Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to rise at this point of the debate. We have been debating this bill for over a day now. Of course, it is important that we put in place laws to protect women from harassment, from sexualised bullying and from being berated and belittled in their workplace. I find it extraordinary that, in the course of the debate on this bill here today, we had some comments made by Senator Pauline Hanson that really only made the situation worse for a young woman who wasn't treated properly or looked after properly in this place. And that, of course, is Brittany Higgins, a woman who stood up and called out her treatment and what had happened to her. If she hadn't done that—and been prepared to expose herself with such vulnerability—we wouldn't even be debating this bill here today. It wasn't okay for a member in this place to come in here and victim blame. It wasn't okay, and it needs to be called out.

There are people in this chamber who have worked with Ms Higgins. There are others who know her well. She deserved better than to be used as part of a political attack in the debate on this bill today. In fact, we actually all owe a great debt of gratitude to Ms Higgins for being brave enough and courageous enough to tell her story. And the reason her story was so powerful—and it didn't shake just this building; it created waves right across the country—was that her experience resonated with so many other women in workplaces right around this country, in social clubs right around this country, in friendship groups, in universities, and, sadly, even in schools. Those protests, which happened on the lawns of Parliament House and elsewhere around the country, organically appeared because women in this country have had enough of being told to be silent and have had enough of sucking it up and not declaring what has happened to them for fear of shame, of embarrassment, of not being believed. They're the women that we should be listening to.

I know that there are many women in this place who understand that. They understand that from a very personal perspective. They understand it because it resonates with all of us. It's either been our experience or it's been the experience of one of our loved ones: our sister, our friend, our mother. We all know somebody who has been assaulted, harassed or abused and was made to feel like they had to stay silent for fear of retribution or shame. One of the most powerful contributions to this such desperately needed change in public policy on how we deal with harassment at work and the laws that protect women was when Brittany Higgins and other women, like Grace Tame, decided to step out and speak the truth about their experiences, throwing off the cloak of shame. That meant that more and more women knew that what had happened to them wasn't okay and that if they came forward they would be believed. I find it extraordinary that, in a debate such as this that has been brought forward because of this entire incident, members of this chamber are prepared to belittle that experience and that bravery. It's not acceptable.

This bill does not go far enough. We have spent hours debating amendments because it is not good enough. The Prime Minister didn't hold true to his promise, but this bill is recognition that coming forward and breaking one's silence can make a difference. For that we should all be thankful to Brittany Higgins.

Question negatived.