In March 2020, the Australian Human Rights Commission handed down the landmark report Respect @ Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces (the Respect @ Work Report).
The Commonwealth Government responded to the 55 recommendations of the Respect @ Work Report with A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces.
The Commonwealth Respect @ Work Council meets regularly to identify ways to promote safer workplaces through its role advising on the implementation of key commitments in the Roadmap for Respect.
The Western Australian Government’s response to the Respect @ Work Report includes a total of 18 recommendations which apply to the state government, 12 of which will be implemented by WA government agencies. The WA State Government will work collaboratively with the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments to progress the remaining six recommendations through National Ministerial Forums.
The Western Australian Government is strongly committed to providing safe and inclusive workplaces not only for public sector employees, but for all employees across Western Australia, regardless of industry or size.
Important steps have already commenced to creating safe, gender-equitable and inclusive workplaces through the development and implementation of the following key strategies:
- Stronger Together: WA’s Plan for Gender Equality
- Path to Safety: Western Australia’s strategy to reduce family and domestic violence 2020–2030
- Development of the WA Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategy
- The Workforce Diversification and Inclusion Strategy for WA Public Sector Employment 2020–2025
- National Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children 2010 - 2022
These strategies recognise the disproportionate impact of sexual harassment on women in the workplace and are well positioned to align with the WA State Government’s implementation of relevant Respect @ Work recommendations.
Implementing Respect @ Work: WA State Government Progress Report 2021 outlines Western Australia’s current progress towards the implementation of Respect @ Work recommendations.
- Two recommendations have been achieved
- 14 recommendations are in progress
- Two recommendations are planned
The Department of Communities will continue to work in partnership with the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments alongside business, industry and the community sector to meet these shared goals.
