Australian Government’s response to Respect@Work Report

Today the Morrison Government announces its response to the Respect@Work Report.

The Report provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for preventing and addressing sexual harassment. It also highlights that the Australian Government, states and territories, employers, and industry groups all have an important role to play in supporting cultural change and creating safe workplaces.

In ‘A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces’ (the Roadmap for Respect), the Government provides its response and sets out its long-term commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment.

The Australian Government has agreed to (in full, in-principle, or in-part) or noted all 55 recommendations in the Report.

Our response to the Respect@Work report is about creating a new culture of respectful behaviour in Australian workplaces.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said we all have a role to play in stopping sexual harassment and creating safe workplaces.

“It is not only immoral and despicable and even criminal, it denies Australians, especially women, their personal security and their economic security by not being safe at work,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our response is based the Government’s values of respect, dignity, choice, equality of opportunity and justice.”

“This is a culture that we all have to change for the better across our society, by changing our behaviour.”

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said sexual harassment is unacceptable in any context – whether in the workplace or elsewhere.

“Building a culture of respectful relationships in the workplace is a key focus in responding to the Report. Everyone has the right to feel safe at work,” Attorney-General Cash said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said respect had to be a national commitment, with governments, workplaces, communities and individuals owning the problem of sexual harassment and the solutions.

“Ending sexual harassment is everyone’s business,” Minister Payne said.

“We can all find ways to show leadership to ensure women can contribute fully in our national life without being held back by sexual harassment.”

The Respect@Work Report was the product of the landmark National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces commissioned by the Coalition in June 2018 and conducted by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins. The Government thanks Commissioner Jenkins for her leadership and work in this role.

To lead this national effort, the Government has outlined a number of measures and reforms set out in the Roadmap, including:

• The creation of the Respect@Work Implementation taskforce to deliver legislative and regulatory reform;
• Simplifying and strengthening the legal framework, existing rights and obligations for employees and employers;
• Supporting greater coordination between agencies and services to ensure workers and employers have access to consistent information.

The Government’s response also places an emphasis on preventative measures, acknowledging more can be done to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the first place. To support preventative action at the national level, the Australian Government is also committed to:

• delivering education and training programs across a range of sectors;
• supporting targeted research and evidence development on prevention strategies;
• enhancing data collection and evidence gathering mechanisms.

Leadership from all levels of government and industry is crucial for ensuring that recommendations are successfully implemented.

To support national action, the Australian Government is committed to leading and facilitating discussions with state and territory governments, as well as the private sector.

The Roadmap for Respect is designed to complement existing work under the current National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (2010‑22) and ensure alignment with the development of the next National Plan. The National Plan is the cornerstone of national collaboration to prevent and address violence against women and their children.

Work is already underway to implement the Report’s recommendations. In 2020, the Australian Government committed $2.1 million, to fund the implementation of nine key recommendations from the Report.

This included the establishment of the Respect@Work Council, which will provide the foundation for implementing other recommendations in the Report.

Action has already commenced on:

• developing the Respect@Work website as an online platform to provide free, practical information and education resources for employers and workers
• developing a package of training and education resources on the nature, drivers and impacts of sexual harassment as well as the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers
• preparing for the fifth National Survey on Sexual Harassment in Australian workplaces.

The Roadmap for Respect provides a clear path for action to achieve meaningful cultural change across the nation and to create safer workplaces for all Australians.

More information about the Roadmap for Reform can be found at: https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/roadmap-for-respect.

If you need immediate assistance or support you can contact 1800Respect: 1800 737 732.