Federal MPs or senators could be suspended, be dismissed from a select committee or have salary or allowances withheld under proposed behavioural codes of conduct designed to make Commonwealth workplaces safer and improve standards.
The codes of conduct developed and released on Tuesday by the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards states that bullying and harassment, sexual harassment and assault, discrimination in all its forms will not be tolerated, condoned or ignored.
Codes of conduct for parliamentarians, staff and precincts - delivered within 12 months - were a key recommendation of the landmark Set the Standard report by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins which was released a year ago on Wednesday. Set the Standard found appalling, disturbing and humiliating accounts of widespread bullying and harassment, as well as allegations of assault.
Committee chair Sharon Claydon said the Parliament had been considering a code of conduct for almost half a century.
"Now the 47th Parliament has a unique opportunity to make good on past mistakes and leave a legacy for future generations of people who work in commonwealth parliamentary workplaces," she told Parliament.
"We owe it to the Australian people, and importantly, we owe it to everyone who shared their story of not feeling safe in Parliamentary workplaces to get this done, we cannot waste this opportunity.
The draft codes cover federal parliamentarians and, separately, the thousands of people who work in Parliament House and electorate offices, including political staff, departmental staff and press gallery media.
They tell parliamentarians and staff that they must "recognise your power, influence or authority and not abuse them".
Both codes do not accept alcohol use as an excuse for bad behaviour, and notes there could be sanctions for vexatious complaints.
Greens Deputy Leader Senator Mehreen Faruqi, a member of the joint select committee, said the codes and standards will make parliament a safer place.
"I have first hand experience of the damage that racism and sexism does to a person who doesn't belong to the 'dominant norm' of white men in suits," she said in a statement. "There will now be a clear and unambiguous recognition that this is unacceptable - and that perpetrators will face consequences for their actions."
"The codes were agreed to by consensus. They are a strong expression of this parliament's desire to do better. I look forward to their implementation."
The committee backs the establishment of an independent parliamentary standards commission to investigate complaints and enforce the codes of conduct, a recommendation of the Set the Standard report.
The Australian parliament would have to agree to the codes of conduct to be implemented while Parliament would have to legislate the sanctions, including the Set the Standard recommendations for serious cases of misconduct.
The joint select committee also recommends the formation of a staff and staff representative consultation group.
Possible sanctions for serious misconduct may include suspension, withdrawal of services or facilities, dismissal from a select committee, withholding salary or allowances, withholding budget for staff positions or withholding of 'communication budget to the same value as any grievance payment made to a complainant.
