Latest news with #ParliamentaryWorkplaceSupportService
India Today
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Dance on the table: Australian MP alleges sexist remarks by male colleague
An Australian lawmaker has filed a complaint against a senior male colleague, alleging she was subjected to sexually suggestive and racially insensitive remarks at a parliamentary social to an ABC News report, Senator Fatima Payman (30) said the unnamed colleague, who she described as having "had too many drinks," made comments such as, "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table."advertisementPayman, a Muslim woman of Afghan origin, said the comments made her feel "singled out" because she does not consume alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made... to feel left out because you do," Payman said, referring to her older colleague."I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate,' and moved on to making a formal complaint," she stated she lodged the complaint through the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service and was satisfied with the "swift" handling of the as a Labor senator from Western Australia in 2022, Payman was the youngest member of the last parliamentary left the Labor Party in 2024 after voting with the Greens on a motion advocating for Palestinian statehood, a stance not supported by her former
The Advertiser
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Senator alleges inappropriate behaviour by colleague
An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment. An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment. An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment. An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment.
The Advertiser
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Senator Fatima Payman alleges senior colleague made inappropriate comments
Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. Senator Payman told the ABC's Triple J Hack program a senior colleague made the comments to her at a social function, allegedly after consuming "too many drinks". She alleged comments included sentiments such as: "Let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table." The independent senator told the ABC the comments were sexually suggestive and she felt singled out as a Muslim woman who did not drink alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she reportedly told the ABC. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." She said the complaint had been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, which processes claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour from parliamentarians and their staff. The independent body was established in response to Kate Jenkins' review of parliamentary workplace culture, following Brittany Higgins allegations of rape in Parliament House. The body's first annual report showed it had handled 339 complaints in its first few months of operation, between October 2023 and the end of June 2024. Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. Senator Payman told the ABC's Triple J Hack program a senior colleague made the comments to her at a social function, allegedly after consuming "too many drinks". She alleged comments included sentiments such as: "Let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table." The independent senator told the ABC the comments were sexually suggestive and she felt singled out as a Muslim woman who did not drink alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she reportedly told the ABC. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." She said the complaint had been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, which processes claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour from parliamentarians and their staff. The independent body was established in response to Kate Jenkins' review of parliamentary workplace culture, following Brittany Higgins allegations of rape in Parliament House. The body's first annual report showed it had handled 339 complaints in its first few months of operation, between October 2023 and the end of June 2024. Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. Senator Payman told the ABC's Triple J Hack program a senior colleague made the comments to her at a social function, allegedly after consuming "too many drinks". She alleged comments included sentiments such as: "Let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table." The independent senator told the ABC the comments were sexually suggestive and she felt singled out as a Muslim woman who did not drink alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she reportedly told the ABC. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." She said the complaint had been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, which processes claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour from parliamentarians and their staff. The independent body was established in response to Kate Jenkins' review of parliamentary workplace culture, following Brittany Higgins allegations of rape in Parliament House. The body's first annual report showed it had handled 339 complaints in its first few months of operation, between October 2023 and the end of June 2024. Independent senator Fatima Payman has alleged an older male parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments to her, and says a complaint has been made to Parliament's workplace support service. Senator Payman told the ABC's Triple J Hack program a senior colleague made the comments to her at a social function, allegedly after consuming "too many drinks". She alleged comments included sentiments such as: "Let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table." The independent senator told the ABC the comments were sexually suggestive and she felt singled out as a Muslim woman who did not drink alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she reportedly told the ABC. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." She said the complaint had been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, which processes claims of inappropriate workplace behaviour from parliamentarians and their staff. The independent body was established in response to Kate Jenkins' review of parliamentary workplace culture, following Brittany Higgins allegations of rape in Parliament House. The body's first annual report showed it had handled 339 complaints in its first few months of operation, between October 2023 and the end of June 2024.
West Australian
28-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Senator alleges inappropriate behaviour by colleague
An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment.
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Senator alleges inappropriate behaviour by colleague
An independent senator has alleged a parliamentary colleague made sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments towards her. Fatima Payman, who is Muslim and does not drink alcohol, was attending a social event as part of official parliamentary business when she says an older, male colleague made comments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table". "I don't drink and I don't need to be made ... to feel left out because you do," she told ABC's Triple J radio station. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate', and moved on to making a formal complaint." The issue has been escalated to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, a body established after staffer Brittany Higgins made public allegations about being raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said the support service had taken care of her and she was happy with the swift handling of her complaint. The service managed 339 cases between 2023 and 2024, according to its most recent annual report. Just under one in ten cases related to rape and sexual assault, harassment, assault, sexual harassment, stalking or intimidation, a similar proportion were about bullying, about one in five related to family and domestic violence, alcohol and drugs or mental health, roughly one in four were over workplace conflict and the rest were not defined. The vast majority were related to those hired to help politicians to carry out duties but not for party political purposes but 17 involved parliamentarians. Calling out inappropriate behaviour could help others, the senator said. "Being clear is being kind," she said. "You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up." AAP has reached out to the senator and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for further comment.
