Respect@Work Questions

Senator VAN: I have some questions about the Respect@Work Council. Ms Chidgey, could you please set out for the committee what resources have been provided to the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Respect@Work Council to assist them in implementing the Respect@Work report?

Ms Chidgey: I mentioned before that the overall funding that the government has provided for implementation of the report is $66.5 million. And then funding for the Human Rights Commission to implement particular recommendations as part of that is I think just under $1.4 million.

Senator VAN: I understand that the Attorney-General's Department receives $7.1 million in funding specifically to support implementation of the Respect@Work Council and that the department has been asked to support various agencies such as the Human Rights Commission, including by providing them money to undertake specific projects. Can you please confirm whether the Human Rights Commission has received any funding from the department under this MOU and, if so, how much and for what projects?

Ms Chidgey: Yes. Under that MOU we provided that total of $1.37 million and that includes funding—I can give you that amounts. There is $304,000 to develop a package of training and education materials on the nature, drivers and impacts of sexual harassment in the workplace and rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. They also have $265,000 for development of the dedicated online platform for practical and accessible information resources to help workplaces ensure that they're safe and free from sexual harassment. There's also $467,000 to conduct a national survey on sexual harassment, with a focus on the workplace. That will take place this year. We have also given them, in each case, amounts of $166,000. The first amount in that order will go to improving data collection and information sharing around sexual harassment. The second amount—it's the same—will be to develop consistent guidelines and resources on pathways for action and referral of workplace sexual harassment matters.

Senator VAN: Thank you very much. Has the Human Rights Commission been supported in any other ways, such as through being given additional staff?

Ms Chidgey: Yes. The department has also assisted with the provision of additional staff to support Commissioner Jenkins. Let me see whether Ms Brayshaw has the numbers. I might have to take that on notice— about how many staff we've provided. It might have been something like a couple of EL1s.

Senator VAN: If you would that would be great. Has the department been assisting the Human Rights Commission with any of these projects or will they be assisting in the future?

Ms Chidgey: Yes, we've been working closely with them. We have a secretariat in our department and work closely with the Human Rights Commission both on recommendations that we are taking the lead on and in supporting them with the recommendations that they're taking the lead on.

Senator VAN: Thank you, Ms Chidgey. Thank you, Chair. That is all I had on that.