Labor has questioned whether Scott Morrison should allow Christian Porter to return to his job as attorney general “on a full-time salary but doing the part-time work”.
On the eve of a week of Senate estimates hearings, Labor’s deputy leader in the upper house, Kristina Keneally, sought to raise doubts over the government’s plan to delegate some of Porter’s role while he pursues defamation action against the ABC over a historical rape allegation that he strenuously denies.
With Porter due to return from leave on 31 March, Morrison has said the attorney general would not be responsible for functions relating to the federal court and the ABC to “avoid any perception of conflicts of interest”. The prime minister has asked the solicitor general for advice on what other duties Porter should delegate.
In broader remarks, Keneally told the ABC’s Insiders program the March4Justice rallies last week reflected a “seismic moment” for the country and a “mass movement of women who just said enough is enough”.
She said Australians were “looking for leadership” from Morrison on the issue of rape, sexual assault and harassment. Keneally was then asked specifically whether Porter should return to his role.
“When I talk about rage and anger that the Australian women are feeling, let’s look at the proposition that is being put here,” Keneally said.
“[The proposition is] that Christian Porter can return to his job as attorney general on a full-time salary but doing the part-time work, that parts of his job will be hived off artificially to other people and he will be given the time and space on his full-time salary to fight his defamation case.”
Keneally said it would be “wonderful if women who are victims of domestic violence in this country had access to paid leave when they have to go to court to escape their abusers”, but the government had suggested that “you can dip into your own superannuation and fund your own escape”.
“These are people who barely have any savings. So am I angry about that? Are women across Australia angry about that? Of course we are,” Keneally said.
“The question as to whether or not Christian Porter remains a fit and proper person is a question for the prime minister. The question of whether or not Linda Reynolds who called an alleged rape victim a lying cow remains a fit and proper person is one that sits with the prime minister.”
Reynolds, the defence minister, has apologised to Brittany Higgins – a former staffer who had alleged she was raped by another staffer in the minister’s parliament House office in 2019 – and agreed to pay legal costs and make a donation to a sexual assault charity as part of a confidential settlement.
Reynolds previously said she had made the comment in response to claims Higgins did not feel supported after coming forward with her allegation – not in response to the claim of having been raped.
Keneally was also asked on Sunday about her party’s handling of complaints, after former and current Labor staffers shared stories of sexual harassment and abuse while at work in a closed Facebook group.
Keneally said she had read the accounts. “They are distressing, they are wrong, they should not happen,” she said. “Yes, I was angry, that there are women within our party who are having those experiences still today.”
Keneally said it was “a societal problem” and she was “not naive to think that any part of society, including the Labor party, will be immune”. She cited the new complaints process that had been put in place.
The finance minister, Simon Birmingham, said the Senate had passed a bill late last week to ensure people could have “absolute confidence” in the confidentiality of their submissions to the review into parliament’s workplace culture.
The review is being undertaken by Kate Jenkins, the sex discrimination commissioner, and the new law addresses concerns that confidential submissions may have potentially been accessible through freedom of information requests.
Birmingham told Sky News on Sunday the government wanted to ensure everybody had “the opportunity to have their say so that this review is a true reflection of the experiences people have had working in parliamentary workplaces”.
He hoped the review would result in “clear recommendations for how we can be a best-practice workplace in the nation for the prevention of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault”.
Birmingham said there was a need to “restore confidence” in the safety of parliament’s workplaces “because we want the best and brightest to come and work” in the offices of MPs and senators.
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
Read More:Proposal that Christian Porter can return to ‘full-time salary doing part-time work’ further fuel for fury, Labor says |
2021-03-21 01:55:22
