TW: Discusses rape
Australian Chief Law Officer Christian Porter has been removed from office after rape allegations have left Australia’s society divided. Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has also been removed after mishandling a rape allegation from a young female staff member.
Mr. Porter was accused of raping a girl in 1988 at the age of seventeen and has since been removed from his position as Chief Law Officer and is to be replaced by Michaelia Cash.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced increase pressure over the past few weeks to respond to such allegations and take appropriate action to provide a safe working environment for all – especially the government’s female staff.
But Mr. Morrison continues to ignore calls to hold an investigation against the minister, instead calling Mr. Porter “an innocent man under our law.”
After continued pressures by public and political figures alike, Mr. Porter was given a new role in cabinet as Science and Technology Officer after a reshuffle that gave several female lawmakers promotions.
Are women finally being given a voice in government?
Australia’s Prime Minister claims such a cabinet reshuffle will encourage greater female initiatives into national policy and female representation, something Australia appears to have been lacking in recent years.
Amongst such changes, Karen Andrews will become Home Affairs Minister and Melissa Price has returned to the senior ministry.
“I have very capable women operating in very important portfolios,” said Mr. Morrison who aims to provide a more inclusive environment for those in Parliament.
Whilst efforts are certainly being made to tighten employee conduct, Linda Reynold’s removal as Defence Minister has effectively caused another ripple within the party, this time from her female comrades.
Ms. Reynolds was accused of mishandling the alleged rape of a young female staff member in her office, calling her a “lying cow.”
Why has Australia seen a shift in sexual violence policy?
In February 2021, former aide Brittany Higgins made a rape accusation against a fellow male minister, igniting a shift in sexual violence policy.
Then, two weeks ago, tens of thousands of Australians protested against the mistreatment of women, mirroring similar protests that took place across the UK in the wake of the Sarah Everard case.
Particular scrutiny has befallen male MPs and cabinet members in the Liberal Party whose hidden scandals are beginning to take centre stage.
“It is very dangerous for a Prime Minister to cast himself as a sort of passive onlooker in very serious instances like this, because the message that sends to the women of Australia is: ‘I’m not listening – I’m not taking this seriously,” said Katharine Murphy, Political Editor of Guardian Australia.
Has the recent cabinet reshuffle brought about real change in government?
“In my time working in this area and particularly looking in workplaces over the [past] 30 years, I’ve never seen any moment like this,” said Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.
Ms. Jenkins has been appointed to oversee a review into Parliament’s workplace culture and employee relationships to prevent another scandal like this from uprooting the party’s reputation again.
Whilst attempts by Prime Minister Scott Morrison are one step in the right direction, scandals are not yet off the cards for male ministers. Just last week, MP Andrew Laming stepped down after publicly apologising for bullying and harassing two women online.
“I think our community is changing…we’re at a turning point.”
Whilst things are certainly changing in Australian politics, there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in the workplace and a safe space for all women to work.
Madeleine Raine
Featured image courtesy of Social Estate via Unsplash.. Image license is available here. No changes have been made to this image.