I move: That this House:
(1) notes with concern the findings of the Raising Their Voices report of the independent review into sexual harm, sexual harassment and systemic discrimination in the Australian contemporary music industry;
(2) commends the Music Industry Joint Statement of Acknowledgement recognising the harm documented by the review and their commitment to implement 'long-term, sustainable change';
(3) further notes that a pillar of the Government's national cultural policy under development is the centrality of the artist, which includes supporting the artist as a worker;
(4) welcomes the Government's position that artists have the right to work in an environment free from bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination; and
(5) supports the objective to prioritise a safe working environment for artists and everyone working in the industry.
It is very timely that we're debating this motion while ARIA-recognised Thelma Plum is playing downstairs for all to hear and enjoy. When the findings of the national music industry review on sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination and other forms of harm within the music industry were released in September, it was telling that no-one in the industry was very surprised. But to say they were not surprised didn't mean these were not harrowing revelations that were shocking to read.
Around 1,300 musicians and music workers shared their experiences, and the problems the report spoke of had been an open secret for a long time—far too long. Of the women surveyed, 72 per cent had experienced workplace sexual harassment or sexual harm during their careers. There were 74 per cent of respondents who had experienced bullying, and 55 per cent had suffered workplace harassment. Some 82 per cent said they did not report incidents of sexual harm or harassment. Only three per cent had made a formal complaint, and half of them were dissatisfied with the outcome.
One respondent reported:
I can't tell you how many times I have been hit on, groped, grabbed, squeezed and rubbed up against in a sexual way.
Another stated that one manager was:
... notorious for hiring young women ... You're made to feel you were so lucky to be working there. He had grossly sexual behaviour. If you resisted or said something about it, there would be retribution.
These are quotes in the report. For some, the behaviour they were subjected to had far-reaching consequences. One described a mental health breakdown. Some lived in constant fear. Others left the music industry. It has got to stop—no more open secrets, no more excuses, no more turning a blind eye, no more coercion, no more prejudice, no more protection of perpetrators.
If we want to feel proud of our Australian music, we need a workplace culture in which every musician and music worker can feel safe. We need perpetrators to be held to account for their conduct. We need victims to be heard, believed and supported. Above all, we need a fundamental shift in the way the music industry thinks about workplace safety, sexism and diversity. We recognise the contribution that Australian women, people who identify as LGBTQI+ and many diverse groups make to the music industry, and I'm committed to working with the industry to support the changes needed to create safe and respectful workplaces.
In the wake of the findings, the music industry has promised to act. The Music Industry Joint Statement of Acknowledgement, issued by leaders in the industry, is welcome, but it's an understatement to say that there’s a great deal more that needs to be done. There are 17 recommendations in the report, calling for an industry-wide approach and support from government to prevent sexual harm, sexual harassment, bullying and systemic discrimination, and for cultural reform to develop a code of conduct and reporting and compliance regimes, with industry leaders, artists, music organisations, industry bodies and employers all needing to take practical steps to reform.
What role does government have in this? There are already rules and responsibilities that employers have to maintain a safe and respectful workplace. They're in antidiscrimination law, employment law, and work health and safety law. We’re strengthening them in our respect at work law. Our secure jobs, better pay legislation changes things so that people can ask the Fair Work Commission to deal quickly and effectively with a complaint of sexual harassment, whether the harassment occurred in the past, is ongoing or both. It also empowers the Fair Work Ombudsman to investigate and assist with compliance. This amplifies the message that workplace sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
I hear the industry's call for assistance in creating a mechanism or a body to unite the disparate parts of the music industry to be able to better tackle these workplace issues. It recognises that despite existing protections there are potential gaps in support, particularly in this gig economy. As Special Envoy for the Arts, I've been involved in the consultation as we prepare for a new national cultural policy in which the centrality of the artist will be a central theme. We'll support the music industry as it addresses the important issues identified in the report. We need the Australian music industry to tell our stories in a way that we can be proud of, and we'll be looking to support them any way that we can.
