A survey has uncovered a a high prevalence of bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment in Tasmanian ministerial and parliamentary services. 

Of the 318 staff who responded to the survey, 15 per cent reported experiencing sexual harassment, 40 per cent said they had experienced bullying and 24 per cent had been discriminated against.

Two-thirds of staff said they had witnessed discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.

The Report into Workplace Culture in the Tasmanian Ministerial and Parliamentary Services (available here in PDF form) made 14 recommendations, including:

  • An independent review of the organisational and governance structure, including an audit of instruments of appointment, employment conditions, recruitment processes and pay structures

  • Establishment of a centralised and independent human resources unit for use by all personnel

  • Implementation of formal induction and exit processes which include training on acceptable workplace conduct, complaint processes, external reporting mechanisms and support officers

  • Within 12 months, implementation of a complaints and reporting framework, with the power to investigate complaints about discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying, including allegations against members of parliament

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has announced a joint parliamentary committee to oversee the review's recommendations. 

“It's about taking a collective responsibility and some of the recommendations may well be implemented by other bodies, such as government for example, or government departments,” he said.

Thirza White, general secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), says the state needs to make “significant change” to Tasmanian parliament workplace arrangements she says are stuck “in the dark ages”.

“They're incredibly blurred lines of accountability. Even as a union that represents parliament house workers, we've struggled to find who is the ultimate decision-maker,” she told reporters.

Some of the workplace contracts in place at parliament house have “not been updated in decades”, Ms White said.