Parliamentary inquiry into bullying looks set to be damning

The parliamentary inquiry into bullying and harassment will be released on Tuesday and it looks set to be damning.

Newshub understands it paints an appalling picture of the culture at Parliament and highlights the need for urgent change.

The report, to be released by independent reviewer Debbie Francis and House Speaker Trevor Mallard, will establish whether bullying or harassment has occurred in Parliament, then investigate the extent of the behaviour.

It has been a huge exercise in Parliamentary soul-searching. More than 100 interviews have taken place and over 1000 surveys have been completed for the inquiry.

The verdict is brutal. Newshub understands there are problems in ministerial services, parliamentary services, problems with MPs, and staff-to-staff in the press gallery.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday: "I absolutely think that this is a workplace where we need to make improvements."

She said there is often talk around the environment that's created at Parliament by virtue of the long hours and the pressure. But she said it's not fair to make excuses.

"We need to treat one another with dignity and respect."

The recommendations in the report will be broad: no more sweeping things under the carpet, which has been a hallmark of Parliament through non-disclosure agreements and secret pay-outs.

Some of the changes will be near-immediate while others will take a long time.

It will be a major cultural overhaul which has been long overdue.

Newshub.