Previous report highlighted 'systemic' bullying and harassment
New Zealand's Parliament has ordered another review of its workplace culture to assess the improvements it made after a 2019 report found that bullying and harassment were "systemic".
The 2019 report, titled "Independent External Review into Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace," said that there was "harmful behaviour" by and between staff, managers, MPs, media, and the public. It added that identities of those accused are an "open secret," with alleged "serial offenders" present.
The report, carried out by independent consultant Debbie Francis, made over 80 recommendations to improve the parliamentary workplace culture, which included an "external expert review progress against the recommendations" that will be carried out three years later.
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"I recommend the Speaker, with the PSC Advisory Board, request, in three years' time, that an external expert review progress against these recommendations and the agency and party responses appended here," the report read.
In accordance with this recommendation, House Speaker Adrian Rurawhe has ordered another review to be carried out by Francis, titled "Parliamentary Culture Excellence Horizon," which is set for a year-end release.
"I have commissioned Debbie Francis to carry out a review of progress. I am committed to having Debbie catalogue the story of the gains we've all made to date, as well as identifying possible opportunities going forward. I am particularly interested in her developing a 'Parliamentary Culture Excellence Horizon' for us, rather than a new set of recommendations," said Rurawhe.
"The review will not be at the same scale as the review she conducted in 2019. Instead, I have asked her to do a snapshot of where we are culturally. This will involve interviews with some members of Parliament, as well as parliamentary and ministerial staff, the press gallery, and unions. It will be done in a much shorter time, and I expect a report to be delivered by the end of the year."
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According to the speaker, the Parliament has made "significant progress" in improving its culture, adding that most of the 2019 report's recommendations have been accomplished. Among the workplace changes made include appointing an independent commissioner, establishing new confidential channels to report, as well as progressing a safer work programme.
"We have made significant progress as a workplace in improving our culture, and it is important that we take stock, as an institution, of the effectiveness of that work," said the speaker.