Rural advocate Catherine Marriott, who lodged a complaint against the former National party leader Barnaby Joyce, will speak publicly against sexual harassment in an event organised by an influential rural network.

Marriott will share the stage with journalist and campaigner Tracey Spicer at #UsToo, in an event billed as “Lessons from the leaders in Australia’s crusade against sexual harassment” and organised by the Rural, Regional, Remote Women’s Network of Western Australian.

Marriott took to Twitter to suggest change was happening when it came to sexual harassment in Australia.

“Rural women, rural men, town women, town men, city women, city men are all fed up with this sort of behaviour,” she said on Twitter. “It’s lovely to be part of the change that is so desperately needed for the future of Australia.

“Change is happening and it involves all people, men, women, political parties, private and public sector to take ownership and say enough. ‘The standard you walk past is the standard you accept’ # ustoo # metoo.”

Rural women have rallied across Australia to support the former WA rural woman of the year. Many of her supporters hold positions of influence on agricultural boards, in regional business and advocacy roles. The event is expected to attract about 300 people, many of them rural women.

The president of Australia’s most powerful rural body, the National Farmers’ Federation, has already backed Marriott, suggesting the Nationals had leaked against her. Fiona Simson described Marriott as “undeniably one of the most fair dinkum people I know”.

Marriott’s comments came on a day when the sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins, released a report that found one in three workers reported they had experienced sexual harassment in the previous five years.

Marriott has stepped forward publicly one week after the conclusion of an internal National party investigation. In a statement on 7 September, the National party said the report would be kept confidential and both parties had been notified.

After the report, Marriott, who is also a Broome shire councillor, issued a furious statement regarding the outcome, saying it was not “good enough”.

“I’m extremely disappointed that after eight months of waiting, three trips to the east coast at my own expense to meet with the party, my name and confidential complaint being leaked to the national media, and my personal and professional life being upended, the National party have reached a no-conclusion verdict.”

Marriott had originally asked the National party to protect her privacy when she made the complaint, but her identity was leaked to the Australian within days.

Joyce has been contacted for comment. He has previously denied the allegations.