The Review involved:

• gaining an understanding of:
  • the nature and extent of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying within the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services workplace;
  • perceptions of workplace culture;
  • the impact of such behaviour on workers; and
  • existing policies and complaint and report mechanisms available to workers.
• publishing a report setting out findings from the Review; and
• making recommendations about any changes that should be made to ensure a workplace free from discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying, and best practice policies and procedures to enable a safe and respectful workplace.

The Review examined:

• participants’ experiences with discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying, using complaint and reporting processes, witnessing unsafe workplace conduct and their perceptions of workplace culture in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services workplace;
• existing policies, procedures and practices in relation to workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying; and
• existing Human Resources practices.

Anybody who worked in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services workplace from 1 July 2019 to present.

This included current and former:

• members of Tasmanian Parliament;
• people working in or for Parliament House;
• people working in or for electorate offices and Ministers’ offices;
• contracted services including security, catering and cleaning staff; and
• volunteers, interns and students.

The Review was conducted by Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Sarah Bolt. The Commissioner is an independent statutory officer. The work on the Review was undertaken by the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services Workplace Review team, working under the Commissioner's direction.

Methodology

The Independent Reviewer adopted a mixed method approach to the Review, comprised of the following methodologies:

• Participation in an anonymous Survey

Survey into Workplace Culture in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services Workplace (PDF, 332.5 KB)

Survey into Workplace Culture in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services Workplace (DOCX, 48.4 KB)

• Written and verbal submissions
• Invitations for interviews
• Meeting with stakeholders
• Review of existing policies and procedures and analysis of current workplace practices
• Focused research of approaches taken in other jurisdictions including the UK, federally in South Australia.

Equal Opportunity Tasmania will keep your name and personal information confidential. No identifying details will be published in reports, or any other publication related to the Review.

Only a small number of staff working on the Review have had access to names and contact details of individuals participating in the Review.

We store all personal information in accordance with the personal information protection principles in the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (Tas), and the Archives Act 1983 (Tas).

Documents we receive from you and documents that we create for the Review will be archived. These documents will not be accessible by the public for 75 years.

The Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, in conducting the Review, is not subject to the Right to Information Act 2009 (Tas). People will not be able to access information you provide by making a right to information application.

The anonymous data collected from the Survey was analysed and used to help identify the current workplace situation, and areas for change and improvement.

A public report containing the findings and recommendations can be found here.

Written and verbal submissions, and information obtained from interviews and focus groups also informed the report. The report includes de-identified information, including quotes, from written or verbal submissions and interviews. The report does not identify anyone who made a written submission, or participated in an interview or focus group. A quote was not be used if it could identify who you or other people are. Consent was sought before publishing any de-identified quotes or stories.

The Commissioner will not be publishing any written submissions received on Equal Opportunity Tasmania's website.

Participation in the Review does not constitute making a formal complaint under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas). The Review did not make any findings about your personal experience of discrimination, sexual harassment and/or bullying.

If you want to make a formal complaint, this is separate to the Review. Equal Opportunity Tasmania can provide you with information about how to make a formal complaint.

To find out how to make a formal complaint, contact Equal Opportunity Tasmania on (03) 6165 7515 or complaints@equalopportunity.tas.gov.au, or visit the complaints information on Equal Opportunity Tasmania's website.

If you have questions about the Review, you can call (03) 6165 7515 or MPSReview@equalopportunity.tas.gov.au.

If participating in the Review raised any issues for you, please contact:

Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
www.beyondblue.org.au

1800 RESPECT
1800 737 732
www.1800respect.org.au

Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS)
1800 697 877
www.sass.org.au

Human Resources (for Department of Premier and Cabinet staff)
(03) 6232 7895
HR@dpac.tas.gov.au

Converge International - Employee Assistance Provider (for State Service employee)
The EAP provider will strictly adhere to confidentiality at all times.
1300 687 327
eap@convergeintl.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, please contact Tasmania Police on 000.

Independent Review into Parliamentary practices and procedures to support workplace culture (the Review)

Terms of Reference

1. Request that the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner (the Commissioner) undertake a Review of the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services (MPS) workplace to ensure a safe and respectful workplace and reflect best practice in preventing and dealing with workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying.

2. Request that in the Review the Commissioner:

• Provides a safe and supportive environment that elicits trust and fosters open engagement.
• Ensures the Review is founded on the principles of natural justice, includes safeguards for confidentiality, and provides mechanisms for persons who wish to engage in the review anonymously.
• Ascertains whether there is workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying within MPS and understands its nature and extent.
• Ascertains and understands the existing perceptions of workplace culture within MPS.
• Ascertains the existing awareness and understanding of responsibilities prescribed under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas) within MPS.
• Ascertains and understands the impact of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying on individuals, and any contributing factors, including workplace culture, on the prevalence of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying within MPS.
• Reviews existing complaint and reporting mechanisms available to staff of MPS, and any cultural and/or structural barriers that may impede staff making complaints.
• Reviews existing policies, procedures and practices that govern responses and outcomes, where workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying is found to have occurred in MPS.
• Reviews existing Human Resources practices within the MPS setting.
• Refers through appropriate pathways including Human Resources, Tasmania Police, Equal Opportunity Tasmania and/or the Integrity Commission, for individual allegations by or against staff of MPS that require follow up or investigation.

3. With a focus on systemic issues, request that the Commissioner provide a report setting out findings and making recommendations as to:

• Any actions that should be taken to increase awareness of the impact of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying and improve workplace culture within MPS, including training and the role of leadership in promoting a workplace culture that does not tolerate workplace harassment.
• Any changes that should be made to legislative, regulatory, administrative, legal or policy areas to enhance protection against, and provide best practice responses to, workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying within MPS.
• Any other actions or changes necessary to ensure a safe and respectful workplace free from workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying within MPS and that set the standard for the broader community on best practice workplace policies and procedures that enable safe and respectful workplaces.

Scope and Definitions:

The scope of the Review will include a survey, oral and written submissions.

Workplace sexual harassment: sexual harassment as defined in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas).

Workplace bullying: repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety as defined by Worksafe Tasmania.

Workplace discrimination: (including discrimination, prohibited conduct and victimisation) as defined in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 with particular reference to sections 14 – 18 inclusive.

MPS workplace: the workplace includes all members of parliament, and the people working (in whatever capacity) in or for Parliament House, electorate offices and Ministers’ offices. It also encompasses regularly contracted services including security, catering and cleaning staff. The scope of workplace extends to include work related travel and events.

Review participants: current and former staff and employees for the period 1 July 2019 to present.