Email your MPs: commit to 'set the standard' needed for a safer parliament

One in three people currently working in or around federal parliament have suffered from some form of sexual harassment.

These are the shocking statistics uncovered by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her ‘Set the Standard’ report. Behind each statistic are stories of victim-survivors that have suffered abuse and trauma in our halls of power.

In delivering the report, the Commissioner provided a roadmap of immediate actions that must be undertaken in the next 6 months. Given a federal election is guaranteed in that window, a strong show of support in response to the launch of this report is critical ...

One in three people currently working in or around federal parliament have suffered from some form of sexual harassment.

These are the shocking statistics uncovered by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her ‘Set the Standard’ report. Behind each statistic are stories of victim-survivors that have suffered abuse and trauma in our halls of power.

In delivering the report, the Commissioner provided a roadmap of immediate actions that must be undertaken in the next 6 months. Given a federal election is guaranteed in that window, a strong show of support in response to the launch of this report is critical.

Help show MPs across the political spectrum that their constituents expect them to take a commitment to implementing these recommendations to the rapidly approaching election - and that they can expect to face questions until they do so. Can you send an email to your representatives now?

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Email your MPs and Senators to Set the Standard

Enter your postcode to find your MP and Senators, then personalise the template email below for greatest impact.

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Compose your email

Subject:

I am writing to express my deep concern about the findings outlined in the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s  ‘Set The Standard’ Report. The rates and examples of behaviour it reveals are horrifying and unacceptable. It is clear that Parliament is not a safe place for women, and many other members of our community.

In delivering the report, the Commissioner made 28 recommendations for change, and made clear that driving change will require leadership, acknowledgement and accountability. I’m writing to ask you to publicly declare your support for all of those 28 recommendations.

I’m aware that the Commissioner also provided a roadmap of immediate actions that must be undertaken to progress this within the next 6 months. Given we expect an election within this time period, I believe these need to be actioned urgently to ensure meaningful progress before the election is called.

The Commissioner named the drivers of this problem as: the role of power, gender inequality, lack of accountability and entitlement and exclusion; her recommendations are underlined by 5 principles:
1. Leadership
2. Diversity, equality and inclusion
3. Performance - including clarity about roles and responsibilities
4. Accountability - including clear and consistent standards for behaviour, and visible consequences for misconduct.
5. A focus on safety and wellbeing - including proactive safety and wellbeing policies to prevent abuse before it starts

When it comes to accountability, I’m aware the Commissioner recommended that the process to develop a code of conduct for parliamentarians should be commenced within 6 months, and  codes adopted within a year.

I urge you to support a strong code of conduct enforced by an Independent Commissioner - that reflects community expectations that MPs should act in the public interest and with integrity in all they do, including behaving respectfully within the halls of parliament, and outside its walls. I know that doctors, teachers and public servants all have to comply with codes of conduct - and are held to a high standard because of the important roles they play in our society. Our politicians should be too.

Every parliamentarian needs to be fully committed to making parliament safe and respectful. You are one of the few people who can sit in the chamber and your party room and vote to enact many of these changes.

I know that the Commissioner has said all the 28 recommendations are all mutually reinforcing and cannot be cherry-picked.

I look forward to hearing how you plan to support them ahead of the election being called.

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