WA Labor’s powerful disputes committee has urged the party to address any ‘weaknesses’ that left electoral staff complaints about their MP employers in limbo.
The party could respond to those calls as early as Sunday with a resolution to be tabled at its state conference pledging to resolve bullying and harassment issues for political staffers.
Former Matthew Hughes staffer Janelle Sewell.Credit: Hamish Hastie
The committee looked at MPs and their electorate officers more broadly after an official complaint from Janelle Sewell about the behaviour of Kalamunda Labor MP Matthew Hughes’ while she was employed in his office.
In March, Ms Sewell and two other former Hughes employees Sally Spalding and Meg Travers alleged Mr Hughes created a toxic workplace that left their confidence shattered. Mr Hughes strongly denied the allegations.
The women felt let down by both the Labor party and the government’s ‘put up or shut up’ culture and called for better processes to deal with future issues in electorate offices.
The committee ruled Ms Sewell’s complaint fell outside their purview because electorate officers were handled by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the committee’s powers only extended to complaints that occurred in Labor Party forums.
However, the committee said it had an opinion on Ms Sewell’s complaint because one of WA Labor’s enduring values was to eradicate gender and sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.
It said any weaknesses in party and government systems that prevented electorate officers from speaking up or being educated about their options needed to be fixed.
“In this matter Janelle Sewell advised that she endeavoured to find a mechanism within government and the party to listen to her concerns and determine an outcome. She did not manage to find that mechanism,” it said.
“In our view the party, if not the Government, has a responsibility to acquaint electoral staff with their rights, entitlements and obligations and the avenues that may be accessed to address any concerns.
“If mechanisms do not exist that enable concerns of electorate staff to be independently and impartially considered, that is a weakness that requires attention.”
Ms Sewell said she was appreciative of the committee’s response.
She said if the state conference acknowledged and took steps to address the issues raised she was hopeful it would create a cultural shift that would no longer disadvantage women.
“This shift will be of benefit to all women, no matter which party affiliation they are a part of, or workplace for that matter,” she said.
“An inclusive and equitable workplace benefits everyone.”
A spokeswoman for Premier Mark McGowan said employment matters in electorate offices were administered by Parliament and the Department of Premier and Cabinet, which had undertaken extended training to members of both houses and their staff.
“The most recent of sessions was held in June,” she said.
“The department provides human resource management education materials and ensures the member understands the department’s role in administering salary, entitlements and support to electorate office staff and members.
“These measures complement measures put in place by the department in collaboration with the presiding offices such as the anti-bullying and harassment guidelines, leave management policy and employment screening for proposed staff.”
According to Mr McGowan in a budget estimates committee last week the government was currently dealing with two complaints from electorate offices.
In March Sanja Spasojevic started an action against WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook in the Industrial Relations Commission, claiming there was a toxic culture in his office and that she was sacked unceremoniously and without explanation in the middle of 2020.
Mr Cook has denied the allegations, and it is understood the government has brought on high profile Perth Senior Counsel Mark Ritter to help with the IRC case.
That group includes Ms Spalding and former media adviser to Health Minister Roger Cook Jane Grljusich.
The group’s lawyer, Victorian barrister Gerald Grabau said they had sought a roundtable meeting with the State Solicitors Office.
Mr McGowan also revealed in estimates last week that in 2020–21 there were 36 allegations of sexual harassment, of which 14 were substantiated relating to six people.
“Of those six people, three had training and counselling, two resigned and one was terminated,” he said.
He said there were also 18 allegations of bullying in the public sector, but none were substantiated.
Mr Hughes’ office was contacted for comment.