Julia Banks to be a no show at Jenkins inquiry

The former Liberal MP Julia Banks has instead provided the inquiry with a copy of her new book.

Former Liberal MP Julia Banks. Picture: Jason Edwards

Current and former MPs across the political divide have backed the privacy standards of an independent review into Parliament House’s workplace culture, after former Liberal MP Julia Banks raised concerns about its confidentiality.

Ms Banks, who alleged she was harassed by a cabinet minister in the Turnbull government, said she would not give evidence in the inquiry because she did not trust it would remain private. But she has provided the inquiry with a copy of her new book.

The review – led by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins – was one of several inquiries initiated by the Morrison government in the wake of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation.

On Tuesday evening, Ms Jenkins defended the privacy standards and said the only document she would provide to the federal government would be the final report, due in November. She said any extracts from interviews in the report would be anonymous.

Former Labor minister Kate Ellis – who recently spoke out about Parliament House’s “toxic” working culture for women – said she participated in the review and had the “upmost trust” in the inquiry’s staff.

“I had a great interview with Jenkins and the independent review panel. It was a positive experience and I have trust in it,” she told The Australian.

But Ms Ellis said the onus was on each individual to decide if they felt comfortable sharing their experience and how they wanted to participate in the inquiry.

Liberal MP Celia Hammond said the processes in place for the review were “best practice”.

The Australian understands opposition women’s spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek will be participating in the inquiry. Labor senator Don Farrell, who is leading the party’s engagement with the inquiry, said the opposition had supported requests from current and former staff to ensure submissions were confidential.

In March, parliament passed legislation to ensure submissions to the inquiry remained secret and would be exempt from Freedom of Information requests.

Greens women spokeswoman Larissa Waters said the party was confident the review would be “100 per cent confidential”.

Ms Banks said she would submit her memoir to the review, but would not participate in a formal interview because of her experience with “backgrounding, leaks and confidentiality getting out” in parliament.

A spokeswoman for the Human Rights Commission said the inquiry accepted written submissions – that aligned with its terms of reference – in any form.

In her book, Ms Banks accused Scott Morrison of “controlling, menacing” behaviour after the 2018 leadership spill and claimed his office framed her as a “weak, overemotional woman” following her decision to quit politics. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said he flatly rejected her characterisation of their conversations.