Former Australian of the year Grace Tame and ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will address a sold-out National Press Club on Wednesday in the wake of a national apology to victims of sexual abuse and harassment.
While Prime Minister Scott Morrison won’t be in attendance at the address, senior government ministers say he will be “paying attention” to what the two survivors of sexual abuse and assault have to say.
The acknowledgment, which happened simultaneously in both houses of parliament, was the first recommendation of the landmark Jenkins review – brought about after Ms Higgins went public with her allegations she had been raped in Parliament House.
During their address, Ms Higgins and Ms Tame are expected to respond to the apology and call for the government to do more after Ms Tame criticised the acknowledgment as a “stunt” in the lead-up to the election.
“How about some proactive, preventive measures and not just these performative, last-minute Band-Aid electioneering stunts?” she wrote.
Minister for Women Marise Payne on Wednesday morning said Ms Tame was entitled to her view, but that the apology had been sincere.
“The government is committed to implementing all 28 recommendations of the Jenkins review,” she told ABC Radio National.
“This has been a very important step and there are others underway.”
Ms Payne is hoping to attend Ms Higgins and Ms Tame’s address on Wednesday provided her meetings end in time, but Mr Morrison has no intention of attending.
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said while Mr Morrison might not be present, or even watching it on television, he would be “paying attention”.
“It would be highly unusual for him to leave parliament to attend a speech like that,” Mr Birmingham told the Nine Network.
“There will be government ministers and MPs there. The PM will be paying attention as I know he has.”
Ms Higgins’ former boss Linda Reynolds will not be in attendance due to being diagnosed with Covid-19 while in Tasmania.
Ms Tame and Ms Higgins’ address will coincide with the government introducing its first piece of legislation in response to the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s report.
Mr Birmingham said the legislation would make Parliament House a safer workplace, particularly for women, so they have “confidence the same sorts of protections that apply in other workplaces also apply to employees of members of parliament”.
Hundreds of current and former parliamentary employees told the Sex Discrimixjmtzywnation Commissioner that they had experienced unsafe work environments, largely driven by power imbalances and a lack of accountability.
A multi-party taskforce was put together in a bid to implement the Jenkins recommendations.
Mr Birmingham said all parties were determined to “do it together”.
“(We) recognise that these issues cross party lines and need the unity of everyone, together,” he said.
