The"best practice"guidelines would see Liberal Party members face being hauled before third-party investigators and committees,and expelled for breaches such as posting explicit posts on social media or sexual harassment – but three women say they have little chance of being enforced.
The code states it does not operate as a term of any contract of employment or service unless agreed by the employer and the employee,and that it should only be applied"wherever possible". It also urges any assault allegations to be made directly to police.
Chelsey Potter,who had her underpants ripped off her during a sitting week in Canberra by a fellow member,said the code was better than not having a policy but it starts from a"very,very low base".
"From my experience in politics there are some people who will just do what they want and this is who this should be targeted at,"she said."If you are going to take a zero-tolerance approach it needs to be enforced,not just encouraged."
Ms Potter,a former minster's staffer who joined the Liberal Party at 16,said the dispute resolution policy's language on unfounded claims and defamation threats over"spreading rumours and gossip"was"very concerning".
"It feels very geared towards protecting alleged perpetrators rather than empowering women in the party to speak up,"she said."If I was in the position I was in three or four years ago,it would have felt threatening – you are exposing yourself if you speak up."