Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Bill 2024

The Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Bill 2024 was introduced into the Victorian Parliament in May 2024. Arriving after extensive consultation, the Bill aims to reform the way allegations of bullying and harassment against Members of the Victorian Parliament are handled.

Increased attention is being paid to the physical and psychological safety of Australian workplaces, particularly the experiences of women and particularly in Australian parliaments and government workplaces. By legislating the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission, a Parliamentary Integrity Adviser and a Parliamentary Ethics Committee, this Bill aims to respond to some of the major recommendations from Operation Watts by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman.

This Bill Brief outlines the context that led to the changes proposed by the Bill and provides an overview of key sections of the Bill. It also outlines some key stakeholder responses, and provides a jurisdictional comparison of other states’, territories’ and the federal government’s progress in this area.