Greens leader Adam Bandt says he is satisfied with his party's updated complaints processes, despite mounting pressure on it about its workplace culture.
In a formal complaint to Mr Bandt, Indigenous elder Geraldine Atkinson — who co-chairs the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria — accused Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe of verbally abusing her during a 2021 meeting in Parliament House.
She said Senator Thorpe's alleged conduct had left her feeling extremely shaken, so much so that she sought treatment from a parliamentary nurse.
In September, Nine's newspapers revealed Senator Thorpe's former chief of staff — who was also in the meeting — had emailed Ms Atkinson, describing Senator Thorpe's behaviour as "appalling conduct" and saying it had left him "scared and in shock".
On Thursday, Mr Bandt would not be drawn on whether he apologised to Ms Atkinson, instead responding to questions on the matter by saying he had done what she had asked of him in her letter.
"When I received that complaint, I was asked to take a number of steps. I did those steps," he said.
"I didn't get back to confirm with the person who raised those with me that, in fact, I'd acted on [them] and that was a mistake and I should have and I've acknowledged that and since acknowledged that, with her, in writing."
Senator Thorpe has reportedly described the meeting as a "robust discussion", and Mr Bandt has said she takes a different view of the meeting.
In June, Senator Thorpe requested a general culture review for her office, facilitated by the Department of Finance.
"I've asked — and Lidia Thorpe has also asked — for that issue to be independently looked at by the department and, of course, await the outcome of that," Mr Bandt told the ABC on Wednesday.
"But look, there's obviously different views about what happened in that meeting, but I think we are all agreed that, in Parliament, people are entitled to have respectful and safe meetings.
"Senator Thorpe is a a good senator who is working hard, fighting for a treaty and fighting to ensure that we have First Nations justice during the course of this parliament and she's got my support."
Mr Bandt maintained the party's complaints processes were fit for purpose.
"I don't accept that we've got deficiencies," he said on Wednesday.
"We undertook a review to strengthen our procedures, independent of any particular complaints being brought to us. That was something that was important to me.
"There's now a very important process that is underway across the whole of parliament to ensure that all of the Jenkins reviews' recommendations are implemented.
"Our processes are now much more robust than they were, and we encourage people, and we support people, to take [any complaints] to these new, independent agencies, including within parliament, that we were strong supporters of creating.
"And, if that means that — from time to time — there will be more people [who] come forward, and that there will be more potential stories about that, then I don't think that's a problem.
"I don't think that's a problem because I think people should feel comfortable and confident about coming forward."
