New laws aim to make Australian campuses safer |
Australian universities are being forced to confront and deal with the shocking fact that their campuses are often not the safe and welcoming spaces they present to prospective students in glossy marketing brochures.
New legislation coming into effect on January 1 will compel universities to “prevent and respond to” gender-based violence and enforce compliance with national standards and requirements. The reforms will require all job applicants to disclose whether they had been investigated for any allegations – proven or not – of gender-based violence, and force institutions to consider proven allegations when hiring.
The mandatory National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence will also prohibit NDAs (unless requested by a complainant), require universities to provide both the victim and the accused with support plans, and mandate multiple channels through which to make a complaint.
Australia’s oldest tertiary institution, the University........