Australia’s Parliament has seen 30 reports of serious workplace misconduct, including allegations of sexual assault, stalking, and intimidation, over a nine-month period, according to the *Sydney Morning Herald*. These reports were among 339 cases registered by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS), a confidential support body launched in October 2023. This service was set up to address misconduct following a 2021 report revealing that one in three people in Australian parliamentary workplaces had experienced sexual harassment.
The 30 cases highlight ongoing issues within Australia's legislative environment. In 2023, an Australian senator disclosed being followed and inappropriately touched by a colleague. Additionally, a high-profile case from April involved a former government adviser who was found guilty of raping a colleague in a Parliament House office, marking a significant moment amid a national #MeToo wave in 2022.
The PWSS has not confirmed whether any of these new cases have led to police referrals or legal action, though the service’s role reflects efforts to make the parliamentary workspace safer and more accountable.
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