01 02 2018 - Media release Code of Conduct to Prevent Sexual Harassment - final draft
Screen Australia has today published its final draft of the proposed Code of Conduct to Assist the Prevention of Sexual Harassment. After considering further industry feedback, the aim is for all Screen Australia productions approved from 2 April 2018 onwards to be required to put the Code into effect.
In practice, this will mean that all people working on a production will need to be made aware of the Code and producers will be required to nominate a trained staff member to be a Sexual Harassment Prevention Contact to address any harassment complaints. Producers will be required to submit a Code Compliance Report at the conclusion of production, in the form of a statutory declaration, confirming all Code obligations were met.
The Sex Discrimination Act was enacted in 1984, but that has not stopped sexual harassment occurring in Australian workplaces, including in the screen industry, said Screen Australia COO Fiona Cameron. The proposed Code gives visibility to the standards and responsibilities that already exist, and makes it clear that on any Screen Australia production there is zero tolerance for harassment.
Because the screen industry depends heavily on freelancers and contractors, the Code also gives producers a method of clearly setting an expectation that the workplace must be safe for all, regardless of how people come to work on a production or for how long. We look forward to receiving feedback on the final draft.
Screen Australia's intention to create the Code was first announced at the Safe Workplace Strategies industry forum on 12 December 2017. The final draft of the Code was presented late yesterday at the Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Safe Workplace Training workshop.
SPA and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) are also currently working on an industry-wide policy in consultation with the industry, including Screen Australia. It is hoped that a standard industry code will be put in place for all entertainment organisations in the future.
Fiona Cameron added, The Australian screen industry has a lot to be proud of our talent, stories and screen businesses are world class. We cannot allow improper, or indeed illegal, workplace behaviour to tarnish our good name. By placing genuine emphasis on protecting our highly valued staff at work, we are also addressing a very real reputational and commercial risk.
Of course the aim of the Code is not to manage harassment, but to eradicate it. Creativity cannot thrive in environments where people don't feel safe.
View the Code
Feedback to the Code must be lodged in writing to code@screenaustralia.gov.au by 1 March 2018.
FAQs THE CODE What motivated the Code's creation? Sexual harassment in the screen industry has been a topic of discussion internationally for some time. The discourse in Australia made it apparent that awareness of what actually constitutes sexual harassment and assault was low. Willingness to report incidents and/or confusion over how to report incidents and to whom, were also topics of discussion.
The Code is designed to set out existing responsibilities in plain language and raise awareness of these responsibilities. The appointment of a Sexual Harassment Prevention Contact for productions makes the path to reporting incidents easier for victims.
A fact sheet on what constitutes sexual harassment and assault is available here.
Does Screen Australia have the authority to require special workplace policies? The Code sets a minimum standard based on existing laws and is modelled on guidelines issued by the Human Rights Commission that all employers should follow. The Code does not introduce new legal requirements above existing statutory requirements but does make the requirement to comply with the Sex Discrimination Act a condition of funding.
The designation of a Sexual Harassment Prevention Contact is a new title, however the function of that role would already exist in many production houses as part of human resources. The creation of the role is in response to reports of misconduct not being properly addressed in the workplace, not just in the screen industry but in the broader entertainment sector. It is critical that a suitably qualified and experienced Contact is available to all participants involved in making a title.
FAQs CODE FUNCTION What contracts will the Code be included in? All Screen Australia production agreements i.e. production grant agreements and production investment agreements. Essentially this means all Screen Australia titles approved from 2 April 2018 will be subject to the final version of the Code.
In practice, what will the implementation of the Code look like? Practically speaking the Code will mean that producers will need to:
Make it clear to every participant in a production that there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Give a copy of the Code to all participants and place abridged versions of the Code in poster form in prominent places in the workplace.
Designate a Sexual Harassment Prevention Contact to deal with sexual harassment complaints - someone who is available to everyone participating in the production and is suitably qualified and experienced.
Deal with any complaints in a way that is fair, timely and confidential.
FAQs THE CONTACT ROLE What training will the Sexual Harassment Prevention Contact be required to have? Is there a qualification? To act as the Contact no specific accreditation is required, however producers should provide training and support as is appropriate for the size of their company and the production.
The Human Rights Commission has published very comprehensive guidance material on dealing with sexual harassment, and most HR practitioners will already be experienced in this area. There are also
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
15/05/2026
Daniel Roher attends the Tuner Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Bar...
01 02 2018 - Media release Code of Conduct to Prevent Sexual Harassment - final draft 
