A Bill to tackle workplace standards, bullying, harassment and sexual assault in Parliament House received cross-party support when it was tabled in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The new legislation would establish the Parliament Workplace Support Service (PWSS) as an independent statutory agency, overseeing human resources (HR) for MPs and parliamentary staff.
Labor drafted and proposed the Bill on Thursday in response to the 2021 Set the Standard report, which outlined findings and recommendations from an independent inquiry by Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.
Senator Katy Gallagher said the PWSS Bill is the first “major tranche” of law reform responding to AHRC’s inquiry from two years ago.
“Every single person who comes to work at Parliament House deserves to feel safe, and this hasn’t always been the case,” she said.
“Significant work has been done during this Parliament and the previous one to implement change through the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce – which includes Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Greens and independent parliamentarians.”
If the PWSS Bill were to be passed, an independent HR entity would be established for staff at Parliament House to access resources, support, training and guidance.
The PWSS agency enshrined in the proposed legislation would standardise and improve HR management and the implementation of code of conduct and behavioural standards in the workplace.
“This enhanced service has been informed by consultation with staff, parliamentarians and departments and I would like to thank those who have contributed their views and experience,” Senator Gallagher continued.
“Progress is being made, but we have a lot more to do, including working across the Parliament to establish the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission that will enforce codes of conduct for Parliamentarians and staff.”
The proposed legislation has cross-party support, and Special Minister of State Don Farrell hopes it will pass to make “well overdue changes”.
“Over the last two years, there has been a great deal of focus on our workplaces,” he said.
“It’s time for us to make well overdue changes to ensure our workplaces recognise the needs of staff and provide appropriate and accessible support structures.
“Our staff deserve a safe and respectful workplace.”
In November 2021, the AHRC delivered the Set the standard report, headed by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.
The report condemned the workplace culture in Parliament House, revealing one in three workers have experienced sexual harassment, with young women and people who identified as LGBTQIA+ the most vulnerable.
Jenkins’ report gave a total of 28 recommendations to Parliament House, including establishing gender and diversity targets, alcohol rules, codes of conduct, respect in chambers and support services for staff.
Last year, Alabanese’s Labor government announced it would support all 28 recommendations to better the workplace culture in Parliament House.
Former parliamentary staffer and survivor of sexual assault Brittany Higgins has been a strong advocate for improving Parliament House’s workplace culture, who called for “immediate action” when the Set the standards report was released.
Bruce Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, faced a criminal trial in October 2022, following allegations of raping Higgins his former colleague, in a ministerial office at Parliament House in 2019.
No findings have been made against Lehrmann, who pleaded not guilty in the October trial and continues to deny the allegations.