Women in Parliament

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:25): This week, for next week, federal parliament will welcome the largest cohort of women in Australian history. It is a significant milestone. It is a testament to the efforts of many women before them who have fought for equal representation and to the relentless efforts of trailblazing women and supportive allies who have worked tirelessly to break down barriers and pave the way for greater gender equality in our political institutions.

Programs like Pathways to Politics for Women, which I am proud to be associated with and support, play a crucial role in this progress by equipping aspiring female leaders with the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue public office. These initiatives are vital in fostering a more inclusive and representative democracy. But alongside celebrations must come reflection. What does it mean to bring more women into political life if we fail to make our workplaces safe for them?

It has been more than four years now since the Equal Opportunity Commissioner handed down recommendations to address harassment within the parliamentary workplace. The review, as we know, made 16 comprehensive recommendations aimed at creating a safer and more respectful workplace. According to the fourth progress report in respect of that review, 10 of the 16 recommendations have been implemented, another three are currently underway and some remain outstanding.

Last week, by way of comparison, we saw a very swift response to recommendations arising from complaints inside the Consumer and Business Services department. Sadly, we have not seen that same urgency when it comes to a legislative response in this place. It raises a very simple question: why not, when it comes to parliament itself, when it comes to protecting the very people in this building, which, of course, we know extends well beyond members of parliament?

We all acknowledge that these issues are complex, but that does not mean we drag our feet in terms of getting those issues sorted, and it raises the question of what message we send to young women in terms of encouraging them to stand for office or to enter public service, or to even apply for a job here. What message does that send to every other workplace that looks to us to lead by example?

As we welcome more women into our parliaments, it is absolutely imperative that we ensure that our institutions are safe, respectful and supportive workplaces for all, because if we are serious about equality, if we are proud of the increasing number of women in parliament, then it is absolutely critical that we take the reforms on our own desks seriously, and that includes addressing recommendations that suggest looking at legislative reforms and referring issues off to SALRI for consideration to address the issues that have been already identified as outstanding in this profession, as they have in other professions, including the legal profession.

Once again, I acknowledge, as others do, that these are complex areas of the law, but that does not mean that we drag our feet or leave them unresolved. Let us match our celebrations of progress with concrete actions that uphold the principles of equality, respect and justice within our halls of power, just as we would expect every other workplace to do.