1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Good morning everybody, Happy hump Day, Welcome to the Daily OS, 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to December. It's the first of December. For our 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: Icelandic friends, Happy self Governance Day. And for those listening 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: in the Central African Republic, have a good Republic Day. 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: It's a big one, Zara. For today's deep dive, we're 6 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: going to be taking everybody through the findings and recommendations 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: of the Jenkins Report. A pretty big day for federal politics. 8 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: But first, what has been making headlines around the country. 9 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: Victorian police have found human remains in the search from 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,319 Speaker 2: missing Victorian campus Russell Hill and Carol Clay. The pair 11 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: went missing in March of twenty twenty from their remote 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 2: One and Gata Valley camp site. A man was charged 13 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: last week in relation to their disappearance. 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Some Omikron news, a woman in her thirties who arrived 15 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: in Sydney from Southern Africa on Thursday last week has 16 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: become the fifth case of the variant in New South Wales. 17 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: The woman visited several shopping centers and supermarkets in Sydney 18 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: and the Central Coast. While unknowingly infectious. 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: Tasmania has closed its borders to international arrivals in light 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 2: of the emergence of the Omnikron variant, So any traveler 21 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: who has spent time in any overseas location with the 22 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 2: exception in the South Island of New Zealand in the 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: fourteen days prior to the twenty eighth of November now 24 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: will not be permitted to enter the state unless they're 25 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: approved as an essential traveler. 26 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: And today's good news, the Canadian government has introduced legislation 27 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: to ban conversion therapy. If passed, the law would mean 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: no person could participate in conversion therapy, regardless of consent. 29 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: It's being described by lawmakers as amongst the most comprehensive 30 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: in the world. 31 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 2: A quick heads up before this deep dive. This chap 32 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 2: does mention sexual assault. There is always help available at 33 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 2: one eight hundred. 34 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 3: Respect as this Parliament and everybody who works here in 35 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 3: whatever capacity. This place should be the center of standards 36 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 3: and that is what I believe this report seeks to achieve, 37 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 3: and I think everybody who has played a role in 38 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 3: doing this. 39 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: That was our Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaking about the 40 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary workplaces that was released yesterday. 41 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: We're going to be referring to it throughout this chat 42 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: as the Jenkins Report, because Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins 43 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: authored the report. Here's a little bit of what the 44 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: Commissioner had to say after the report was released as well. 45 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 4: The aim of this review was to ensure that all 46 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 4: Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces are safe and respectful, and that our 47 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 4: National Parliament reflects best practice in the prevention and response 48 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 4: to bullan, sexual harassment and sexual assault. 49 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: The review was not. 50 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 4: An investigation into individual matters, but a broad systemic examination 51 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 4: of Parliament as a workplace. 52 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: Okay, so if we start from the beginning, the reason 53 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: that this report was commissioned, and the reason that it 54 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: was created in essence, was on the of the allegations 55 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: made by Britney Higgins. Britney Higgins came out earlier this 56 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: year and made allegations of sexual assault against a former 57 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: Liberal staffer. That case is now in front of the 58 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: courts and we're expecting that trial to begin in June 59 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: of next year. While these allegations kicked off a legal process, 60 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 2: they also started what can only be described as an 61 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: inward looking reflection about how Parliament functions and the kind 62 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: of workplace that it is for many staffers. Okay, sir Sam, 63 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: take me through what we learned from this report. 64 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: So, after speaking to seventeen hundred and twenty three individuals 65 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: across four hundred and ninety interviews as well as receiving 66 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: over three hundred ridden submissions, the report found one in 67 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: three people in Parliament experienced sexual harassment, one percent of 68 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: all respondents had suffered attempted or actual sexual assault, and 69 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: seventy seven percent of people witnessed or experienced bullying. We 70 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: also saw a clear weight towards women experiencing sexual harassment 71 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: at the workplace, with a higher rate compared to men 72 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: at forty percent compared to twenty six percent. Whilst these 73 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: statistics in the report spoke volumes in terms of painting 74 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: a picture of the workplace environment in Parliament House, I 75 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: have to say that the first person testimonies really shocked me. 76 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 2: One of those accounts, which was documented on page seventeen 77 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: of the report, said the MP sitting beside me leaned over, 78 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: thinking he wanted to tell me something. I leaned in, 79 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: He grabbed me and stuck his tongue down my throat. 