Like most women who have the privilege to serve our nation in Canberra, I had hoped the Jenkins Review into Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces would forever change the culture of all government workplaces in our capital - making them safe places for all who work in them.
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Both women and men.
Unfortunately, the disclosure at Senate estimates this week of a secret "hotties list" inside the Infrastructure Department shows there is a long way to go before former sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins' Set the Standard report is fully embraced and integrated into public service culture.
It is disturbing enough that young men commencing their careers at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts, feel at liberty to allegedly sexually harass and humiliate their female colleagues by rating them based on looks and "hotness".
What is worse is the apparent culture of secrecy within the public sector that attempts to keep these issues under wraps.
Courageous women helped blow the lid off the toxic culture that existed in our Federal Parliament for decades. Meaningful steps have now been taken to ensure the Parliament is a safer and more collegiate workplace for all.
We need to do the same thing to the public service. If necessary, by ripping the doors off one agency at a time, to flush out the last remnants of misogynistic culture.
This week in estimates as shadow minister I was "warned" by the Infrastructure Department's secretary "not to go down the path" of disclosing the fact that certain sexist alleged behaviour was occurring inside his graduate program.
Being the first female federal MP from the century old Victorian Nationals, I am not unaccustomed to having to push back against the tide.
It was that very disclosure that meant the following day, I was able to secure from the Minister for the Public Service and Women and with the agreement of the Public Service Commissioner, mandatory respect at work training for all graduates who are starting their careers in the Australian Public Service.
Silence of senior public servants who chose not to inform their respective ministers is part of the problem.
We shouldn't be silent, and always be careful to give agency to alleged victims.
The man ultimately responsible for employing 67 per cent males in the department's graduate program, does not get to warn female leaders from calling out alleged reprehensible behaviour in that same program.
It is not news there are cultural issues inside the infrastructure department. The agency recently received a damning APS Capability Review, has a staff attrition rate double other agency, and one in 10 people who report they have experienced discrimination.
This is an agency in need of strong, principled leadership, from the minister down. For the brave souls who spoke out, out of a concern for the protection of young women in the department, their reward will no doubt be a witch hunt (it is always the witches that are hunted, never the warlocks(!).
Emails and phone records will be examined.
If only this effort could instead be spent trying to identify the male authors of the "hotties list" and drum them out of the public service.
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Perhaps the most concerning aspect of this sorry saga, is the fact the department secretary decided to keep this secret from his female boss, Minister Catherine King.
There is no excuse to withhold knowledge of such sensitive issues about the culture of her department, especially when the matter has been canvassed with other members of the public service club, including the Public Service Commissioner.
While I still have my criticisms of the minister, in the execution of her portfolio, she holds one of the most important senior economic portfolios in our country and deserves respect from her officials.
She also has a seat on the all-powerful expenditure review committee of cabinet which approves how every cent of our taxes are spent.
Women across the country want to see the government take this issue seriously.
With Senate estimates over, the matter should not be swept under the rug.
Minister King has an opportunity to do women everywhere a service by publicly calling out her concern on this issue.
- Senator Bridget McKenzie is the opposition spokeswoman for infrastructure, transport and regional development. She is the leader of The Nationals in the Senate.
