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| ‘End the private school boys’ club’: slashing salaries of badly behaved MPs not enough, Lidia Thorpe says | ‘End the private school boys’ club’: slashing salaries of badly behaved MPs not enough, Lidia Thorpe says |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Independent senator says Australians are sick of ‘privileged, high-paid politicians’ not taking their jobs seriously in ‘toxic and unsafe’ Parliament House | Independent senator says Australians are sick of ‘privileged, high-paid politicians’ not taking their jobs seriously in ‘toxic and unsafe’ Parliament House |
| Lidia Thorpe has questioned whether docking the salaries of highly paid federal politicians will be enough to deter bad behaviour as parliamentarians contemplate the introduction of a sanctions body for MP misconduct. | Lidia Thorpe has questioned whether docking the salaries of highly paid federal politicians will be enough to deter bad behaviour as parliamentarians contemplate the introduction of a sanctions body for MP misconduct. |
| The independent senator believes racism in the halls of power should also become a focus of the workplace behaviour enforcement body, describing Parliament House as a “toxic and unsafe environment”. | The independent senator believes racism in the halls of power should also become a focus of the workplace behaviour enforcement body, describing Parliament House as a “toxic and unsafe environment”. |
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| The comments come after the Albanese government unveiled its proposed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission on Wednesday. | The comments come after the Albanese government unveiled its proposed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission on Wednesday. |
| The IPSC, which Labor hopes will be up and running by October, will be granted the power to investigate allegations of misconduct by politicians and hand down punishments. | The IPSC, which Labor hopes will be up and running by October, will be granted the power to investigate allegations of misconduct by politicians and hand down punishments. |
| Under the proposal, penalties would include a fine of between 2% and 5% of a politician’s annual salary, suspension from parliamentary committees and mandatory training or professional development. | Under the proposal, penalties would include a fine of between 2% and 5% of a politician’s annual salary, suspension from parliamentary committees and mandatory training or professional development. |
| A backbench MP’s salary could be docked between $4,673 and $11,682 while a prime minister, the highest-paid politician, could be fined between $12,149 and $30,374. | A backbench MP’s salary could be docked between $4,673 and $11,682 while a prime minister, the highest-paid politician, could be fined between $12,149 and $30,374. |
| Thorpe said the proposed sanctions were a good step forward but penalties for bad behaviour or misconduct should not be a “slap on the wrist”. | Thorpe said the proposed sanctions were a good step forward but penalties for bad behaviour or misconduct should not be a “slap on the wrist”. |
| “Docking pay is good, but we also need to remember that most of these guys are on huge salaries and have a lot of extra wealth at their disposal,” Thorpe told Guardian Australia. | “Docking pay is good, but we also need to remember that most of these guys are on huge salaries and have a lot of extra wealth at their disposal,” Thorpe told Guardian Australia. |
| “If it’s just a small financial penalty and nothing else, it still gives them a level of impunity, and will that really change much?” | “If it’s just a small financial penalty and nothing else, it still gives them a level of impunity, and will that really change much?” |
| “Suspension from parliament and being kicked out of committees is a good way to hold someone to some level of accountability because it comes with a bit of embarrassment.” | “Suspension from parliament and being kicked out of committees is a good way to hold someone to some level of accountability because it comes with a bit of embarrassment.” |
| Thorpe used parliamentary privilege in June 2023 to accuse then Liberal senator David Van, who is now independent, of “inappropriately” touching her in a Parliament House stairwell. Van denied the claims, which he described as false, and called for an investigation into the allegations. | Thorpe used parliamentary privilege in June 2023 to accuse then Liberal senator David Van, who is now independent, of “inappropriately” touching her in a Parliament House stairwell. Van denied the claims, which he described as false, and called for an investigation into the allegations. |
| Days later, Peter Dutton stood Van down from the Liberal party room and referred the claims to the parliamentary workplace support service after “further allegations” had been brought to his attention. At the time Dutton said: “At the outset I want to make clear I’m not making any judgment on the veracity of allegations or any individual’s guilt or innocence.” | Days later, Peter Dutton stood Van down from the Liberal party room and referred the claims to the parliamentary workplace support service after “further allegations” had been brought to his attention. At the time Dutton said: “At the outset I want to make clear I’m not making any judgment on the veracity of allegations or any individual’s guilt or innocence.” |
