More needs to be done to address workplace misconduct in Australian parliament

Published November 10,2024

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As a report revealing the variety of severe misconduct instances within the parliament gained traction, the Australian authorities on Sunday mentioned that “more needs to be done” to deal with office conduct on the home.

The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service dealt with 339 complaints in its first 9 months of operation, confirmed a report launched by the physique final month, native broadcaster SBS News reported.

Thirty of the instances reported between October 2023 and the tip of June 2024 involved rape or sexual assault, assault, sexual harassment, harassment, stalking or intimidation.

“It’s really concerning, but as many who have worked in parliament or around parliament for a long time perhaps have said, it’s not entirely surprising,” Health Minister Mark Butler was quoted as saying.

Another 33 instances within the nine-month timeframe have been about bullying, reflecting the poisonous office tradition of Parliament House.

Some 62 instances concerned household or home violence, alcohol and medicines or psychological well being, whereas there have been 90 instances of office battle being managed, based on the report.

“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. People need to be held accountable for poor behaviour,” Butler mentioned.

“This process is starting to work, but I think this report really concerningly shows that parliament still has a way to go,” he went on to say.

Lawmakers, earlier this yr, handed legal guidelines to determine an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, with powers to research office conduct and implement a behavioral code.