'Boys' club': Inquiry finds unacceptable sexual harassment, bullying at Airservices

The workplace culture at Airservices Australia, the federal agency responsible for ensuring safe navigation in the skies, had unacceptable levels of bullying and sexual harassment, an inquiry has found.

Airservices Australia, which operates air traffic control across the nation and beyond, promised a string of changes after publishing a 72-page report from former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick on Friday.

Ms Broderick's report found half of the Airservices staff that cooperated with her inquiry reported bullying in the past five years. Women also reported a "boys' club" culture that affected everyday work and promotion prospects.

"The levels of bullying in particular, as well as sexual harassment, are unacceptable. They need to be addressed as a matter of urgency," Ms Broderick concluded.

She also highlighted a spectacularly low rate of reporting incidents of sexual harassment to management and attributed this to "a culture that is not psychologically safe".

Almost 200 Airservices staff conducted face-to-face or telephone interviews with Ms Broderick's team. More than 80 written submissions were also made and 2171 staff responded to an online survey.

'Hostility to women is ingrained in Airservices.'Respondent to survey

Female respondents quoted in Ms Broderick's report referred to a "boys' club" were some women felt they had to join in just "to get ahead and survive".

"Hostility to women is ingrained in Airservices," one respondent was quoted as saying.

Ms Broderick said that although some of the feedback and data was "deeply concerning", Airservices' leadership had already moved to implement new bullying and sexual harassment policies.

She also noted that some Airservices staff who had returned to the organisation recently after spending time away believed there had been improvements in workplace culture.

Airservices chief executive Jason Harfield promised staff this morning that he and his team were committed to reforming the workplace and more changes would be coming.

The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald last year revealed a report by former Federal Court judge Tony North, QC, which slammed the workplace culture within Airservices. That report raised the possibility that the situation risked public safety.

Airservices at the time rejected the contention about public safety but accepted other elements of Mr North's report, which was part of the catalyst for the engagement of Ms Broderick.

Mr North was hired by the air traffic controllers union, Civil Air.