Outgoing sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins tells UK MPs Canberra ‘like cruise ship’

Australia’s outgoing sex discrimination commissioner tells UK MPs a politician had a miscarriage, but couldn’t seek medical attention in case her absence was noted.

Kate Jenkins has lashed the culture in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Australia’s outgoing sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins has told British parliamentarians that she discovered during her 2021 report into the cultural practices of the Australian parliament – prompted by the Brittany Higgins furore – that one female politician had suffered a miscarriage, but couldn’t seek medical attention for fear of her absence being noted.

Ms Jenkins described the workplace inside Australia’s parliament house as “chaotic”, detailing how people had worked long hours, with no structures, no job description, no selection process, insufficient human resources processes, and no inductions for new politicians.

ON SATURDAY: Don’t miss Fiona Harari on how Kate Jenkins changed work culture forever in The Weekend Australian Magazine

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Joel Carrett

The social aspect of parliament house had been “unique”, she said, describing how the fly in fly out situation of parliamentary sitting weeks had created “a bit of a cruise ship kind of what happens on the trips stays on the trip: long hours, drinking, young people; it was not welcoming to families or someone who wants a good night’s sleep”.

Ms Jenkins was speaking at Australia House in London alongside the Tory chair of the women and equalities select committee Caroline Noakes and Labour’s shadow minister for domestic violence Jess Phillips about sex discrimination in the workplace.

Ms Jenkins said the miscarriage incident – she didn’t identify the politician involved – was “heartbreaking’’.

“One heart breaking story, a woman had miscarried, a parliamentarian in parliament, and she didn’t want to go out (for medical attention) because then everyone would know she wasn’t there and ask questions,’’ said Ms Jenkins, who also revealed staffers inside parliament would seek prescriptions for medication to treat depression from politicians who were also doctors.

Ms Jenkins said her independent review of Parliament was part of a broader conversation about violence against women and sexual harassment in particular in workplaces. “There was a view that this (Parliament House) should be the best workplace and in fact, the suggestion was possibly many people were saying it was the worst,’’ she said.

Ms Jenkins said at the start of her seven year term as Sex Discrimination Commissioner there was no appetite for adopting workplace change. She said some of the reasons politicians weren’t rushing to adopt better conditions for women was “because they had their own dirty laundry”. But she said the environment then changed because “the community conversation kept building and building and the pressure kept building, so that at the last election both sides understood that gender equality and who got elected, was a message”.

Ms Jenkins said there was “political capital” in having gender equality throughout parliament.

“We have a government who has come in on basis of gender equality: addressing the pay gap, superannuation benefits, parental leave, paid parental leave, gender segregated industries, all of those levers are being pulled.”

ON SATURDAY: Don’t miss Fiona Harari on how Kate Jenkins changed work culture forever in The Weekend Australian Magazine