The landmark review exposing the bullying and sexual harassment against staff at NSW parliament has been labelled "disturbing" but not surprising by Illawarra MPs and experts.
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The review, which found more than a third of respondents to a survey of NSW parliament workers had been bullied or sexually harassed over the past five years, was conducted by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
Broderick's committee, which included Shellharbour MP Anna Watson, conducted more than 100 confidential interviews and received 58 written submissions.
Ms Watson said the committee was left disturbed by what it heard from former and current staff member's experiences over the past year, but hopes the review help in shifting the behaviour.
"There were many days we listened to people's experiences for hours and hours," Ms Watson said. "There was a lot of anger ... but I'm pleased we are shining a light on this."
The review found one in five people reported having been sexually harassed, with higher rates experienced by young women, and staff members who are sexually, culturally and linguistically diverse.
According to the report, close to half of sexual harassment incidents were perpetrated by an elected member of parliament.
"There needs to be a massive shift in behaviour, most of it had been hidden," Ms Watson said.
"What one of Dominic Perrottet's ex-ministers allegedly said to staff was very disturbing for a lot of us. And it needs to change."
The review also found 2 per cent of people had experienced actual or attempted sexual assault while working in a parliamentary workplace.
Almost 10 per cent of people said they had heard about or witnessed at least one sexual assault.
Keira MP Ryan Park, who has been a state member for two decades, agreed the report was "damning" but said he had not directly heard of bullying and sexual harassment.
"There has always been rumours, and that's half the problem," Mr Park said.
"Many victims felt as if they couldn't speak up. We saw in federal parliament that changes had to happen, and it has to happen in state parliament too."
Illawarra Women's Health Centre general manager, Sally Stevenson, was not surprised by the report's findings.
"They reflect a similar kind of toxic and dangerous work environment we saw in the Commonwealth when that review was done," Ms Stevenson said.
"The rates reflect that of workplaces where there is an unequal distribution of power and a lack of accountability."
Ms Watson hoped the report, which contains a string of recommendations, will shift the behaviour within state parliament and protect employees.
"It will give employees and former employees the confidence to know there is now a complaints officer that has been appointed and they will have somewhere to go to report this behaviour to," Ms Watson said.
"People who have come forward to the committee can be comfortable knowing that the work we've done is not lip service, and it's going to be a living document that everybody in parliament has to live by and respect."
Ms Stevenson added it was important for the recommendations to be implemented, however wants organisations across every industry to undertake similar reviews.
"We need reviews to be normalised like financial audits in organisations as a preventative measure to show that it's important to prevent the behaviour," Ms Stevenson said.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet responded to the report's findings on Friday and said the NSW Government would offer its full support to the recommendations.
"We have already taken action within Ministerial workplaces to implement the recommendations of a similar review conducted earlier this year, and we will fully support the parliament in implementing the recommendations of this report too," Mr Perrottet said.
Broderick recommended the parliament consider forming an independent body to "provide advice and early intervention, receive and investigate reports and support all parties in a complaint".
The review also recommended a strengthening of the codes of conduct for each house of parliament and a review of the policies covering bullying, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in NSW parliament.
Almost 450 people working in NSW parliamentary workplaces took part in the review.
If you need help, please call:
- Kids helpline 1800 551 800
- Lifeline 131114
- 1800 respect 1800 737 732
- Domestic violence helpline 1800 811 811
- Illawarra Women's Health Centre 42556800
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