The Department of Communities has released a progress report on the State’s implementation of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Respect@Work Report recommendations.
The Respect@Work Report outlined 55 recommendations addressed to all levels of Government, industry, business and the community aimed at preventing and responding to sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.
Of the 55 recommendations, 18 applied to State and Territory Governments.
The progress report tracked the 18 relevant recommendations and found WA had completed nine of them, with the other nine in progress.
Actions taken to implement the recommendations included providing the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission with the power to issue a stop sexual harassment order; increased legal services, advice, advocacy and education resources, and implementation of Stronger Together: WA’s Plan for Gender Equality.
In a statement, the Department said the progress report had been released during the Government’s annual 16 Days in WA — Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
“This initiative underscores the importance of community-led action to stop violence against women, including family, domestic and sexual violence, from happening in the first place,” the Department said
Minister for Women’s Interests, Simone McGurk said the Government was strongly committed to providing safe and inclusive workplaces, not only for public sector employees, but for all workers across WA.
“Workplace sexual harassment is not a women’s issue, it a societal issue which all organisations, employers and individuals have a responsibility to address,” Ms McGurk said.
“We all have a role to play to ensure safe, respectful, and inclusive workplaces.”
The Department’s Respect@Work Progress Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
