A Victorian Supreme Court judge who sexually harassed two female staff members wrote a paper on workplace harassment just weeks ago.
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Peter Vickery served as a judge for a decade between 2008 and his retirement in 2018, and now works as a mediator.
He was investigated last year over allegations made by two former court associates who said they were sexually harassed by the judge.
Maintaining his innocence, he released a statement on Thursday "with a heavy heart" after the court allowed his name to become public.
Mr Vickery QC said had he possessed sufficient awareness about his behaviour he would have, without hesitation, altered it.
"I extend my sincere apologies to both (women) for any distress unknowingly caused," he said, adding that they deserved respect for their courage in coming forward.
"However, the investigation and the two reports, are preliminary only, and conducted within the limits set for it, have serious shortcomings."
Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Ferguson apologised to the women on Thursday, saying she was "profoundly sorry" for what they had experienced.
In a paper published online in December last year and updated on Wednesday, Mr Vickery wrote of the importance of strong workplace policies to encourage reporting of harassment and change workplace cultures.
"Victims of sexual harassment need to be provided with a safe, secure, confidential and accessible facility to make legitimate complaints, which they can make without fear of reprisal or recrimination, career damage or any other form of detriment," he wrote.
"Unless this is provided, they will continue to be inhibited in coming forward, and the health of workplaces will suffer."
He praised the "electrifying" speeches given by Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins at the National Press Club.
"I join these voices," he wrote.
He also developed a draft plan for managing an dealing with harassment and "initiating cultural change in the workplace", which he said had been adopted in substance by a large Australian healthcare provider.
Chief Justice Ferguson thanked the two women for coming forward with sexual harassment allegations against Mr Vickery, but did not name him.
Their lawyer, Josh Bornstein, said they had requested the court publicly name the judge "in the interests of transparency" and fairness to other judges.
Chief Justice Ferguson said the women experienced panic and feelings of powerlessness, and had fears for their employment and future careers.
She described the judge's conduct as "wrong and reprehensible".
"I am profoundly sorry that the behaviour the women endured occurred," she said.
"As I read the reports I was struck by the horrible impact of these actions."
Sydney barrister Kate Eastman SCÂ interviewed both women and the judge.
The reports found the judge kissed the women and put his hands between one woman's thighs after a dinner, The Age newspaper reported.
The judge reportedly claimed he fell in love with one of the women, writing to her in an email at her new workplace that "if falling in love with you was and remains a crime, I am guilty".
Ms Eastman found the women had experienced unwanted sexual advances, unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and had received unfavourable treatment on the basis of their sex.
"The reports found the actions of the judge were a serious transgression of appropriate professional boundaries," Chief Justice Ferguson said.
"The reports noted the significant power imbalance between the employees and the judge."
Chief Justice Ferguson said apologies were not enough and unacceptable behaviour must stop.
"The responsibility to change culture and put measures in place to stop it happening lies with us," she acknowledged.
It's not the first time the conduct of a judge has been raised in a sexual harassment inquiry.
A report by former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Helen Szoke into sexual harassment in Victoria's courts reported inappropriate conduct by "a particular QC - who is now a judge".
Dr Szoke hopes her report or the bravery of other survivors prompted the women to come forward.
"I think that's what we've seen - women have come forward and they've been encouraged and supported by other women to come forward, or they've felt more confident that the system is ready to believe them," she told AAP.
"I think this is one of the things that we hope comes out of these reviews and these very public stands against sexual harassment."
Australian Associated Press