Sexual assaults in ACT workplaces will soon need to be reported to the government's safety watchdog, which said the information would help target compliance checks.
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The new mandatory reporting requirement - which also covers suspected incidents - comes into effect on Friday, with fines up to $50,000 for organisations which fail to comply.
Work Health and Safety Commissioner Jacqueline Agius said: "Reporting these serious incidents to WorkSafe ACT provides us with a clear understanding of the priority industries that we need to target with compliance activities. I won't accept that workplace sexual assault cannot be prevented."
The updated workplace safety laws, passed by the Legislative Assembly in November, make it clear that workplaces must not disclose the identity of any person involved in a reportable sexual assault incident.
"The regulator's role will be to monitor and analyse emerging trends in sexual assault incidents and to target [businesses and workplaces] with education and compliance activities," the government said in a document tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
"This provides an appropriate level of oversight of [business operators] and ACT workplaces in an effort to prevent or reduce the incidents of sexual assault across workplaces and contribute to more effective work health and safety outcomes."
A person operating a business or undertaking must report a sexual assault incident when they become aware of the incident or suspected incident.
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The person must make the report to WorkSafe ACT whether they were informed of the incident directly or indirectly. The reports are separate to any complaints made to the police or police investigations.
"It would not be necessary that there has been a conviction or court finding has been recorded, or that court proceedings are underway," the government has said previously.
Workplace Safety Minister Mick Gentleman said the change strengthened the government's commitment to eliminating sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
"Commencement of the mandatory reporting requirement is another step forward in ensuring our city is one where everyone can feel safe in their workplaces," Mr Gentleman said.
WorkSafe ACT said it would report the sexual assault reporting data quarterly to the territory's work health and safety council and publicly each year in its annual report.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
