‘Unlike any workplace I’ve ever been in’: The push to punish MPs for bad behaviour

Teal MP Kylea Tink wants to take a complaint about “offensive and degrading” personal comments to the new parliamentary watchdog the government wants to introduce – but other MPs are worried political parties could weaponise its powers.

Incidents of bullying, assault and sexual assault in Canberra’s parliament could be punished if the much-delayed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission comes into law after it was tabled in the House on Wednesday.

Independent member for North Sydney Kylea Tink will take a bullying complaint to the new watchdog if it passes into law.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Tink said she will explore the possibility of making a complaint about Coalition MPs sending out electronic direct mail she said is “inflammatory”.

“It’s a piece of marketing they send far and wide and sometimes they’re very offensive and degrading things written about me,” she said.

“I look forward to working through the legislation to understand how it can lift that standard or behaviour and if it covers things like electronic direct mail – that are disrespectful, inflammatory or propagate misinformation – I’m keen to understand if referrals to the IPSC will be an option.”

The crossbench MP currently fighting for her seat in North Sydney believes the mistreatment of her in the House is also a form of bullying, even though the new watchdog will not investigate rowdy behaviour in the chambers.

Teal independent MPs including Tink, Zali Steggall, Allegra Spender and Sophie Scamps criticised the proposed commission for not having the power to investigate allegations of poor parliamentary behaviour within the House and Senate chambers after they told Guardian Australia the Coalition’s attacks against them were misogynistic.

“This idea that robust debate excuses the behaviour in the chamber is absolute rubbish, and it’s the excuse that’s been used for far too long by far too many MPs that have been in this place for too long to justify poor conduct,” Steggall said on Wednesday.

At the end of question time on Wednesday, Spender asked Speaker of the House Milton Dick to review behaviour in the House of Representatives as it was “unlike any workplace I’ve ever been in”.

The Speaker said he agreed with Spender. “We must find ways to better engage in debate that maintains respectful behaviour … I shall reflect on standards and behaviour in recent times and report back to the member.”

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

However, deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said the teal independents needed to “consider their own behaviour”.

“Recently, the member for Warringah who you’ve mentioned made some personal and particularly nasty attacks on our leader Peter Dutton, they were not professional, they were not responsible and they were repeated inside and outside the chamber,” Ley told ABC News.

The government needs cross-party support to get the tough new sanctions for bad behaviour over the line, as parliamentarians across the spectrum have raised concerns that complaints to the watchdog could be made to score political points.

Politicians could have their pay docked or be suspended from parliament if they are found to have committed serious workplace breaches such as bullying or sexual harassment.

But while investigations by the new watchdog come with several checks and balances, any punishment must be ratified by a vote in parliament.

Liberal backbencher Garth Hamilton said he would not be supporting the bill as it would “put another line of unelected bureaucrats between politicians and voters”.

“This commission will be politicised and democracy will be diluted. If you aren’t willing to fight for your beliefs, politics is not for you,” he said.

Nationals MP Keith Pitt also raised concerns that the new laws could deter future candidates from running for politics.

“It’s hard enough getting good people into politics now and this proposal will make it even more difficult to attract quality candidates,” he said.

“Surely existing parliamentary oversight, separation of powers, criminal and common law, state laws, local laws, natural justice, the National Anti Corruption Commission and the fourth estate can already set the standard.”

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