Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

It is with pleasure that I rise to speak on the Members of Parliament (Staff) Amendment Bill 2023 and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Bill 2023. These bills came about as a result of the shocking findings of the Human Rights Commission's independent review of the workplace culture here in Parliament House and across the country in Commonwealth parliament workplaces, and the resulting Jenkins Set the standard report. We should remember the facts that came out of that report.

The Set the standard report heard that 51 per cent of all people currently working in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces have experienced at least one incident of bullying, sexual harassment or actual or attempted sexual assault. The report found there was an absence of an adequate, authoritative people-and-culture function for parliamentarians and their staff and a lack of standardised people management processes. The report was asked to make recommendations to ensure that Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces are safe and respectful for all those who work in this place and in the parliamentary electoral offices around the country.

I commend the work of Kate Jenkins and her Set the standard report, which laid the foundation for this legislation. The bills are the product of extensive consultation with parliamentarians and staff across parliament, including through the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce, its staff consultation group, and union representatives. I've had the pleasure of being on the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce. Whilst there has at times been robust discussion, it is pleasing that we have gotten to the point of now having legislation before the parliament to progress some of the recommendations of the Set the standard report, but it's clear that there is still so far to go. I'd like to thank all the members of the taskforce for their contribution, especially the current and past staff who shared really confronting experiences and stories, who trusted in a system that had let them down during their own employment, in the hope of bettering the system for those who would come after them.

These bills seek to implement a start to better processes and standards. The federal parliament is one of Australia's most prominent workplaces. The people that work here should have the systems they need to go about their work in a professional, safe and respectful environment. The Members of Parliament (Staff) Amendment Bill will modernise the act, improve transparency and clarify the employment framework for parliamentarians and their staff. This bill will support cultural change in our parliamentary workplaces. The bill will underline the responsibilities and obligations of members of parliament as the employer, and it includes requirements intended to guide decision-making by parliamentarians about employment matters and to support fair outcomes and processes when making significant employment decisions. Appropriately, the bill provides for a further review within five years of the amendments commencing, which means that we'll have the opportunity to better this. I don't think any piece of legislation will be perfect in improving the standards.

The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Bill 2023 implements recommendation 11 of the Set the standard report. It's an important step as the first major legislation to deal with the recommendations made in that report. Importantly, it establishes the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, PWSS, as an independent statutory agency to provide human resources services for parliamentary staff to prevent workplace issues and resolve problems earlier. Its key functions will be around human resources support for staff, policy development, education and training, review, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

The PWSS must prepare annual reports on gender and diversity of employees; gender equality and remuneration; employment of MOP staff; progress in prevention of and response to unacceptable conduct; culture and performance; and work health and safety matters. It is a very broad remit that the PWSS will seek to improve. Parliamentarians would also be required to consult with the new PWSS prior to making a decision in relation to the employment of staff, especially if it's in relation to termination or suspension of staff members with or without pay. The new provision for temporary suspension of employment will offer an alternative to termination and will be another mechanism to address risks in this workplace, as far too often those that have spoken up have seen themselves shuffled on or moved aside or seen their employment terminated.

There is still much that can be done better. We know that it's been slow getting to this point, with many changes still to come: more legislation, especially in relation to codes of conduct implementation and the IPSC, the independent parliamentary standards commission. It's now been two years since the Set the standard report was handed down. We need to work quickly. I know the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce is focused on the task in relation to establishing the independent parliamentary standards commission, which is a body which will ultimately implement the codes of conduct.

I think there needs to be a greater level of training in employment law for ministers and members of parliament, because we need to remember, for all those in this place, there hasn't automatically been experience when it comes to managing or employing people. As we take on the responsibilities of representing our electorates but also employing staff, it is important that more training and awareness of the requirements is had by members of parliament. Whilst there's a lot more to be done and more legislation to be implemented, I support these bills as an essential first step in making parliament a safer workplace.

Finally, it's impossible to talk about this legislation and the progress it represents without talking about even the events of this week. No legislation can ultimately change what is wrong with the culture of this place. It needs to come from members themselves, and it needs to come from leadership, especially when it comes to the major parties. This week's events in this place during question time have shown we still have a long way to go. We have seen senior members of major parties, in particular the opposition, behave in a way that is unbecoming of this parliament during question time. We should not have pointing, heckling, yelling or encouragement of people in the gallery to participate in the proceedings of this place, disregarding the warnings that have been made by the Speaker in relation to the conduct that is appropriate and befitting for this place. Over the last two days, I think that has shown just how much that culture still has to change.

This should be a place of debate, of respectful exchange of ideas. It can be robust, but it should never be disrespectful, and it should never be to a point and to a standard that is not befitting a place like here. We have children in the gallery. They are here now, but they are here during question time as well. They come away incredibly disillusioned and horrified that this is the standard. If this is the place, the heart of our nation, where we come up with laws that will direct the lives of so many millions of people, and this is the behaviour and conduct that's accepted, then what example are we setting the next generation, these children that come and watch?

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending an event for the International Women's Forum. These are leaders in business, the arts and not-for profit and profit organisations, with vast experiences in a world outside of this place. They sat through question time yesterday and were horrified. They were horrified at the incredible waste of time and taxpayer money that this represented, because there were no serious answers provided and there was conduct that was entirely inappropriate and that would never be accepted in any other workplace.

So I ask each and every member of this place to pause, to think about their conduct and to take responsibility for their conduct in this place and what example it sets and never let the fire or conviction of the rightness of their argument overcome what is correct and appropriate behaviour. We need to make sure that the culture in this place changes, and that is a responsibility of each and every one of us.

While this legislation starts to improves things, we have to do more. You cannot assume that you can conduct yourself in this place in an aggressive, bullying, harassing way and walk out of this chamber and then become a respectful boss for your employees and that you are somehow going to then adopt a whole different standard of conduct. This is where it is a slippery slope, and this is where the problems start. So it's incredibly important that every member in this place and the other place pause and reflect on their conduct and ensure they apply at all times the highest of standards.

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