Health minister says findings of serious wrongdoing show Parliament has 'way to go' to improve
The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) managed 30 cases of sexual assault and/or sexual harassment, among others, from October 2023 to June 2024.
This is nine per cent of the 339 workplace offences managed by the PWSS during the period, which were laid out in its annual report released last month.
This percentage includes rape/sexual assault, assault, sexual harassment, harassment, stalking, or intimidation.
But according to the PWSS, it is likely that "very few" of the cases managed would actually be allegations of rape, noting that their support staff took "a trauma-informed approach," with the incidents recorded as described by the client.
"People use the expression 'sexual assault' to describe a wide range of conduct, from feeling uncomfortable about how a person looked at them to what would be a traditional use of the word rape," the report read.
"It is likely that very few of those matters would actually be allegations of rape. Those that are, could include matters also reported to the Police, Sex Discrimination Commissioner and would include matters that pre-date the current and previous terms of Parliament."
Overall, a total of 339 cases were managed by the PWSS from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, according to the report. Among the total, 90 cases were related to workplace conflict, while 33 were related to bullying.
Source: Parliamentary Workplace Support Service
"The nature of workplace complaints received related to allegations of bullying or workplace conflict, often due to poor communication and behaviours, lack of management and leadership capability, and absence of proper office management practices," the report read.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the findings of serious wrongdoing were "really concerning."
"But as many who've worked in Parliament or around Parliament for a long time, perhaps, have said: it's not entirely surprising," Butler told Sky News in an interview.
According to Butler, the PWSS report shows that Parliament still has "a way to go" when it comes to workplace behaviour.
"This is a workplace that really does need to lift its standards. And I think putting that process or that structure in place is an important first step," he said. "People need to be held accountable for poor behaviour, whether it's MPs, staff, employees at Parliament House."
