Australian women harassed by former High Court judge receive settlement
Categories: FOREIGN COUNTRIES
The women worked as judges associates at the High Court, and first complained about their treatment in 2019. This is what led to an investigation.The women have been awarded an undisclosed settlement. Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, in a statement, said that the government recognised the bravery of the three women."We have listened to them and we apologise. The Australian government takes sexual harassment seriously – harassment is unacceptable in any context," she said. Heydon served on the High Court of Australia for a decade until 2013. His lawyers, while speaking to local media said that he denied any allegations of predatory behaviour or unlawful acts and "if any conduct of his has caused offence, that result was inadvertent and unintended, and he apologises for any offence caused". The women's lawyer, Josh Bornstein, said that a non-disclosure agreement prevented discussion of the compensation amount paid by the government."They have asked me to convey their strong conviction that women should not feel ashamed to pursue financial settlements in sexual harassment cases because sexual harassment will only start to recede when there is a clear recognition that it has a substantial cost to organisations and individuals who are implicated," he said in a statement.