In 2020, Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly Marisa Paterson used her first speech to say that she had been a victim of sexual harassment while working at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
At the time, Ms Paterson said the system "failed" her after she made a formal complaint, and action was only taken against her alleged perpetrator after she made her complaint public.
Today, she revealed that she had reached a settlement with the AUT, and that the organisation had apologised to her for the handling of her complaint.
"I am feeling vindicated. I feel that today there has been some justice served. This has been many years in the making for me, and I think that this is a big day for human rights and for women," she said.
"Today, what I went through is being publicly recognised. And my voice today is being heard — most importantly by AUT."
In an interview with the ABC, Ms Paterson said she had made her complaint public after being supported by the Australian National University to do so.
"I believe my experience will contribute to AUT, and hopefully other NZ workplaces, being safer worker environments — and that does give me some peace," she said.
Ms Paterson said that what had started as a "mentor-type" relationship with the alleged perpetrator ended in two years of sexual harassment, stalking and bullying.
"My desperation in lodging a formal complaint was extreme — my career was everything to me and I knew that making a complaint would have significant implications," she said.
Ms Paterson said the experience making the complaint had been "very tough", but hoped the outcome would ensure her experience would "never happen again".
"I do feel that there is some justice in this," she said.
"That's a really critical public point in saying that what happened to me was not okay, and the way it was dealt with was not okay. And they have apologised," she said.
In a statement, the Auckland University of Technology said they "unreservedly apologised" to Ms Paterson for the university's handling of the complaint.
"We recognise that our investigation into your complaint was not adequate and our communication with you throughout the process failed to recognise and reflect the very sensitive and serious nature of the issues and the impact on you," it read.
"We would also like to recognise your courage in coming forward, and thank you for providing the opportunity for the AUT to learn from this and initiate a process of culture change," the statement read.
They said they had undertaken an independent review, and the report and recommendations were accepted by the university.
"The settlement is a tangible step in AUT's progress towards a more inclusive culture," the statement said.
"AUT considers that the actions it has taken, including its apology to Dr Paterson, reflect the positive shift in institutional culture, and a survivor-centred approach."
