Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister agree to establish an external review of the workplace culture at Parliament House conducted by an eminent Australian with appropriate experience and distance from government, such as a former Sex Discrimination Commissioner? Will he ensure that review is conducted in an independent manner and informed by the experience of current and former staff across all parties?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition, and I noted his statement just before coming in here today. The government is very happy to sit down with the Leader of the Opposition and other leaders of the parties, both in this place and in the other place, to pursue a path like the one that the Leader of the Opposition has outlined. I'm very happy to do that, and I thank him for that suggestion and the spirit in which it's been put forward. I'm sure all of us agree that in the important work we all do here, whether it's members of this place, senators in the other place or our staff, we all come here because we want to make a contribution to our country and we should be able to do that in a safe environment for everyone who is here. So I welcome that suggestion.

The government, of course, will continue on with the things I've outlined today. I'm keen to get that moving, and we will. That is about addressing the issues amongst government members', senators' and ministers' officers, so we will continue with that process. That is important.

The work that I've asked the member for Curtin to do is very much work that is being done within the party room, consulting with colleagues on our side. I would encourage the Leader of the Opposition to pursue a similar exercise amongst his colleagues. We could swap notes at the end, and I think that that would be very, very worthwhile and I would encourage that process as well. However, the suggestion is a positive one and I take it in that spirit and am happy to work with the opposition and other parties within the parliament, both here and in the Senate, to that end. Thank you.