A culture review has found the Productivity Commission's Canberra is best with a ‘blokey’ culture. 

The review conducted by Intersection on behalf of Treasury sheds light on concerning issues within the Productivity Commission's Canberra office, exposing a small group of male employees who have fostered a culture marked by sexism, sexual harassment, and bullying.

Notably, a clear distinction emerged between the Canberra and Melbourne offices, with the ACT office being characterised as having a “blokey, hyper-masculine culture” by an anonymous participant in the review. 

Women travelling from Melbourne to Canberra were cautioned about potential “predatory behaviour” by specific individuals.

Some women said they had to leave the commission due to persistent undermining of their intelligence. 

Additionally, women from diverse cultural backgrounds reported feeling invisible and unheard within the workplace. 

Furthermore, the review identified a lack of adequate accommodations for employees with disabilities in both offices.

In response to the review's findings, 23 recommendations were put forward for the commission. 

These recommendations included providing training for leaders on trauma-informed and victim-centered approaches to addressing inappropriate behavior, prioritising the recruitment of leaders with strong people and leadership management skills, and updating the workplace behavior policy with a dedicated section on sexual harassment.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says that incoming chair Danielle Wood has accepted all of these recommendations. 

An abridged version of the review, conducted by Intersection on behalf of Treasury, has been published for public release.