A review of the improvements to the parliamentary workplace culture over the past three years has been announced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In 2019, Parliament commissioned the Independent External Review into Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace.

This review, undertaken by independent consultant Debbie Francis, made over 80 recommendations to improve the culture of the parliamentary workplace, including that “the Speaker, with the PSC Advisory Board, request, in three years’ time, that an external expert review progress against these recommendations and the agency and Party responses appended here”.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe said the parliamentary workplace had improved over the past three years through the collaborative work of all staff, agencies, and parties at Parliament.

“We have made significant progress as a workplace in improving our culture, and it is important that we take stock, as an institution, of the effectiveness of that work,” the Speaker said.

“For this reason, I have commissioned Debbie Francis to carry out a review of progress. I am committed to having Debbie catalogue the story of the gains we’ve all made to date, as well as identifying possible opportunities going forward. I am particularly interested in her developing a “Parliamentary Culture Excellence Horizon” for us, rather than a new set of recommendations.

“The review will not be at the same scale as the review she conducted in 2019. Instead, I have asked her to do a snapshot of where we are culturally. This will involve interviews with some members of Parliament, as well as parliamentary and ministerial staff, the press gallery and unions. It will be done in a much shorter time, and I expect a report to be delivered by the end of the year.”

Most recommendations made in the 2019 report have been completed, including appointing an Independent Commissioner, establishing new confidential channels to report, and progressing a safer work programme.

More information on this work can be found on Parliament's website.

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