Sex discrimination in Tasmania
The success of a case brought earlier this year against the Hobart City Council by a 21-year-old woman who suffered sexual harassment and rape by her co-workers stirred up a storm over the lack of sexual harassment legislation in Tasmania.
The woman won her case and was awarded $126,000 compensation despite the absence of protection for Tasmania's local and state employees under the federal Sex Discrimination Act and the lack of any parallel state legislation.
While the case gave the local media endless opportunities to laugh and leer at a woman they reported as "prone to being sexually harassed", having a "reputation" and wearing "see-through shorts", the result has wiped the smirk from many a face.
More than this, the result has state employers running scared. Earlier this month, a man was sacked from the Clarence City Council almost immediately following a female co-worker's allegation that he sexually harassed her at work.
The minister for the status of women, Peter Hodgman, has come under fire for failing to introduce state anti-discrimination legislation. He has arrogantly dismissed his critics, stating, "I don't believe that legislation would totally resolve the problem. In other states legislation has been tried and failed in some ways. In NSW there are a fistful of amendments being made to overcome problems and inadequacies in the legislation. The fact that Tasmania will be the last state to introduce legislation will make it the best and most appropriate."
A statewide "women and sex discrimination" phone-in conducted by the Women's Consultative Council has revealed the extent of sexual harassment and discrimination in Tasmanian workplaces.
The phone-in received a response from 111 callers reporting incidents ranging from verbal abuse to rape. Of the 68 callers who had reported cases to someone in an official capacity, only seven were satisfied with the outcome of their complaint. A massive 73.5%, or 50 out of 68, were dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint.
Many of those who made complaints to their employers were ignored or laughed off, and, as a result, some resigned. Continuing the dishonourable tradition of making the victim into the criminal, some were also given the sack after registering a complaint with their employer.
The controversy that has erupted over the court case and the phone-in has forced the issue of state anti-discrimination legislation onto the parliamentary agenda. Hodgman now expects draft legislation to be tabled during the current parliamentary session.
While this is a landmark for women's rights in Tasmania, legislation is just the first step. It will require a strong and effective women's movement to give such legislation any effect.
By Natasha Simons