Victorian MP Georgie Purcell Alleges Sexual Harassment in Parliament, Highlights Need for NDA Reform
A Victorian parliamentarian has publicly alleged experiencing sexual harassment while working as both a political staffer and an elected official, bringing renewed focus to the issue of workplace harassment and the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). The allegations emerged during a debate on legislation aimed at curbing the use of NDAs in sexual harassment cases, a bill that ultimately passed on Thursday.
Allegations Detail Pattern of Harassment
Victorian Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell detailed instances of alleged harassment that began early in her career. Speaking in the upper house on Thursday afternoon, Purcell stated she had been subjected to harassment “on multiple occasions… [since] my very first year as a staffer, when I was just 26 years old.” She did not identify the alleged perpetrators.
Purcell recounted a specific incident where a colleague, while in her member of parliament’s office, made a disturbing remark after she bent over. “I will never forget in those early months when someone came into my office for a discussion and I bent over to get something from the fridge and he remarked to me, in my member of parliament’s office, ‘If you do that again, I won’t be responsible for what happens next’,” she shared.
Beyond this specific instance, Purcell described a pattern of unwanted contact. “For me, in my experience with someone else in this place, it was the late-night messages, the harassing phone calls, the harassing texts, the bombardment of digital contact, the knocks on our doors when we cannot see who is on the other side,” she alleged. Purcell reported the harassment while serving as an MP, but she said the information quickly spread throughout parliament.
Victim-Blaming and Slut-Shaming Allegations
Purcell further alleged that, following her report, she was subjected to victim-blaming and slut-shaming by colleagues. “The immediate questions were: ‘What did she expect? Look how she dresses. Look at the tattoos. Look at her past. You can’t sexually harass the stripper’,” she recounted, adding that she overheard whispers and rumors in the hallways of parliament. “I have heard all of the rumours. I know the slut shaming far too well. Members of this place are not beyond it, and we need to reflect on that today as well as we move forward and do this important piece of legislation.”
New Legislation Aims to Empower Survivors
The allegations were raised during debate on a bill designed to restrict the use of NDAs in workplace sexual harassment cases. The Victorian government has stated the legislation aims to prevent victim-survivors from being silenced. The bill, which passed on Thursday, will prohibit NDAs in workplace sexual harassment cases unless specifically requested by the employee.
This legislation marks an Australian first, though similar changes have been implemented in Ireland, Canada, and several US states, with the UK currently considering similar measures. The Victorian government’s commitment to restricting NDAs dates back to 2022, following recommendations from a ministerial taskforce that investigated workplace sexual harassment and proposed 26 recommendations for reform.
Purcell expressed hope that the new law would encourage more survivors to come forward. “I hope that this piece of legislation is only just the beginning to making Australian workplaces better for young women and girls as they grow up and start their professional careers,” she said. The passage of this bill represents a significant step toward creating safer and more accountable workplaces, but Purcell’s allegations underscore the ongoing need for cultural change within institutions like the Victorian parliament.
