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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-09-28 Daily Xml
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Commissioner for Equal Opportunity Annual Report

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney a question about media reports today regarding the equal opportunity commissioner's most recent annual report.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: In today's Advertiser it was reported that state politicians are being attacked over the slow pace of tackling shocking allegations of indecent exposure, assault and sexual suggestions by MPs and their staff. The equal opportunity commissioner, Jodeen Carney, has lashed out in her annual report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, labelling as astonishing and disappointing the lack of information. A damning inquiry into harassment in state parliament, released in March 2021, made 16 recommendations to combat bad behaviour within the corridors of Parliament House and in ministerial and MPs' electoral offices. In that report Ms Carney said:

The most recent update [to parliament] purporting to detail the implementation of the recommendations [had provided scant information]…the recommendations were barely referenced.

This is both astonishing and disappointing—

that is attributable to the commissioner—

South Australians are entitled to know the status of all recommendations made to address sexual harassment and discrimination in their Parliament and associated workplaces.

She added that it was impossible to predict what the review would find. My questions to the Attorney are:

1. Does he intend to address the issues that have been raised by the equal opportunity commissioner?

2. Is there a time frame for meeting the recommendations addressing sexual harassment and discrimination in this workplace and associated workplaces?

3. What response can we expect from the government in relation to the findings of the commissioner in her annual report?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for her question. Certainly on 26 February 2021 the then acting equal opportunity commissioner presented the South Australian parliament with her independent review of harassment in the South Australian parliamentary workplace, the parliamentary workplace report.

This report was requested at the time by both houses of parliament. The parliamentary workplace report made 16 recommendations to improve how workplace harassment is managed and reported in Parliament House, as well as looking at ways to prevent harassment and improve current policies and procedures.

To progress the recommendations a joint committee on the equal opportunity commissioner's report into harassment was established to consider the review's recommendations. I am informed the committee was also responsible for drafting a code of conduct for members of parliament, which was tabled in parliament on 28 October 2021. The code of conduct is now enshrined in the standing orders of both houses.

The code of conduct explicitly requires members of parliament not to harass sexually, harass or discriminate against a member of their staff, another member of parliament, a staff member of another member of parliament, or a parliamentary staffer. It also established standards regarding conflicts of interest, the receipt of gifts, use of public resources and maintaining confidentiality.

The majority of the recommendations in the parliamentary workplace report are a matter for parliament's administration and its members. One recommendation that related to government, recommendation 1, related to the establishment of a centralised human resources function to provide services across the parliamentary workplace.

While not the responsibility of the Attorney-General's Department, I am advised that the new People and Culture unit commenced operation on 15 June 2022. The unit is independent from government and is responsible for developing policies, investigating complaints and providing training to members of parliament, and particularly parliamentary staff, about human resource matters. I look forward to continued improvements in the way this place operates.

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