Thread by @KZiwica

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper Watching that press conference again the spin is noticeable. The attempt to claim the (limited) response in last year’s budget supported the inquiry’s “key recommendations”. Just not true. The positive duty is THE key recommendation. They funded some training and a website. 🤦🏻‍♀️

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash was also disingenuous about the positive duty at the press conference. It was the first question she and the PM were asked by a journalist, indicative of the extent to which the media understand it is the central principle of the inquiry. (1)

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash She said “we do accept the principle of that. And as we have noted, a positive duty already exists ... under the WHS act. So that positive duty does exist. We want consistency and we want to reduce complexity, so we’re now going to look at how you could implement that...(2)

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash “in the SDA but not make the system more complex. And not confuse people where to go. So certainly we’re now exploring that.” (3)

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash @SenatorCash will I hope make good on promise to “explore” putting the positive duty in the SDA and I hope the media will continue to ask about that specifically. It is not academic, but fundamental to the reform we need. @Kate_Jenkins_ isn’t giving up on it, nor should we. (4)

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash @Kate_Jenkins_ I remember that debate at the time of the inquiry: if this should sit within WHS of or the SDA. WHS leg doesn’t take into account gendered nature of sexual harassment and the regulator is not expert in its prevention. It needs to be in the SDA and sit with the AHRC. (5)

@Raecooper1 @FayCalderone @UnrollHelper @SenatorCash @Kate_Jenkins_ And question maybe @samanthamaiden or @murpharoo can answer. When was the media at the presser provided with the response? Was it, as with aged care, just before? The alert I have is timed 11:27. Not a lot of time to get across and challenge that waffle response to positive duty.