Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government has taken a number of steps to address a component of the recommendations addressed to the Commonwealth. Those recommendations were outlined in the Women's Economic Security Statement process through the budget, and the government is actively considering the remaining recommendations in detail, with a view to continuing to implement that response as soon as possible this year. I want to acknowledge the work that's being done by Senator Stoker, the new Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, in that regard. Additionally, Safe Work Australia has been doing very important work in this space, including by releasing its sexual harassment in the workplace guidance earlier this year.

I would also refer to the Sex Discrimination Commissioner's words in relation to the report, acknowledging as I did, in fact, in a question asked of me recently, that COVID, along with a number of matters before government at the time, did have an impact on this process. A number of the key recommendations have been funded, in particular looking at the next survey, getting together the Workplace Sexual Harassment Council and some education and training resources.

Those opposite seek to ignore this, but I do think it is actually important to acknowledge that as a report about workplaces the report's recommendations are not limited to government alone. While the government naturally has had to direct its resources to immediate priorities, I think the commissioner has also been encouraged by the level of influence she has seen the report have in workplaces, the main subject of concern over the past year. I said in response to a question last week or the week before—and I am not sure from whom that question came—that the report also involves other governments, plus business in particular and a number of agencies, including Safe Work, as I have already referred to, and Fair Work Australia. It is not an entirely government— (Time expired)