Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I think one of the benefits of raising each one individually is that it provides people with an indication, an understanding, of the scope of this legislation. The scope of this legislation does not simply apply to sexual harassment claims made, for example, against large employers. It's a very wide cost application under which, potentially, a sporting club or an educational institution can have a claim other than a sexual harassment claim brought against them and successfully defend that claim after they're dragged through the legal process and there will be no discretion for them to actually get their costs of having to defend themselves covered. I don't think that that is necessarily well understood at this point in time. So it's incredibly important that these matters are raised. I want to ask you, Minister, about a small business, maybe with only a few employees, that sells goods and services. Are they covered by this legislation?