The NSW Upper House has ordered a full, independent review of parliament's handling of sexual assault complaints after Premier Glady Berejiklian revealed a secret evaluation by a former minister was already underway.
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A motion, moved on Wednesday night by Greens MP Abigail Boyd, directs the parliament to contract an external organisation to conduct the review and survey all staff of their experiences.
The motion, which was passed unopposed, also demands the provision of training on sexual consent and how best to handle disclosures of sexual assault.
"This motion builds directly on the demands of the March 4 Justice movement which this week has galvanised hundreds of thousands of women across the country in the fight against sexism," Ms Boyd said.
"No workplace is immune from the systemic issues that enables violence against women, so it is really positive to see our parliament coming together to acknowledge the problem and taking the necessary steps to stamp it out.
The motion passed hours after premier Ms Berejiklian told parliament she privately commissioned a review on February 18 to be conducted by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Liberal minister Pru Goward after hearing Brittany Higgins' story.
Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by a colleague on a couch inside federal Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' parliamentary office in 2019.
She says her complaint was handled insensitively and she was made to feel like a political problem.
Ms Goward's review will look at who should receive complaints, how best to handle them and what the standard for triggering an internal investigation should be.
Her report will be handed directly to the premier within the month.
However Labor and the Greens say the process has excluded them and any victims from contributing.
Newton MP Jenny Leong and Opposition Whip Anna Watson said women all over the state were disclosing misconduct to them.
Ms Berejiklian on Thursday said Ms Goward had the power to speak to whoever she needs.
"It was my prerogative to undertake this review and as a former Sex Discrimination Commissioner and someone who's worked in this building ... I think Ms Goward is credentialed in such a good way.
"I've asked her to be brutal in her assessment.
"Regrettably, as we all know, no matter what I do some will complain."
Ms Goward will look at processes and systems for both parliamentary staff and staff who work within parties.
"I want to go to bed at night, every night, knowing that their system is foolproof and that it protects victims," she said.
"I did not want to presume that we had any problems in our system ... (but) if I don't have that confidence, changes will be made."
Australian Associated Press
