Fearless Conversations: Watch our experts discuss the future of politics in Australia

A ban on alcohol could be one of the measures taken to fix serious systemic cultural issues in state parliament, Deputy Premier Susan Close has told an Advertiser/Flinders University panel discussion.

A ban on boozy sittings of state parliament is“sort of inevitable” in the event of another “outbreak” of alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour, Deputy Premier Susan Close says.

Appearing with fellow MPs Lucy Hood, Rebekha Sharkie and Flinders University’s Dr Rob Manwaring on the latest Advertiser/Flinders University’s Fearless Conversations panel, Ms Close said parliament was “the kind of workplace where bad things can happen” and alcohol was often a contributing factor.

“It’s the kind of workplace where bad things can happen and you tend to find that in any very hierarchical organisation where one class of people … have vastly more power than the people who work for them,” she said.

She said the parliamentarians needed to ask themselves whether drinking during meals and other sitting breaks was strictly necessary.

“If I’m staying and having dinner in the parliamentary dining room, and parliament stops sitting, is that ok (to have a drink)? Or is that something you have to sacrifice?

“I’m not a wowser. I’m not into the temperance movement. You know I’m an adult and I don’t mind a glass of wine with a meal.

“But I do wonder if that’s something (a booze ban) that will sort of be inevitable and I suspect it will happen if there’s another outbreak of that kind of behaviour and alcohol is associated I can imagine the chorus will become almost unstoppable.”

The panel agreed all Australian parliaments were grappling with serious cultural issues, highlighted in two separate reports that laid bare allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.

Dr Manwaring, an associate professor in the College of Business, Government and Law said the reports indicated those workplaces were lagging “20 to 30 years behind the times”.

“Looking at the report in South Australia, something like 27 per cent of the respondents had reported they had experienced some form of sexual harassment or bullying … and 77 per cent said they didn’t feel comfortable and didn’t want to report it,” he said.

“So there’s probably a chronic under-reporting of bullying and harassment in these workplaces … these are not workplaces that would pass the test in any other organisation. They lag behind significantly.”

The Advertiser and Flinders University Fearless Conversations series brings together leading voices in roundtable discussions about the big issues facing the state.

With the political focus shifting from March’s SA state election – which saw Labor sweep into power – to the May 21 federal poll, the forum’s focus on the “Future of Politics” was timely. Hosted by Channel 7 chief reporter Mike Smithson, the hour-long discussion also involved Deputy Premier Susan Close, newly elected state member for Adelaide Lucy Hood and federal Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie.

Fearless Conversations participants Lucy Hood, left, and Susan Close, centre, with other newly elected Labor MPs Rhiannon Pearce, Erin Thompson and Olivia Savvas. Picture Emma Brasier.

Ms Sharkie said last year’s Set the Standard report had highlighted the need for more family-friendly hours – and a code of conduct – for federal MPs: “The report said that over 60 per cent of female politicians have been harassed … there are certainly cultural issues that need to be addressed.”

Ms Close said the recent introduction of a Code of Conduct for state MPs and the increasingly diverse make-up of the parliament, including more women, would also help to ensure inappropriate behaviour in the corridors of power could one day become a thing of the past.

Other issues canvassed in the wide-ranging discussion included the likelihood of a female state premier, the increasingly large role played by independents, the return of Nick Xenophon, next month’s federal election and Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s week one campaign gaffes.

The Fearless Conversations event was the third of the 2022 series, which brings together leading voices in roundtable discussions about the big issues facing the state.

Flinders University’s Dr Rob Manwaring, Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie, Deputy Premier Susan Close and Adelaide MP Lucy Hood before the third Fearless Conversations discussion. Picture: Matt Loxton

Register for fearless conversations at flinders.edu/fearless/conversations