TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MEMBER FOR SYDNEY
MARK DREYFUS
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
MORRISON GOVERNMENT MUST COME CLEAN ON DYSON HEYDON SETTLEMENT
The Morrison Government must reveal why it is keeping secret its financial settlement to some of the victims of disgraced former High Court Justice Dyson Heydon.
Labor welcomes the long overdue recognition of the pain and suffering caused to numerous female members of the court staff.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is never acceptable. We must have zero tolerance for this appalling behaviour whether it’s in an office, or the highest court in the land.
It is deeply disturbing that this conduct continued for so long and affected so many people. Sadly, for many women, this is an all too familiar tale and we need to do more to make workplaces safe for women, and to ensure they have no need to fear calling out this sort of behaviour.
Labor applauds Chief Justice Susan Kiefel for the forthright and compassionate way she has dealt with the allegations levelled at former Justice Heydon.
Justice Kiefel has shown great leadership in tackling sexual harassment in the workplace, and Labor hopes this settlement will bring some justice to the victims, and send a powerful signal that sexual harassment has no place in any workplace, and employers who fail to understand this will pay a very high price.
Australian taxpayers who are paying for this settlement, have every right to know precisely how much Justice Dyson Heydon’s appalling behaviour has cost them. The only basis for such confidentiality would be a specific request from the victims.
The Dyson Heydon case also highlights the need to fully implement all 55 recommendations of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s groundbreaking Respect@Work Report to help keep Australians safe from sexual harassment at work.
In April last year Scott Morrison promised he would adopt every recommendation in the Respect@Work Report.
As always with Mr Morrison it’s all announcement and no delivery and to date he has failed to deliver the legislative changes proposed by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
An Albanese Labor Government will fully implement all 55 recommendations of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Report to help keep Australians safe from sexual harassment at work.
MONDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2022
