A long-delayed inquiry into sexual harassment in South Australia’s parliament should begin immediately, Greens MLC minister Tammy Franks said.
Equal Opportunity Commissioner Dr. Niki Vincent accepted an invitation from former then-President of the Legislative Council Terry Stephens to investigate “systemic problems” of sexual harassment within the parliament in March.
It followed allegations of sexual misconduct against then-Liberal MP Sam Duluk.
Mr. Duluk apologised to the parliament for inappropriate behaviour at a parliamentary Christmas party last December.
South Australian MP Sam Duluk at an Adelaide railway station. Sam Duluk is due to face court next month.(Facebook: @SamdulukMP)
He is due to face court on a charge of basic assault next month, accused of slapping the backside of SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros.
Greens MLC Tammy Franks said she would write to the parliament’s two new presiding officers — Speaker Josh Teague and President John Dawkins — urging them to push ahead with the cultural review “as a matter of urgency”.
“The Equal Opportunity Commissioner has offered a cultural review project, similar to the one that she’s actually undertaken for SAPOL in recent years, for the South Australian parliament,” Ms. Franks said.
“It [would have been] a four-month process, and had we accepted it and gotten on with the job it would have actually concluded on August 31st and would have been presented to the parliament by now.
“It hasn’t even started yet, and we need action.”
Dr. Niki Vincent said she “heard back from the President of the Legislative Council in mid-April”, advising her that he would be discussing her proposal for a cultural review with the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Ms. Vincent said she “made it clear” at the time that she would need the cooperation of both Houses of Parliament “in order to undertake a review and make recommendations”.
But the Speaker’s chair was vacated at the end of July when Vincent Tarzia was elevated to the role of Police Minister in a cabinet reshuffle forced by the expenses scandal.
Ms. Vincent said there had been “radio silence” regarding her proposal.
“I haven’t pursued it, because there was no Speaker and no President for a while, so there wasn’t much point in trying to progress those conversations,” she said.
Ms. Vincent said the cultural review was “something that our parliament should be willing to do”.
“I feel for the people who are impacted and who want to be given the opportunity to speak to create change,” she said.
“These are the leaders of our state and I think the public has a right to expect that their behaviour is exemplary.
“There are people who’ve been hurt and want to be given the opportunity to speak confidentially about this in the interests of getting change.”
Tammy Franks said the inquiry was needed to deal with “issues raised over many years”.
“We can’t have systemic problems in our parliament — the place that makes the laws of this state, but that doesn’t abide by workplace laws that operate in all other workplaces,” she said.
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