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A staff member in Parliament House has had a seizure after the Department of Parliamentary Services denied requests to adjust lighting in their office.
The identity of the staff member is not known. However, the incident was detailed in a report looking into disability access in Parliament House.
“We heard from one building occupant who requested an adjustment around lighting, however this was not supported and subsequently they experienced a seizure in their first week of working at Australian Parliament House,” the report said.
The department has come under scrutiny in recent days, with staff alleging cover-ups and a toxic culture.
Heated Senate estimates session
During questioning of the department during Senate estimates, Greens senator for WA Jordon Steele-John said the department was not acting fast enough to improve disability access and accommodations in Parliament House.
“They asked for the lights to be changed. That was not acted on and they experienced seizures,” he said of the incident.
“The dangers identified in this report are of the most basic nature in terms of occupational health and safety.”
The report makes 324 recommendations for changes in Parliament House.
Asked when the recommendations of the review would be implemented, representatives of DPS could not say.
“The time line for implementation will vary depending on the various recommendations and the stakeholders involved,” department representative Jaala Hinchcliffe said.
There will be a further consultation process, which is expected to open up in the next month or so, but will need a number of prior approvals.
The ABC has approached the department for comment.
Staff say building design prioritised over safety
The review found staff in Parliament House had been injured by heavy doors, and further risks were posed by the difficulty of access during a fire emergency.
Inside parliament’s opaque department
The report also noted thick carpet made navigating the building difficult for those in wheelchairs, slippery pathways could cause falls, and there were a number of trip and fall hazards for those who were blind or had low vision.
But reviewers said maintaining the original design of the building appeared to take precedence over fixing such issues.
One participant in the review said: “The general feeling is that you need to fit into Parliament House and its conventions, rather than having adaptations to ensure it fits you, hence, and so it is not welcoming and you are not included.”
Another said: “I had raised a concern, but Design Integrity stopped the changes.”
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