Infrastructure Department 'hotties list' claims are a red flag for APS culture

What makes this latest case of the objectification of female workers even harder to countenance is the list was apparently compiled by male members of the Infrastructure Department's graduate program.

While department secretary Jim Betts has told Senate estimates it has not been possible to verify the existence of the list - despite calling in an independent investigator - that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

As soon as those involved became aware complaints had been lodged and the matter was being looked into all evidence of such a list would have disappeared.

While some may argue this latest example of workplace misogyny does not reflect on the APS given it involved recent recruits, that is not so.

This goes straight to the heart of how the APS, in this case the Department of Infrastructure, recruits and "on-boards" new staff.

The fact two thirds of the 35 strong graduate cohort were male is highly pertinent. This is a significant gender imbalance which demands further explanation on its own.

And, while there are also some who might argue the offence seems trivial to them and no physical harm was done, that is also far from the case.

Sensitivity to workplace culture should be front of mind at all levels of the APS given the recent focus on sexual intimidation and harassment in Parliament House and the steps that have been taken to address that issue.

It is just under two years since Kate Jenkins, the former sex discrimination commissioner, handed down her report on the prevention of bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in parliamentary workplaces.

One would have thought this report, and the recommendations it contained, would have formed the basis for a new gold standard for conduct that would apply right across the APS. But, sadly, it has not.

While members of the Department of Infrastructure's graduate intake receive "APS values training" at the beginning of the program mandatory "respect at work training" was not rolled out until April.

That would have been shortly after the department was verbally notified of rumours about a "hotties list" on March 30.

While some within the department may have felt this was an adequate response at least one female member of the graduate cohort did not agree.

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A written complaint was lodged on May 19.

This apparently resulted in the department reaching out to a former sex discrimination commissioner for advice and conversations with female graduates to ensure they were "supported".

One of the most unfortunate aspects of this matter is the way in which it was kept largely inhouse by departmental officials, even if they did initiate an investigation.

By his own admission departmental secretary Jim Betts did not brief the Infrastructure Minister Catherine King on what had reportedly occurred or on the steps that had been taken: "It's my accountability to fix it ... I'm not sure involving politicians was helpful [sic]," he said.

Ms King may not see it that way.

Mr Betts's failure to alert his minister does not sit well with his claim the department takes "any allegations of that kind extremely seriously".

The only reason this has seen the light of day is that a courageous individual, presumably within the department, passed on information to Senator Bridget McKenzie who then raised it in Senate estimates.

That's hardly transparency.