❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier on why proposed legislation increasing penalties for assaults on retail workers isn't expanded to cover all assaults, given increases in family and non-family violence. The Premier defends the legislation as a response to retail worker petitions and highlights the government's commitment to protecting them.
AnsweredQoN 4Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RETAIL WORKERS — ASSAULTS
4. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to legislation to be
introduced into state Parliament this week that will amend the Criminal Code to
insert a new provision with higher penalties for those who assault retail
workers, including by hitting, throwing objects at or spitting on a worker.
As one of the catalysts of this
decision was research from the McKell Institute that highlighted that assaults
on workers in WA had increased by 38.8 per cent between 2014 and 2022, why is
this legislation not being expanded to cover all assaults, given that violent
family assaults have gone up 48 per cent and non-family assaults have gone up
30 per cent since the Labor Party came to power?
4. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to legislation to be
introduced into state Parliament this week that will amend the Criminal Code to
insert a new provision with higher penalties for those who assault retail
workers, including by hitting, throwing objects at or spitting on a worker.
As one of the catalysts of this
decision was research from the McKell Institute that highlighted that assaults
on workers in WA had increased by 38.8 per cent between 2014 and 2022, why is
this legislation not being expanded to cover all assaults, given that violent
family assaults have gone up 48 per cent and non-family assaults have gone up
30 per cent since the Labor Party came to power?
AnswerView source ↗
This law reform is being driven by
retail workers; they petitioned the upper house. Over 9 000 retail workers said
to my government that they want better protections—that they want to
feel safe in the workplace and that they want a government that will back them.
We are doing just that. We will stand by workers because no worker deserves to
have to go to work on a daily basis under the threat of assault. They should
feel safe and protected in their workplace.
Sadly, we know that 90 per cent of Western Australian retail workers will
experience some form of physical or
verbal abuse. Do not forget that these are often young people who work in
fast-food outlets, at supermarket checkouts and in bottle shops—obviously,
they are over 18 years of age in that case. We need to do what we can to stand
by them. We need to do what we can to ensure that they have protections and
that we reflect our disgust at people who assault retail workers through laws
that establish harsher penalties—and there will be. The maximum penalty under these laws will go from 18 months'
imprisonment to seven years' imprisonment. The maximum fine will
go from $18 000 to $36 000. These are important law reforms that are about
saying to retail workers, ''We've got your back.'' I am
immensely proud of these new laws. We will bring them in as soon as possible.
We will make sure that we stand up for Western Australian workers.
retail workers; they petitioned the upper house. Over 9 000 retail workers said
to my government that they want better protections—that they want to
feel safe in the workplace and that they want a government that will back them.
We are doing just that. We will stand by workers because no worker deserves to
have to go to work on a daily basis under the threat of assault. They should
feel safe and protected in their workplace.
Sadly, we know that 90 per cent of Western Australian retail workers will
experience some form of physical or
verbal abuse. Do not forget that these are often young people who work in
fast-food outlets, at supermarket checkouts and in bottle shops—obviously,
they are over 18 years of age in that case. We need to do what we can to stand
by them. We need to do what we can to ensure that they have protections and
that we reflect our disgust at people who assault retail workers through laws
that establish harsher penalties—and there will be. The maximum penalty under these laws will go from 18 months'
imprisonment to seven years' imprisonment. The maximum fine will
go from $18 000 to $36 000. These are important law reforms that are about
saying to retail workers, ''We've got your back.'' I am
immensely proud of these new laws. We will bring them in as soon as possible.
We will make sure that we stand up for Western Australian workers.
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