80 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: The others all laughed and. 81 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: This wasn't alone. There were testimonies that talked about Parliament 82 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: House as like year nine school camp in the way 83 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: that boys were behaving, and somebody said, I will never 84 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: work in a political office again. It's not worth it. 85 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: And if we take a step back and actually think 86 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: about what is contained in that statement, you know this 87 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: is meant to be the key decision making venue of 88 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: the country and we want our country's best and brightest 89 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: to be there. And if people are systemically being turned 90 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: away from this type of environment because of disgraceful treatment 91 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: in the workplace, then the country is ultimately losing. 92 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: In terms of solutions. The report did make twenty eight recommendations, 93 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 2: so a fair few recommendations there. Importantly, it did recommend 94 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 2: that politicians and their staff should be bound by a 95 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 2: new code of conduct and that that should be enforced 96 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 2: by an independent body. The report also recommended new alcohol policies, 97 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: and that's important because I must say, even with firsthand experience, 98 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: a big part of parliament culture is the drinking there 99 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 2: Aside from that, the report also recommended a digital platform 100 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 2: should be created that would enable anonymous reporting of the 101 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: aforementioned behaviors. 102 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: And the other major pillar of the recommendations was this 103 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: discussion around gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Ultimately, the report 104 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: found that the overall culture of Australian politics of being 105 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: a very male heavy environment contributed significantly to the types 106 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: of behaviors that were exhibited in the report. So as such, 107 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: the report recommends target to achieve gender balance and specific 108 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: actions to support the achievement of these targets. They called 109 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: on all party leaders, major and minor to agree to 110 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: these targets and to specifically look at not just gender representation, 111 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: but also increase the representation of First Nations, people from 112 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with the disability and 113 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: people from LGBTIQ plus communities. 114 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 2: In addition to this, the report also recommended that individual 115 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: leadership should be strengthened. It was actually about empowering the 116 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: people at the top so that a good example is 117 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: actually being led. It recommended that these parliamentarians and heads 118 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 2: of departments should engage in regular discussions to set expectations 119 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 2: of the conduct that they want to see in their workplace. 120 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: According to the report, these parliamentarians and their senior staff 121 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 2: were encouraged to create a safe reporting culture, including supporting 122 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 2: people who experienced misconduct and taking responsibility for discharging work 123 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: and health safety obligations. And seeing recommendation really brought into 124 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: focus the allegations that Britney Higgins made too. 125 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: And Zara, did we hear anything from Britney Higgins after 126 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: the release of the report yesterday? 127 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: Yep, so Brittany said that, and I quote, I want 128 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: to thank the many brave people who share their stories 129 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: which contributed to this review. I hope all sides of 130 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: politics not only commit to but implement these recommendations in full, 131 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 2: because as we know, these are merely recommendations, so from 132 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 2: here the onus is actually on the government. These recommendations 133 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 2: have been handed down, they are very clear in what 134 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 2: they are trying to achieve, and it's up to the 135 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: Parliament now to try and actually implement these changes so 136 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 2: that it is a safer workplace for all its staffers 137 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 2: and everyone that goes into that building every single day. 138 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: A lot to break down a four hundred and fifty 139 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: six page report that was released only ten minutes before 140 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: the press conference, so it was a scramble to try 141 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: and understand the key findings, but hopefully we've broken that 142 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: down for you this morning. Today is also the debut 143 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: of our last episode of Young dumin Informed for the year. 144 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: Today we're talking about Indigenous recognition and a voice to Parliament. 145 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: It's over on our other channel wherever you're listening to 146 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: this podcast and have a listen. It's a really fantastic episode. 147 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: Until then, have a superb day.