Docking rogue politicians’ pay ‘just a slap on the wrist’: Lidia Thorpe

Docking politicians’ pay by 5 per cent for breaching parliamentary standards is barely a slap on the wrist, says independent senator Lidia Thorpe.

A draft structure leaked to this masthead revealed the potential powers of the much-delayed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, a body that could punish MPs, senators, staffers and others in the building for serious breaches such as sexual assault, violence, harassment, bullying and discrimination.

While Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says she is confident both houses will vote the commission into law this October, some members of the Coalition have already raised concerns that the body could be used to pursue vendettas.

Liberal backbencher Garth Hamilton said the commission was unnecessary.

“A free and independent press coupled with a healthy democracy have proven to be far better guardrails than the hidden hands of an unelected bureaucracy. But whatever, let the purge begin. What could possibly go wrong?” he said.

The commission would also have the power to enforce confidentiality agreements, which Thorpe says could reduce it to “another toothless body that operates in the dark and does nothing to drive real change”.

A powerful new body that could dock up to 5 per cent of a misbehaving politicians’ salary or suspend them from federal parliament is “barely a slap on the wrist” says Independent senator Lidia Thorpe.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“Confidentiality agreements must not be used to silence victims. Any top-down restrictions on the victims of misconduct is incredibly problematic,” Thorpe said.

“The violence of silence is the reason we saw the change of laws in Queensland to allow perpetrators to be named when they are charged.

“Two to 5 per cent of a parliamentarian’s salary seems too low given [politicians] are paid so much – it’s barely a slap on the wrist. Perhaps it’s a fair starting point, but it should be increased with repeated misconduct.”

North Sydney MP Kylea Tink said she would have reported verbal abuse she received in the House to the commission if it already existed. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

North Sydney teal independent Kylea Tink also expressed concern over the proposal of making complainants sign confidentiality agreements, saying they should be used sparingly.

“Ultimately, in my opinion, a democracy is its strongest when it’s based on transparency and accountability,” she said.

Tink – who stood in parliament in September last year saying she was yelled at aggressively by a male opposition MP – said she would have gone to the standards commission if it existed at the time.

“That experience for me was a real shock that there was nowhere I could go except the Speaker [Milton Dick] to draw to their attention that behaviour that was inappropriate … we need the IPSC,” she said.

Greens senator Larissa Waters also said her party would keep pushing for the “strongest and broadest possible sanctions”.

The creation of an independent commission is one of the key recommendations made by former sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins’ November 2021 report, Set the Standard.

The inquiry – which called out parliament’s “revolting and humiliating” workplace culture – was commissioned in the wake of former staffer Brittany Higgins’ allegation she had been raped in former defence minister Linda Reynolds’ office.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who leads the bipartisan taskforce, said she was confident parliament would agree to pass the new standards into law.

“What the final form of that looks like is still to be determined, but I’m working across the parliament with independents, the Greens, the opposition, to make sure that we get this landed,” she said.

“Hopefully we get it landed without the need for a parliamentary inquiry into it, and then we can get it up and running around 1 October.”

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher is overseeing the proposed reforms.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

While the Coalition is waiting for formal consultation and party process before finalising a position, Liberal and National politicians have begun to raise concerns.

Nationals MP Keith Pitt slammed the proposed commission as the “behaviour police”, arguing there are already laws in place to deal with issues in the parliamentary workplace.

“I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me the difference between right and wrong. I get a performance review every three years by over 120,000 voters who will let me know very clearly if I am representing them,” he said.

Speaking on Perth radio station 6PR, Nationals senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said she did not believe docking a politicians’ pay was appropriate and the commission could attract false complaints.

“It’s got to be a fine line drawn. You can’t have a situation that can be taken advantage of by those who might have a vendetta,” she said.

“I mean of course, my colleague ... Senator [Linda] Reynolds has had to, you know, fight her own battle on the sidelines … because of those sorts of things that come up and it’s been very difficult for her.”

The LNP’s Garth Hamilton says the standards commission is unnecessary. A strong media and regular elections are more effective. Credit: Elke Meitzel

However, Liberal senator Gerard Rennick was more open to the proposal of cutting politicians’ pay.

“If it was serious enough conduct I’m not against it. I mean ultimately they’ll pay for it at the ballot box but … if it’s serious enough conduct I’ve got no issues,” he told 2GB on Tuesday.

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