Media release: 2024 Annual report statistics

Leonie McGregor

Chief Executive Officer

Parliamentary Workplace Support Service

15 November 2024

Following the release of the PWSS Annual Report, it has been widely reported in the media that the PWSS handled 339 cases during the timeframe of 1 October 2023 - 30 June 2024. During this time, there were less than 10 formal complaints lodged.  

Some reporting about these statistics has confused the terms cases and complaints. A complaint is a separate process where a formal Workplace Complaint has been lodged with the PWSS.  Less than 10 of the 339 cases resulted in formal complaints. 

While the PWSS had the power to conduct a review of formal workplace complaints, this power now lies with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC). In accordance with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Amendment (Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission) Act 2024, workplace complaints that were underway with the PWSS on 14 October 2024 must be completed by the PWSS. Where a formal review had not commenced, complaints may be referred to the IPSC and any relevant information regarding the complaint may be provided to the investigating IPSC Commissioner who would determine what additional information they require.

Additionally, some reporting has focussed on the total number of cases, but several important points are being overlooked, including:

• PWSS Counselling and Support staff who record these interactions take a trauma-informed approach and record incidents as described by a client via phone, email, text or in person. This approach is fundamental to how we provide our service.
• It is not uncommon for cases to include multiple incidents. In these circumstances, the category reported against is based on the most significant issue or incident.
• In some cases, people may use the expression ‘sexual assault’ to describe a wide range of conduct including feeling uncomfortable about how a person looked at them to behaviour that could be described as coercive control.

Further explanatory notes are located here on our website. For media inquiries, please contact Media@pwss.gov.au.