this acknowledgment and recognise all of those who are here today,” Morrison said.
“I particularly want to acknowledge Brittany Higgins, whose experience, and more importantly courage, is the reason why we are all here today. And I want to thank her for that.
“I also want to recognise all of those who have contributed to the Jenkins review.
“This review speaks of a long-standing culture, generations of culture, in this place and in the building before it, of bullying and harassment that has occurred over this time. A power imbalance over that time that has been exploited. And that exploitation, abuse and harassment has played itself out through terrible traumatic and harrowing experiences. The harassment of staff, particularly female staff, as well as the harassment of female members and senators. Over many decades, the culture (that) perpetuated bullying, abuse, harassment and in some cases even violence became normalised. This has to change, it is changing, and I believe it will change.”
Morrison said Sex Commissioner Kate Jenkins has laid the challenge out before the government, but did not specifically address any measures it would take to improve outcomes for staffers.
“I am sorry, we are sorry,” Morrison said. “I am sorry to Ms Higgins for the terrible things that took place here. A place that should have been a place of safety and contribution, turned out to be a nightmare.
“I am sorry for far more than that. To all those who came before and endured the same.
“To those who have perpetuated the bullying, abuse and violence – the light will come to those behaviours and it must.”
Anthony Albanese also offered a statement after Morrison, where he apologised on behalf of the opposition. He thanked Brittany Higgins for her courage over the past year and said the Labor party was committed to working across the parliament to implement every recommendation of the Jenkins report.
“We cannot undo what is already done but if we have the will we can break out of this cycle,” he said.
“We have no excuse not to take that path.”
The government has come under fire because it did not initially invite former staffers, including Brittany Higgins, Rachelle Miller, Chelsey Potter and Josie Coles, to attend in person. Parliament is closed the public currently due to COVID restrictions but special arrangements were organised at the last minute by Independent MP Zali Steggall to have the women attend, Rachelle Miller told ABC radio on Tuesday morning.
“I’m really grateful that this is happening but once again it feels disingenuous. I think a lot of the words that have come from the government have been words, but we’re not seeing a lot of back up action,” Miller said.
2021 Australian of Year, Grace Tame noted on Twitter that Morrison did not address any proactive measures the government would take.
“How about some proactive, preventative measures and not just these performative, last-minute bandaid electioneering stunts?” she wrote.