Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too thank the member for Kingston for bringing this important motion to the parliament. As stated in the member's motion, two-thirds of Australian women who have experienced domestic violence from their current partner are in paid employment. Anyone who has worked with or had any dealings with somebody who is a victim of domestic violence knows how much it impacts on that person's life. Quite often, there are many competing issues—including housing, security and care for any children involved—which confront a victim of domestic violence and which they have to resolve.

In trying to improve the situation for women in the workplace—as the previous speaker, the member for Hasluck, pointed out, there are men who are victims of domestic violence; but, generally speaking, women are the main victims of domestic abuse—a plethora of legislation has gone through this parliament. I see this motion as the next step along the way.

When I was looking at this issue, I became aware of the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. They made a submission to the committee inquiry into the Fair Work Amendment (Better Work/Life Balance) Bill 2012 and reported the key findings of a survey on domestic violence and the workplace that they conducted in 2011. They said:

and, I am sure, SMSs as well. These are the types of harassment which some of us have seen in the workplace as extensions of domestic violence. The key findings continued:

This is new ground in the area of discrimination. We need to better protect workers who experience or have experienced domestic violence. I believe that by putting in place proper protection for workers who have experienced domestic violence we will be ensuring that those people can not only move on in their life but maintain their employment, which is really important for them.

If the Commonwealth embraces this legislation, it will not be the first legislation in this country. When Jodi McKay was the minister, the New South Wales government introduced legislation in that state, and it has also been introduced in Queensland.

I commend the work of the ACTU congress to the House. I also commend the work of the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse at the University of New South Wales and, in conjunction, with them the PSA. I think it is now time to recognise the impact that domestic violence has on women and other workers and to ensure that there is legislation and protection to look after their needs.

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