Demand transparency and accountability for MP violence or harassment
In recent years public allegations of rape, physical abuse, and sexual harassment were made against several members of parliament.
Our parliament should be a shining example of a safe and respectful workplace, free from discrimination and gendered violence. It’s crucial that there is transparency and accountability if a member of parliament violates these standards.
A new Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission is being established to enforce standards in parliamentary workplaces. We need to make sure it is given the power to enable real transparency and accountability.
This is about delivering a system that holds our parliamentarians, and those who make the decisions about our lives, to account.
Can you help show that voters want an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission that delivers transparency and accountability?
More information (click to view)
The Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Set the Standard Report laid out a high-level roadmap for change to address gender-based violence in our federal parliament.
It included two key recommendations: creating a behaviour standard and code; and creating an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) to enforce it.
The government has now introduced legislation to create the IPSC - but it doesn't go far enough to deliver strong transparency around parliamentarian misconduct.
Under the proposed Bill:
- If a parliamentarian breaches behaviour standards, the person impacted can make a complaint to the IPSC.
- The IPSC will make a finding about whether the Standards have been breached, and if so, recommend a proportionate sanction.
- Serious sanctions (like suspensions, fines or removal from a Committee) can only be imposed by the parliament itself - so will have to be voted on in the House or the Senate (whichever the parliamentarian is part of).
- Where serious sanctions are recommended, the IPSC’s report - including its findings and the recommended sanctions - will be directed to the relevant chamber’s Privileges Committee. This group of politicians will then determine what sanction is actually recommended to that Chamber of parliament, and what information is reported to the public.
This system needs stronger transparency.
When consequences are being determined and enforced by someone’s political colleagues, the public should have visibility on what has been independently found and recommended, so we can understand whether or not those recommendations have been implemented in full. As long as the complainant has given their consent, information about serious misconduct by parliamentarians should be made public as a matter of course.
The public deserves to know that if our representatives are breaching standards, particularly related to gender-based violence and discrimination.
This legislation is expected to go to a vote in mid-September. Add your name to the petition to receive campaign updates and get involved.