Scott Morrison apologises to Brittany Higgins and abuse survivors

The Prime Minister has said “sorry” to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and all survivors of sexual assault in Parliament House.

A formal apology has been offered to all survivors of sexual assault, harassment and workplace bullying within Australia’s Parliament House, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison says “sorry” to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese both extended apologies to the victims of abuse, and acknowledged the bravery of those who had come forward and contributed to a 2021 review by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, which found half of all parliament staff had experienced bullying, harassment or assault.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made an official apology to victims of sexual harassment, bullying and violence in the building in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

The Jenkins inquiry was triggered after former Ms Higgins alleged she was raped after hours in a ministerial office in March 2019.

Mr Morrison acknowledged Ms Higgins, who attended parliament to watch the apology.

“We … have sought to silence the valid and just complaints of people because there was fear about electoral consequences,” Mr Morrison said.

“I am sorry. We are sorry.”

Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins sparked a review of parliament workplace culture. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Mr Morrison said he was sorry to Ms Higgins specifically for the “terrible things that took place here”.

“The place that should have been a place for safety and contribution, turned out to be a nightmare,” he said.

“I am sorry for far more than that.

“(Ms Higgins) had the courage to speak, and so here we are.”

The Jenkins review found 33 per cent of people working in parliament experienced some form of sexual harassment and about one per cent of survey participants had experienced actual, or attempted, sexual assault.

Mr Morrison said by apologising every parliamentarian was taking on “accountability for change”.

How about some proactive, preventative measures and not just these performative, last-minute bandaid electioneering stunts?

— Grace Tame (@TamePunk) February 8, 2022

“For those of us who have perpetuated the bullying and violence, the light will come to those behaviours,” he said.

“As it must.”

Mr Morrison said parliament “can’t be a place of cruelty”.

“Sorry is only the start, and that is our promise to people who are here today,” he said.

Mr Albanese said the toxic culture in parliament was not only a “woman’s issue”.

“Men have to step up and be allies in both word and deed,” he said.

Mr Albanese said parliament could not wait for “another wake-up call” before acting to address the problems.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese joined Prime Minister Scott Morrison in apologising to victims of abuse in Parliament House. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“This has been made clear to us by the extraordinary examples of not just Brittany Higgins but Grace Tame and others who have found the strength to lift the weight of their own experience and hold it high until no-one could look away,” he said.

“And in doing so, they have lightened the burden, that crucial fraction, for so many others.”

Mr Albanese said parliament needed to “work together” to build a better future for men and women.

“We cannot undo what is already done,” he said.

“But if we have the will, we can break out of the cycle for good.”

The speeches from both leaders followed a statement of acknowledgment by House of Representatives Speaker Andrew Wallace on behalf of the newly-formed Parliamentary Cross-Party Leadership Taskforce on Tuesday.

“We acknowledge the unacceptable history of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces,” he said.

“We say sorry.”

Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will speak at the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Mr Wallace said parliament should serve as a “model workplace for our nation”.

“However, for far too many, (parliament) has not been safe or respectful,” he said.

Mr Wallace said the parliament had “started to act” to address the rates of abuse and poor workplace culture, including training for MPs and Senators, trauma-informed support services for people who have experienced “serious incidents,” and the establishment of a new independent complaints process for victims.

“We know that cultural change has to come from the top – it has to be role modelled and championed by all of us,” he said.

“While we know we cannot undo the harm that has already been done, we are committed to acknowledging the mistakes of the past and continuing to build safe and respectful workplaces.”

On Wednesday Ms Higgins will appear at the National Press Club in Canberra with former Australian of the Year and survivor advocate Grace Tame.

Ms Tame condemned the acknowledgment on Tuesday, describing it as a political “stunt”.

“How about some proactive, preventive measures and not just these performative, last-minute bandaid electioneering stunts,” she said on Twitter.

The acknowledgment was one of many recommendations in Ms Jenkins’ final report, Set the Standard, released at the end of 2021.