Calls to overhaul ‘sexist’ culture in Parliament after Karen Andrews makes allegation
A senator has made an “urgent” call for more oversight on working conditions at Parliament House after fresh allegations of sexual harassment.
Calls to overhaul a “sexist” culture in Parliament House have re-emerged following allegations from two female ministers alleging inappropriate workplace behaviour from their colleagues.
Greens spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said it was “disappointing” to hear former cabinet minister Karen Andrews alleging she had experienced sexual harassment in the House of Representatives.
She said earlier reports from independent MP Kylea Tink, who alleged she felt “overly aggressive” behaviour in the chamber made her feel unsafe, meant a new code of conduct was “desperately needed.”
“It was disappointing overnight to hear from further women in parliament who have (allegedly) experienced inappropriate behaviour from their colleagues in this place,” Senator Waters said.
“When female MPs are still being subject to sexist intimidatory behaviour, you can only imagine how much worse it is for staff,” she alleged.
Parliament recently established its first HR support system designed to deal with claims of sexual harassment, a key reform pushed by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.
Senator Waters said the support service had been a “huge step forward” but that without enforcement powers, “it cannot solve the problem.”
“The Greens have been calling for an enforceable Code of Conduct for politicians and senior staff for years. Without genuine consequences – such as suspension from parliament, loss of entitlements or directions to provide a public apology - there is little to deter against bad behaviour.”
This comes after Ms Andrews told ABC’s Annabel Crabb she had allegedly sustained sexual harassment while from a fellow Coalition MP.
She detailed an instance of a male colleague “breathing down her neck” and spoke of being subject to lewd comments inside of the chamber.
“I’d just be sitting there minding my own business and I would have the back of my neck breathed on, and if I asked a question, it would be, ‘That was a great question, thrusting and probing’,” Ms Andrews said on Tuesday.
The Queensland Liberal said she was expected to take inappropriate comments as jokes and felt pressure from her party members to remain silent.
“Sometimes I do call it out, but sometimes I just go, ‘I can’t be in every fight’,” Ms Andrews said.
Opposition foreign affairs minister Simon Birmingham said he was unaware of alleged sexual harassment and urged politicians and staff members to report lewd behavior.
“If there are issues that people need to discuss with the leadership within their own parties or otherwise, of course, they should feel free to do that as well,” ” Senator Birmingham told Sky.
“Those processes are there, and they are there that I would encourage any member in any circumstance, any staff member in this building or any other to utilise those processes that haven’t been in place all that long.”
Labor’s Housing Minister Julie Collins said the allegations were “appalling” and said she had no idea it had happened.
“It shouldn't happen to anybody in any Australian workplace. We need better from everybody that works in that building,” she said.
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