On Saturday,The Australian reported that another woman alleges she was raped by the same staffer after Ms Higgins.
Mr Hunt said there needed to be a “clear external structure” that would give people “total confidence” they have support.
“If there’s a general observation about Parliament,it is that the structures for independent assessment,for personal evolution,whether that’s around training or growth,are not necessarily there,” he said.
“Often young women will have fear or guilt,completely unfairly on them,and that’s what we have to change,and that’s what we’re determined to do,and that’s what we will do.”
Special Minister of State Simon Birmingham has been tasked with putting together a bipartisan review of Parliament House’s workplace culture,with details expected in days. Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins,her predecessor Elizabeth Broderick and former Democrats senator Natasha Stott-Despoja are among the people who have been suggested to lead the review.
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Liberal MP Celia Hammond has been asked to examine how to improve Liberal Party culture,senior public servant Stephanie Foster is examining how to build a new structure to handle complaints,and Mr Morrison’s department chief Phil Gaetjens has been asked to look at what and when staff in the Prime Minister’s office knew of the 2019 incident.
Labor’s spokeswoman for women,Tanya Plibersek,said the federal government had let Ms Higgins down.
“Her initial statements,her follow-up statements all say that she felt as though she had to choose between seeking justice and keeping her job,” Ms Plibersek said.
“No one should be made to feel like that. If they’ve been a victim of a serious crime at work,to be made to feel that if they pursue justice they’re risking their job is appalling.”
Mr Morrison stood by his previous comments stating he was not made aware of the specific allegations until last Monday morning,despite his office having been made aware of an impending story at least 48 hours earlier.
Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten said Mr Morrison should “come clean” about what the government knew.
“This is about making sure that not just Parliament but all workplaces are safe for women,” he said. “They must acknowledge that it appears something has gone catastrophically wrong in taking Brittany Higgins’ concerns seriously and indeed now the next person that has emerged.”
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