Skip to main content

Sex Discrimination Commissioner launches series of Respect@Work Webinars

Sex Discrimination
A young woman dressed casually sits at a desk in a home office, looking at a laptop computer.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins is leading a series of virtual webinars to explain the key findings and recommendations of Respect@Work, the Australian Human Rights Commission's landmark 18-month national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces.

The webinars will also be an opportunity to discuss ways to manage the risk of sexual harassment in the online workplace in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Respect@Work, the final report from the National Inquiry, was jointly launched by Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Women, and Kate Jenkins, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, on Friday 6 March 2020. 

Almost two in five women, and just over one in four men, have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the last five years. Through 55 recommendations, Respect@Work proposes a new approach for government, employers and the community to better prevent and respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.

Each webinar will focus on the findings and recommendations which are most relevant to particular stakeholders. Webinars will be organised with the following groups of stakeholders:

  • For legal practitioners, with a focus on the legal and regulatory framework recommendations, with barrister Kate Eastman SC, on May 4, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

  • For employment, legal and regulatory practitioners, with Fair Work Australia CEO Bernadette O’Neill, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

  • For workers and unions, with Australia Council of Trade Unions President Michele O’Neil, on Friday, June 5, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

  • For government and non-government policy practitioners, on Thursday August 6, 2020, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

  • For international partners, with UN Women's Dr Purna Sen and the Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality Julie-Ann Guivarra, on July 29, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

  • For academics, with the University of Sydney's Professor Marian Baird AO and the Australian National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC, on September 16, 2020 - watch the recording on YouTube.

Additionally, Commissioner Jenkins has spoken at the following external webinars to discuss Respect@Work:

  • Tuesday, April 28, 2020: For members of the Diversity Council Australia, on the findings and recommendations of Respect@Work.

  • Tuesday May 26, 2020: Hosted by ANROWS, on the gendered and intersectional nature of workplace sexual harassment, and prevention strategies to reduce it. Speakers included ANROWS CEO Dr Heather Nancarrow, Patty Kinnersly from Our Watch and Claire Pirrett of the Northern Territory Working Women's Centre. Watch the recoding on YouTube.

  • Tuesday, June 2, 2020: Hosted by ACON for Pride in Diversity members. With Mark Latchford, ACON Pride in Diversity Associate Director. Watch the recording here.

  • Thursday, June 25, 2020: Hosted by Australian Industry (AI) Group, with AI Group's CEO Innes Willox, National Manager Workplace Relations Policy Nicola Street, and Head of Communications and Government Affairs Tony Melville. Watch the recording here.

  • Friday, June 26, 2020: Hosted by Science in Australia Gender Equality (SAGE) facilitated by Professor Kay Latham, RMIT University's Dean of STEMM Diversity and Inclusion. Watch the recording here.

  • Tuesday, June 30, 2020: Hosted by Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with ACCI Western Australia President Nicolle Jenkins, ACCI Director Paul Nicolaou, and Theresa Moltoni OAM, Managing Legal Practitioner Director at IRIQ Law and Former Chair of ACCI's Workplace Relations Committee. Access the recording here. 

  • Wednesday, October 7, 2020: Hosted by Australian National University, in conversation with Kieran Pender, Visiting Fellow, ANU College of Law, with opening remarks by Emerita Professor Margaret Thornton. Watch the recording here.   

Invitations to the webinars will be distributed through Commission networks. We will update this website as dates are confirmed. 

For further details or to register your interest in a webinar, please contact SH.Inquiry@humanrights.gov.au