Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Watt. I'm just going to be really sensitive here. It is about domestic violence. My heart goes out to you people. But there will be questions that we need to ask to make sure that we can get these policy settings correct. Senator, respectfully, I want to know how your government's proposal to introduce 10 days domestic violence leave will work in practice, so my first question is this: will employees have to tell their bosses that they are a victim of domestic violence in order to claim domestic violence leave?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Lambie, for a really important question. I do realise that this is a very sensitive issue that, frankly, affects many people in this chamber, let alone the wider community, and I'm very proud of the fact that our government is introducing legislation to provide domestic and family violence leave for the first time in this country. It's something that many people have needed for a long time. I'm proud that we have introduced that legislation and I look forward to wide support of that legislation.

As you would understand, I'm not the responsible minister. I am the representing minister and I'm very happy to obtain specific answers to your questions. They're very valuable and worthwhile questions, and I don't want to give you the wrong information. But I'll provide you with that information as soon as I possibly can.

The:

Senator Lambie, a first supplementary?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, it's common for employers to ask their workers to show a medical certificate for their sick leave. What evidence will employees have to give their employer to claim domestic violence leave?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, thank you, Senator Lambie. Again, not being the responsible minister, I will have to come back to you with specific answers to those questions. But I can assure you that this government does take the privacy of victims of domestic violence very seriously. I'm sure that Minister Burke, who's responsible for this legislation, has contemplated these issues and is working with stakeholders around them. I'll certainly encourage him to continue doing so. But again, if you wouldn't mind, I could come back to you with some specific answers to those questions.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A second supplementary, Senator Lambie?

Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Lastly, will employees have to work in their job for a certain period of time before they can get access to that leave, and, if so, for how long?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Lambie. Again, I'll need to take the detail of those questions on notice and come back to you as quickly as I can. If there's anything I can do as the repping minister to facilitate further discussion with you and your team, I'd be more than happy to do so.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Nampijinpa Price, I believe this is your first question. Welcome.