Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Just to clarify, Senator McAllister, I believe you asked me as Minister for Women, but I do also represent the Attorney-General in this place. As the senator has indicated, this government commissioned the Respect@Work report into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, which, as the senator has indicated, was tabled by the government last year.

Sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, which, of course, has been, in its most appalling representation, the subject of significant discussion in this place in the last weeks, is an issue that can affect any workplace. So the report by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner and her team is a very important report, which needs, we believe, a unified national response from all Australian governments as well as from employers and industry. As part of the last budget, 2020-21, including in the 2020 Women's economic security statement, the government announced $2.1 million over three years to provide practical support to employers and employees to prevent and address sexual harassment in Australian workplaces. That funding will contribute towards the implementation of key recommendations from the AHRC's landmark report, and that includes the council itself, which will be led by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins. It will bring together existing leaders from bodies with a role in preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment. The council will work to promote safer workplaces and provide high-level advice to the government.