© Provided by The GuardianPhotograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Scott Morrison has drafted one of his own MPs and a deputy secretary of his department to develop options to improve "the environment" of Parliament House after allegations from former government staffer Brittany Higgins that she was raped by a colleague in 2019.
The prime minister told reporters on Tuesday he had asked Liberal backbencher Celia Hammond, a former university vice-chancellor, to lead a process of internal consultation about how to improve "professional behaviour" in political offices.
Morrison said Hammond had "experience of dealing with these issues in institutional settings".
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The prime minister said he would also ask Stephanie Foster, a deputy secretary in his department, to provide advice on better processes to support complainants, including with an arm's length process for any incidents where assault or sexual assault was flagged.
Morrison said that, without jumping to conclusions, Foster could assess whether incidents that involve alleged assault, "particularly alleged sexual assault", should be referred immediately to the department as a matter of process, "and for the department to step in so there is an arm's length arrangement in terms of how the individual - in this case, Brittany [Higgins] - would be able to fully understand and be supported, completely outside that office, or any other office".
© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPAustralian prime minister Scott Morrison said there was no 'don't ask, don't tell policy' inside the government after Brittany Higgins's allegation she was raped by a colleague.
Higgins has alleged she was raped by a colleague in the office of then defence industry minister Linda Reynolds when the two were employed there in 2019.
Higgins said in a television interview on Monday night the handling of her complaint by Reynolds and senior staff, including some in Morrison's office, made her feel as though she had created a political problem for the government, and she was "not a team player".
Although it is clear some of the prime minister's staff had knowledge of the alleged assault, the prime minister said he had only become aware of the Higgins allegations "24 hours ago".
Asked whether there was a "don't ask, don't tell policy" inside the government, given staff were aware but he was not, Morrison said: "I can assure you that there is no such policy, and I'm not happy about the fact that it was not brought to my attention, and I can assure you people know that."
Morrison said he had spoken to Reynolds and the cabinet about the alleged rape after Higgins told her story on television on Monday night, and he would raise it with colleagues in the regular party room meetings on Tuesday morning.
He said his wife, Jenny, had urged him on Monday night to respond to the issue "as a father first - what would you want to happen if it were our girls?", adding that "Jenny has a way of clarifying things".
Asked whether he could have flagged the initiatives he announced on Tuesday when the allegations were first reported by news.com.au on Monday "as a leader of a country", rather than responding as a "father" after consultation with his wife, Morrison said his family helped inform his judgments.
"That's how we deal with these things."
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Women who have encountered difficulties during their employment in Parliament House say department officials have no power to deal authoritatively with complaints because the power rests with parliamentarians.
Asked how the proposals he was flagging would change that long established dynamic, Morrison said his intention was to seek advice about changing the status quo.
"We all want the same thing here'" the prime minister said. "I want the same thing that you do - I want young women in particular, but women, men, to be able to come and work safely in this place and do the important work we do in this place.
"That's what I want. I know that's what Australians want and I'm committed to achieving it."
While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the government backed Reynolds's handling of the aftermath on Tuesday, apart from the fact Higgins was debriefed in the same office where the assault is alleged to have occurred - which was characterised as regrettable.
Morrison apologised for that misjudgment.
Reynolds declined to answer some questions in the Senate on Monday on the basis there was an "open AFP inquiry".
ACT policing later confirmed the case remained open, but Higgins paused the police complaint she made after the alleged assault because she felt pursuing it would endanger her employment as a government staffer.
Guardian Australia understands Higgins intends to pursue the police investigation and also make a separate complaint to the finance department.