Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this very important motion and, before I do, can I acknowledge not just the good work of my colleagues and the entire parliament but that in the gallery we have the President of UN Women Australia, Georgina Williams. I acknowledge the extraordinary work that her organisation does in progressing the causes of women and girls around the country and, indeed, around world.

One year ago, this parliament made an acknowledgement that it could do better, not in an area of particular public policy or in the way that we consider laws but as a workplace. We acknowledged that we have not always done enough and, in many instances, that we have failed. But we also committed to change. Everyone deserves to have a safe and respectful workplace, and all parties have a role in improving the parliament's culture. There have been challenges in our workplace, and there is no doubt about that. We take the necessary changes very seriously. In acknowledging the annual report on the implementation of the Jenkins review, I am pleased to say to the Senate that we are making steady progress. This progress was started under the former government with bipartisanship, and the coalition is committed to making sure that this work remains about making our Commonwealth parliamentary workplace a model workplace for Australia. And it's why we accepted and implemented the recommendations of the Foster review, including an independent complaints mechanism, workplace training and improved independent support services. It's why the former government accepts the Jenkins review and committed to working towards all 28 of the recommendations.

There have been concrete changes. Thanks to the last parliament we now have in place an independent and confidential complaints mechanism for current and former parliamentarians and staff. We have a confidential 24-hour support service for current and former parliamentarians and staff. And we have new training and education programs for all of our staff and parliamentarians to keep our workplaces safe and respectful.

The parliament made a statement of acknowledgement. The parliament has established the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce with representatives from all sides. We passed legislation that ensures that all staff and parliamentarians are covered by age and disability discrimination acts. And thanks to this parliament a review of the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 has been completed and we have accepted in principle all of the recommendations. The joint committee on the parliamentary standards has delivered draft codes of conduct for our workplaces. The work to implement these changes has been led by the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce, which represents parties and parliamentarians from across the parliament. We are encouraged by the progress that has occurred in the time since the Jenkins review.

This work has been done in consultation with all parts of our workplaces—parliamentarians, staff, members of parliamentary departments and government departments, the press gallery and external stakeholders. We know that no matter what part of our workplace, no matter what office or what role, you should feel safe and you should feel respected. It is encouraging that all of these groups are contributing and recognising their roles in promoting the need for change.

As Commissioner Jenkins said at the National Press Club on the anniversary of her presenting the review to the former government:

The Parliament committed to all 28 recommendations, and I am inspired by the real action I see there.

…   …   …

… what I hear when I visit Parliament House. Quiet comments, made in passing….before and after meetings… in lifts and corridors… from political staffers, journalists and departmental staff… 'Thank you for the work you're doing. It is making this a better place.'

The work of change is hard, and we need to remember it's painful for those with lived experience. However, with continued action, and vigilance against complacency, I believe our Parliament is well-placed to become the safe, respectful and diverse workplace we need it to be.

There is more work to be done. But the coalition is committed to working with all parties, independents and staff to continue to make our workplaces safer and more respectful for everyone. This parliament should serve as a model workplace for our nation, and only by creating the best workplace will this parliament attract the best people that our country has to offer.