MPs who skip sexual assault training to be named and shamed

Parliamentarians will be required to undergo workplace harassment training under one of the new recommendations accepted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.

The Government has accepted all 10 recommendations laid out in a review of Parliament’s framework for responding to serious incidents.

These include face-to-face workplace respect training, tougher restrictions on who can access Parliament House after hours, and an independent complaints body.

• Also read: Sexual harassment grounds for dismissal in major workplace overhaul

Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Stephanie Foster was commissioned to review Parliament’s responses to serious incidents in the wake of Brittany Higgins’ allegations that she was raped while on the Parliament House premises.

“Every Australian has a right to feel and to be safe at work,” Morrison and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said in a joint statement on Monday.

“The report has made some significant findings and recommendations to improve how serious incidents are prevented and dealt with in the parliamentary workplace.”

What are the recommendations to improve Parliament?

Foster’s review specifically looked at how Parliament could improve its response to “serious incidents”, which it classified as assault, sexual assault or harassment, and serious bullying or harassment.

It recommended that the Statement of Ministerial Standards and Statement of Standards for Ministerial Staff be amended to reflect leaders’ commitment to reform the system of reporting, and the understanding that any form of bullying, sexual assault and harassment are unacceptable.

Government will also establish a new framework for responding to serious incidents with trauma-informed support services, an independent and confidential complaints mechanism, and tailored education at the heart of it.

Additionally, this support system should be available to all parliamentary staff who experience, are accused of, or witness a serious incident.

Morrison and Birmingham noted that this recommendation has already been implemented.

“Earlier this year we established a dedicated 24/7 support line, 1800 274 778, for staff who have experienced serious incidents in the workplace,” they said.

Independent complaints body formed

Foster also recommended an independent complaints mechanism be formed, including a Serious Incident Team made of highly skilled case officers with expertise in trauma-informed support and employment law.

The team would provide support, triage needs, facilitate resolutions and refer cases as required to authorities including law enforcement officers as required.

This complaints mechanism will be established within the next six weeks, Morrison said.

However, this body will only respond to incidents from the commencement of the current term of Parliament, which means Higgins' access to the body will be limited.

Face-to-face training, no-shows named and shamed

“In addition, we have been piloting a face-to-face training program for parliamentarians and their staff,” Morrison and Birmingham said.

The training, which was another of the Foster review’s recommendations, will be rolled out in September this year.

“It will be mandatory for all Coalition Ministers and staff, and it is expected that all other parliamentarians and their staff will undertake this training when it is available to them,” Morrison and Birmingham said.

Additionally, politicians’ attendance will be recorded on a publicly available register.

“Parliamentarians are answerable to their constituents and therefore the Government agrees with Ms Foster’s recommendation that a public register would instil confidence that Parliamentarians were undertaking the necessary actions,” Morrison and Birmingham said.

“The Government will work with the opposition, minor parties and independents to develop a public register of Parliamentarians who have undertaken the training.”

Workers will have tougher measures limiting after-hours access, while a report of instances of after-hours access will also be made available to chiefs of staff and office managers.

Additionally, more patrols will occur in the areas of Parliament House that are available after hours.

“The Government thanks Ms Foster for her report and now looks forward to working together with Members and Senators from across the political spectrum to make the changes we need to ensure parliamentary workplaces are safe, supportive and respectful,” Birmingham and Morrison said.

Foster’s report comes ahead of the release of Sex Discrimination Commissioner Jenkins’ independent review into Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces in November this year.

At least 345 people have already come forward to share their experiences in these workplaces.

“With such widespread commitment and action, I hope history will record 2021 as the turning point in eradicating sexual harassment in our workplaces,” Jenkins told a Senate hearing last week.

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