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the pigs apologise...

apologyapology

Australia's political leaders have formally apologised to all those who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault or bullying while working in federal parliament.

Key points:
  • Scott Morrison directly apologised to Brittany Higgins for her experience
  • Ms Higgins's allegations she was raped in a ministerial office rocked parliament last year
  • An inquiry sparked in the wake of her allegations recommended a formal apology to all victims
 

The statements, made in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, were the first recommendation of an independent review conducted last year into the workplace culture within parliamentary offices.

The review was sparked by former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins's rape allegations.

It found there was a "boys club" culture of "bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault", and that one in three staff working across parliamentary offices had experienced sexual harassment.

It was one of a number of inquiries called by the government after Ms Higgins alleged she was raped in Parliament House in 2019 and spoke out about the way her complaints were handled by the government afterwards.

Ms Higgins listened to the statements from the gallery of the House of Representatives, along with a small group.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison directly thanked Ms Higgins for her role in bringing to light the issues facing many employees, particularly women, "whose experience, and more importantly courage, is the reason why we are all here today."

"I am sorry, we are sorry," he told parliament.

"I am sorry to Ms Higgins for the terrible things that took place here. The place that should have been a place for safety, that turned out to be a nightmare.

"I am sorry for far more than that. All those that came before Ms Higgins … but she had the courage to speak, and so here we are."

Mr Morrison said the people responsible for the bullying and harassment would be exposed.

"The light will come to those behaviours, as it must," he said.

The Prime Minister said the statements made on Tuesday were an indication of the entire parliament's commitment to clean up the workplace and make it safe for all staff.

"We must, we can and we will do better," he said.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-08/parliament-formal-apology-harassment-bullying-brittany-higgins/100813046

 

 

 

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tell us, scomo...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants former Australian of the Year Grace Tame to give his government the name of the agency she says told her not to criticise him.

It came as the federal government on Thursday appeared to walk back from its announcement it would launch an investigation into the “threatening” call made by an unnamed senior member of an agency.

“While [Ms Tame] has declined to name the individual, I would at least invite her to advise the government which government-funded agency she is referring to,” Mr Morrison told parliament.

 

“[We] would be pleased to pursue the matter … if we had some knowledge of even the agency that has been referred to.

“Inquiries can only be made where we can be directed.”

 

Ms Tame told the National Press Club on Wednesday the caller asked for her word that she would not say anything “damning” about Mr Morrison at January’s 2022 Australian of the Year Awards.

“You’re an influential person. He’ll have a fear … with an election coming soon’,” she recounted the person saying of Mr Morrison.

On Thursday, Mr Morrison reiterated in parliament that the comments “were not made on my behalf, nor would they ever be, and they were not made with my knowledge in any way, shape or form or by my office”.

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston initially said the government had launched an investigation, before clarifying it was up to Ms Tame about whether she wanted it taken further.

The National Australia Day Council earlier issued a statement saying it canvassed personnel who had spoken with Ms Tame in the past year following the claim aired at Wednesday’s National Press Club event.

“None of whom had interactions … that would be considered ‘threatening’ as the 17 August conversation has been described,” the organisation said.

 

Ms Tame tweeted it was “not about the person who made the call” but “the fact they felt like they had to do it”.

The controversy came as changes stemming from Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’ landmark review into parliament’s workplace culture passed the Senate.

The bill contained the first of a series of Ms Jenkins’ recommended reforms that meant political staffers would need reasons in writing if they were being fired.

“These amendments will prevent staff being arbitrarily fired for no reason other than that they have become a political problem from their employer,” Greens senator Larissa Waters said.

“We know the sweeping powers of parliamentarians to fire staff without cause has been a significant barrier for staff to come forward, fearing their job – not the job of their abuser – would be at risk.”

 

Read more:

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2022/02/10/scott-morrison-grace-tame-call/

 

Tame doesn't have to tell Scomo anything. BUT he should tell us who financed the Porter blind trust first. This is more important. AND WE CAN TRUST GRACE TAME TO TELL THE TRUTH. 

 

My guess would be the IPA? (not a government agency, but linked to the Liberals (CONservatives)...

 

 

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fudged apology...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office is refusing to comment on reports he only apologised to abuse survivors in Parliament House last week at the last minute and to avoid being upstaged by Labor.

Last Tuesday Mr Morrison apologised to all staffers and others who had been the victims of sexual assault, bullying and harassment.

“I am sorry; we are sorry,” the Prime Minister said in a speech directed to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins and others in the public gallery.

 

But the sincerity of that declaration is now in question.

A journalist with The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton reported that Mr Morrison never had any intention of addressing Parliament as part of a scheduled apology to victims of abuse.

Middleton reported that only the Speaker of the House of Representatives and president of the Senate were due to deliver apologies until Monday, when Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese signalled his intention to speak.

Only then did Mr Morrison decide he wanted to speak as part of the apology.

Tweet from @TamePunk

 

 

ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas said on Sunday that the Prime Minister’s Office was contesting Middleton’s version of events.

But when contacted by The New Daily on Sunday and asked to comment about whether Middleton’s account of events was inaccurate, the Prime Minister’s media team declined to comment.

Ms Higgins and others had been set to miss out on seeing Tuesday’s apology and only secured their place in the public gallery after an intervention from independent MP Zali Steggall.

The former Australian of the Year, child sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame, said the dispute reflected a lack of concern with the substance of the problems which include sexual abuse and workplace culture inside Parliament.

 

“Their top priority is preserving their own image, not the well-being of the people who’ve been traumatised on their watch,” she said on Twitter.

“This is just further evidence of that.”

Ms Tame and Ms Higgins jointly addressed the National Press Club the day after the apology. 

Ms Higgins last year went public with allegations she had been raped while working at Parliament.

The matter is before the courts.

 

READ MORE:

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/2022/02/13/scott-morrison-abuse-apology-backflip/

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

 

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