Political staff pursuing “avenues to exercise their rights” is a clear sign that cultural change is under way in the Australian parliament, according to one of the leading architects of that change, Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins.
In January the independent MP Monique Ryan’s chief of staff, Sally Rugg, launched a federal court case against Ryan and the commonwealth alleging “hostile conduct” and adverse action in breach of the Fair Work Act, including sacking her for refusing to work “unreasonable” additional hours. The case is slated to go to mediation next week.