| The PWSS was given interim powers to review complaints and make recommendations while negotiations continue into the establishment of the IPSC. | The PWSS was given interim powers to review complaints and make recommendations while negotiations continue into the establishment of the IPSC. |
| Thorpe said she was no closer to a conclusion on the matter and hadn’t yet been briefed on whether it would be taken over by the IPSC once it was up and running. | Thorpe said she was no closer to a conclusion on the matter and hadn’t yet been briefed on whether it would be taken over by the IPSC once it was up and running. |
| Van’s office was approached for comment. | Van’s office was approached for comment. |
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| “As I’ve said before, the PWSS staff have been very helpful and I appreciate their work, but they are stretched and don’t have much power. Hopefully, the IPSC can be more effective at resolving matters more quickly,” Thorpe said. | “As I’ve said before, the PWSS staff have been very helpful and I appreciate their work, but they are stretched and don’t have much power. Hopefully, the IPSC can be more effective at resolving matters more quickly,” Thorpe said. |
| Complaints with the PWSS are subject to good-faith confidentiality agreements, which are expected to continue when its investigations are transferred to the IPSC. | Complaints with the PWSS are subject to good-faith confidentiality agreements, which are expected to continue when its investigations are transferred to the IPSC. |
| The agreement prevents complainants, respondents and witnesses from sharing any information to anyone other than for legal, medical or personal support. The secrecy arrangements end after an investigation is complete. | The agreement prevents complainants, respondents and witnesses from sharing any information to anyone other than for legal, medical or personal support. The secrecy arrangements end after an investigation is complete. |
| Thorpe said people needed “to be very wary” of how the agreements are used once the body was running. | Thorpe said people needed “to be very wary” of how the agreements are used once the body was running. |
| “These should protect and empower people who have been victims, but they shouldn’t be used to shield perpetrators’ behaviour from public view. In the end, the public deserves to know how their representatives are behaving at work,” she said. | “These should protect and empower people who have been victims, but they shouldn’t be used to shield perpetrators’ behaviour from public view. In the end, the public deserves to know how their representatives are behaving at work,” she said. |
| “People out there in the real world are sick of privileged, high-paid politicians acting with impunity and not taking their jobs seriously.” | “People out there in the real world are sick of privileged, high-paid politicians acting with impunity and not taking their jobs seriously.” |
| While the Greens turned independent Victorian senator said she was happy to see a spotlight shone on the bad behaviour of male politicians towards women, racism needed to be looked at too. | While the Greens turned independent Victorian senator said she was happy to see a spotlight shone on the bad behaviour of male politicians towards women, racism needed to be looked at too. |
| Thorpe said it had been “disappointing” to see the opposition’s attacks on the teal MP Zali Steggall after she described the Coalition’s stance on Palestinians fleeing the war zone as racist. Dutton denied he was racist and is reportedly seeking legal advice about the matter. | Thorpe said it had been “disappointing” to see the opposition’s attacks on the teal MP Zali Steggall after she described the Coalition’s stance on Palestinians fleeing the war zone as racist. Dutton denied he was racist and is reportedly seeking legal advice about the matter. |
| Thorpe continued: “We can’t even raise the idea that something could be racist without being shut down. It shows how far this place has to go to be able to have a mature discussion about these issues.” | Thorpe continued: “We can’t even raise the idea that something could be racist without being shut down. It shows how far this place has to go to be able to have a mature discussion about these issues.” |
| “Race and racism are still frequently used as a political tool by the major parties, they use it to create fear and distrust for their political benefit, and those attitudes flow through to the rest of society. | “Race and racism are still frequently used as a political tool by the major parties, they use it to create fear and distrust for their political benefit, and those attitudes flow through to the rest of society. |
| “To fix this properly, we really need more women and people of colour in politics, more First Peoples, more young people. But when this environment has been so hostile, why would they want to work here? | “To fix this properly, we really need more women and people of colour in politics, more First Peoples, more young people. But when this environment has been so hostile, why would they want to work here? |
| “We have to end the private school boys’ club.” | “We have to end the private school boys’ club.” |