Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Prime Minister, yesterday morning you told the Australian people that you were listening. But, with respect, you are not listening. If you were listening, you would have supported debating the sex discrimination amendment immediately. The Australian Law Council has publicly advised that sexual harassment should be prohibited in all circumstances. If you don't agree—and you appeared not to agree yesterday—please tell us: in what circumstances should sexual harassment be okay?

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

Sexual harassment should never be okay. It shouldn't be okay in this place. It shouldn't be okay in any place. There are steps that the government is going to be taking to address that matter in our response to the work program that has been recommended to us by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner in the Respect@Work report. I have personally taken on the responsibility of ensuring this response is in place very soon. It will be made available before the budget. I am working with the Acting Attorney-General and the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General to ensure that that response goes to the very matters that you raise and the remedies that can be put in place by this parliament. That report also goes to many actions that can be undertaken, I hope, also by state and territory governments, where these matters are also subject to their laws. I would hope that that would also be taken up by those jurisdictions and I look forward to raising those matters when national cabinet meets after the Easter break. So I agree—it has no place anywhere.

Now, it is not for me to make commentary about what judgements people make about me and whether or not I have listened. I can only say to the women of Australia, as I said yesterday: what Australian women are looking for from me is to demonstrate my understanding of the issues that they have raised and that I am listening to the great pain that they have been enduring. I acknowledge that there is further work, not only for me to do but for many people in this place, and that is what I am committed to doing. I am not going to stand here at this dispatch box and do what blokes do and say, 'Well, I'm a bloke. I've got the solution to your problem and here it is—here's the fix.' That would be to approach this issue exactly from the wrong paradigm.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left.

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

What I must do first is demonstrate—

Ms Kearney interjecting—

Mr Shorten interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Cooper and Shortland will cease interjecting.

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

that I am listening and that I am understanding the pain that so many Australian women are feeling and that is what I am committed to doing.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Shortland and Cooper will leave under standing order 94a. Yes, the both of you. I'm not going to tolerate members being warned and continuing to interject.