Australian politicians subjected to sweeping sexual harassment law changes
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E-mail Xinhua, April 8, 2021
CANBERRA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Australian politicians and judges will be subjected to the Sex Discrimination Act for the first time under changes announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Morrison and Attorney-General Michaelia Cash on Thursday announced the move in government's response to the Respect@Work report on workplace sexual harassment.
They promised to adopt all 55 recommendations in full or in part to shift from a complaints-based system to one where employers proactively stamp out harassment.
The Sex Discrimination Act will be amended to make Members of Parliament (MPs) and judges to be subjected to sexual discrimination complaints, ending decades of being exempt.
Changes will also be made to the Fair Work Act to introduce tougher penalties for workers and employers who sexually harass colleagues with harassment to be added as grounds for dismissal.
The lifespan of sexual harassment complaints will be extended under changes to the Human Rights Act.
Morrison said that Australia's workplace culture had to change to ensure the safety of women.
"The events around this building over the course of the past few months have only further highlighted and reinforced the seriousness of these issues, the challenge that we face and the great frustration that is felt by Australians and, in particular, women all over the country," he told reporters in Canberra.
"Sexual harassment is unacceptable. It's not only immoral and despicable and even criminal, but particularly in the context of the Respect@Work report, it denies Australians, especially women, not just their personal security but their economic security by not being safe at work," he said.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins handed the report to the government but the response was only made a priority by Morrison amid allegations of misogyny, sexual assault and rape that engulfed the government in March.
Cash, who became Attorney-General late in March after her predecessor Christian Porter was accused of a historical rape, said she would work with state and territory counterparts to implement their own responses to the report.
"Sexual harassment, it is just unacceptable anywhere in society. Our response, the Roadmap for Respect, provides a clear path for action to achieve meaningful, cultural change across the nation and to deliver safer workplaces for all Australians," she said. Enditem
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