news, latest-news, sexual assualt, Brittany Higgins
ACT WorkSafe commissioner Jacqueline Agius says sexual harassment and assault in the workplace should be understood as a workplace safety hazard. She said sexual assault and harassment posed a psychosocial hazard for workplaces. “There might be feelings of isolation, loss of confidence or withdrawal, anxiety, depression, risk of suicide and stress,” she said. Ms Agius said WorkSafe had a part to play if sexual assault or harassment occurred at a workplace in the ACT. “If it was a criminal act for instance, then we would work with the AFP and would run a joint operation into the matter,” she said on ABC Canberra on Wednesday. “So WorkSafe would be looking into what systems of work are in place, whether or not staff are trained, [if] there are policies and procedures and practices in place to keep workers safe from the risk of sexual harassment or sexual abuse.” Ms Agius said WorkSafe does not have jurisdiction over Parliament House and other areas controlled by the National Capital Authority with Comcare responsible for the work health and safety of federal employees. “In relation to the alleged sexual abuse in Parliament House we have received a number of complaints at WorkSafe ACT and we have forwarded those complaints to Comcare,” she said. “We’ve seen a number of complaints come in and they are not complaints that have been in the media.” Ms Agius said sexual harassment was an ongoing issue with younger workers particularly vulnerable. “In March 2020 the Human Rights Commission released an inquiry into sexual harassment … the figures and statistics that came out of that inquiry were staggering. “For instance, 23 per cent of women and 16 per cent of men reported having experienced sexual harassment at work in the previous 12 months. “One in five of those people were aged 15 to 17 … 45 per cent of workers were in the age group of 18 to 29. “We know that sexual harassment is impacting on young workers who I would describe as vulnerable workers.” Meanwhile, Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan told ABC Radio Canberra ACT Policing had received a statement from Brittany Hughes in relation to an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House in 2019. “We will work through that and look at interviewing the person who was involved in that matter in 2019,” he said. READ MORE: “It’s an active investigation, once we have a resolution one way or the other … we’ll certainly be notifying the public.” Mr Gaughan said federal employees should reach out to ACT Policing if sexual assault occurs. “It’s not the Canberra bubble, they’re part of the territory when they are here and they need to report crimes that occur at Parliament House. ” Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/99T2dGQqx4Q5Jfn4kE7iKW/c969579c-0aac-4779-98d7-143172313701.jpg/r3_485_4741_3162_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
ACT WorkSafe commissioner Jacqueline Agius says sexual harassment and assault in the workplace should be understood as a workplace safety hazard.
She said sexual assault and harassment posed a psychosocial hazard for workplaces.
“There might be feelings of isolation, loss of confidence or withdrawal, anxiety, depression, risk of suicide and stress,” she said.
Ms Agius said WorkSafe had a part to play if sexual assault or harassment occurred at a workplace in the ACT.
“If it was a criminal act for instance, then we would work with the AFP and would run a joint operation into the matter,” she said on ABC Canberra on Wednesday.
“So WorkSafe would be looking into what systems of work are in place, whether or not staff are trained, [if] there are policies and procedures and practices in place to keep workers safe from the risk of sexual harassment or sexual abuse.”
Ms Agius said WorkSafe does not have jurisdiction over Parliament House and other areas controlled by the National Capital Authority with Comcare responsible for the work health and safety of federal employees.
“In relation to the alleged sexual abuse in Parliament House we have received a number of complaints at WorkSafe ACT and we have forwarded those complaints to Comcare,” she said.
“We’ve seen a number of complaints come in and they are not complaints that have been in the media.”
Ms Agius said sexual harassment was an ongoing issue with younger workers particularly vulnerable.
“In March 2020 the Human Rights Commission released an inquiry into sexual harassment … the figures and statistics that came out of that inquiry were staggering.
“For instance, 23 per cent of women and 16 per cent of men reported having experienced sexual harassment at work in the previous 12 months.
“One in five of those people were aged 15 to 17 … 45 per cent of workers were in the age group of 18 to 29.
“We know that sexual harassment is impacting on young workers who I would describe as vulnerable workers.”
Meanwhile, Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan told ABC Radio Canberra ACT Policing had received a statement from Brittany Hughes in relation to an alleged sexual assault at Parliament House in 2019.
“We will work through that and look at interviewing the person who was involved in that matter in 2019,” he said.
“It’s an active investigation, once we have a resolution one way or the other … we’ll certainly be notifying the public.”
Mr Gaughan said federal employees should reach out to ACT Policing if sexual assault occurs.
“It’s not the Canberra bubble, they’re part of the territory when they are here and they need to report crimes that occur at Parliament House. ”
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
