Josh Dolega (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the other senators and members in the other place for their remarks and their strong support of this bill. Some may know that I am a former public servant. I worked at the Australian Taxation Office for 15 years, and, following that, I was an employee of the Community and Public Sector Union—the union that represents public sector workers.

The tragic incident that occurred at the Airport West service centre on 23 May 2003 was just horrific, and it could have been prevented. The Albanese Labor government does take work health and safety seriously. This bill is going to fill important gaps in the security and safety for Commonwealth public servants who are the heart and the backbone of government delivery and service delivery for the community. This bill, as we've talked about in this place, is the result of a stabbing in a workplace, something that should never have occurred but was, unfortunately, the result of a unilateral decision at the time of agency senior leadership to reduce security guards in service centres without adequate consultation with workers and their union.

I can inform senators and those that are watching and listening at home that CPSU members, delegates and health and safety reps strongly opposed these changes and control measures. The CPSU national secretary, Melissa Donnelly; our deputy national president, Matthew Harrison; and our section secretary Emma White worked tirelessly to fight against cuts to frontline safety and security, to push for better safety outcomes and to make sure that our members' voices were heard. I'm pleased to say that this bill is a result of the work of our union members and union leadership to be able to improve these systems and these controls.

I remember being a union official at the time following the stabbing at Services Australia. My direct responsibility was for members in Services Australia, looking out for their work health and safety interests and organising. There was a terrible amount of fear across the workforce of copycat attacks, and, unfortunately, there was a period of time where people were just numb to the thought of getting attacked, of getting yelled at, of being abused and of being spat on in their workplaces for doing their job of serving the community. I can tell people in this chamber that Centrelink workers genuinely care about their customers. Regardless of the risks and some of the abuse and some of the bile that has been put towards them, they have still performed their work tirelessly and amazingly, and I thank them for their work and their service and their dedication to serving some of most vulnerable people.

Following the stabbing, there's been a lengthy investigation by the work health and safety regulator, Comcare, and, on 23 May 2025, Services Australia was charged by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions for breaching our federal work health and safety laws. I have to mention that this was at a time when we were recovering from a decade of cuts to and degradation of the Public Service and when there were toxic, antiworker vibes in the senior leadership of some parts of the Public Service. I really commend the work of the government and Minister Gallagher, who have worked tirelessly to improve the culture in the APS and to improve the culture at Services Australia. I thank the new CEO of Services Australia as well for his work in engaging with workers and their representatives to improve the culture for workers at Services Australia.

Consultation about work, health and safety matters shouldn't be seen as a burden; it should be seen as an opportunity to improve the lives of working people. Whether we're talking about public servants or we're talking about workers—this morning I had the opportunity to hear from apprentices from the ETU—everyone should have the right to come to work and go home safely to their family and to their loved ones. This bill goes a long way to improving the lives of Centrelink workers and public servants in order to have that outcome—to be able to go home safely.

Workplace protection orders were one of 44 recommendations made by Graham Ashton to improve the safety and security of Services Australia workers. Many of those recommendations have already been implemented, and they have been very well received by workers in Services Australia. They include things like improved fit-outs of service centres, with safer layouts, safer uniforms and a more worker focused approach for when new people come into the offices. It's really important. The workplace protection orders were recommendation 17 of the Ashton safety and security review—to adopt provisions that are very similar to what have been in place in the ACT. The implementation of this legislation is going to provide Commonwealth public sector workers with safety and with certainty that it's not just them; if they suffer an incident of aggression or violence in the workplace, their employer, the Commonwealth, can take out a protection order on their behalf. Whether it is a worker or a workplace that has been affected, the workplace protection order can be taken out so that the worker doesn't have to look at individual restraining orders or individual orders. It allows the employer, the Commonwealth, to look out for our workers.

I note Senator Dowling's and Senator Whiteaker's comments in support of public sector workers. It's really heartening to hear, from colleagues, the sheer amount of support for the public sector and the Public Service. As I've mentioned, they are the backbone of our government and us being able to deliver for Australians. I'd also like to acknowledge the work of the former Senate committee who made recommendations, after consultation with stakeholders and community groups, to make sure that customers who are affected by workplace protection orders can still access government service delivery. This is not about cutting people out. People can still access, but it gives the workers certainty. We've also got in the bill, as a result of feedback from the unions, that workers who suffer aggression or abuse don't need to have been wearing a uniform and been immediately identifiable as a Commonwealth worker in order to be able to have a workplace protection order taken out on their behalf.

Violence, aggression and unacceptable behaviour have no place in any workplace in our country. It takes nothing to be kind. It takes nothing to say 'thank you' or to say 'hello' to a worker in the office. It takes more energy to be upset. It takes more energy to be angry at somebody or angry at the system. I implore people, when we are dealing with workers, to be kind, to be respectful and to be humble when we're seeking support, whether it's in a Centrelink office, whether it's in a supermarket or whether you're getting a passport. Kindness takes nothing, and everyone has the right to come home safely. I commend the bill to the house.