PRESS RELEASE: Systemic bullying and sexual harassment by Australian politicians
A review of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the New South Wales parliament by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, was released on 12 August. State Premier Dominic Perrottet described the report as confronting, sobering and unacceptable.
Twenty-eight per cent of staff (447) who work in the NSW parliament had participated, including 109 confidential interviews. Shockingly, 52 per cent of bullying incidents were reportedly perpetrated by members of parliament. Five people said they’re victims of either rape or attempted rape.
Broderick highlighted a toxic, sexist, elitist, perverted and systemic culture of predatory abuse. A respondent reported witnessing MPs consistently making sexual advances on young men and women at social events. Staff were traumatised, without recourse, fairness or justice.
Findings were consistent with Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins 2021 review of the workplace culture in federal parliament. Ms Jenkins found 51 per cent of workers experienced at least one incident of bullying, sexual harassment or actual/attempted sexual assault. One in three parliamentary staff reported sexual harassment and one per cent reported either an actual or attempted sexual assault.
Bullying, harassment and intimidation is unsurprising. In 2021, I wrote three published commentaries on gendered sexual violence in Australia, which included the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins that triggered the Jenkins’ review. The alleged sexual assault occurred in the parliamentary office of then Minister for Defence, Linda Reynolds. Ms Higgins was a Liberal staffer for Linda Reynolds.
My commentaries were published in the Newcastle Herald, although the articles soon appeared in a dysregulated format on the Sydney News Today online platform. “Assassination” and “Walton, fraud” were menacingly and clearly inserted as key search terms, although these descriptors were neither mentioned nor relevant to the articles. An implied cyber death threat, its aim presumably to intimidate, threaten and silence.
Banner and side ads surrounded the published stories, which advertised a federal government rebate for NSW homeowners and featured former PM Morrison’s face.
I wrote to former PM Scott Morrison asking whether such conduct related to anyone in the Liberal National Party, government agency or university. I received a politically eloquent non-response on behalf of the then Minister for Communications, Paul Fletcher.
I had the offending articles taken down after some difficulty. Online searches post the 2022 federal election, indicates that Sydney News Today no longer exists digitally. The identity of the perpetrators and their associations continues.
Taken together, political leaders are privileged and powerful members of society, for which much is bestowed yet also reasonably expected. Politicians who bully, abuse, harass, humiliate, threaten, intimidate, coerce, control or sexually assault anyone have no place in government. Parliamentarians should set the standard not the floor for Australia’s workplace culture.
Persons of secure identity, self-esteem and self-efficacy are moral, humane and judicious. They’re respectful, thoughtful and accepting. Their self-worth isn’t increased by diminishing the safety, employment security and well-being of others.
Australians deserve better from its political class. That’s leaders who define our highest rather than lowest aspects and expressions.
Dr Michael Walton, Clinical Psychologist, Newcastle, New South Wales
