Bill
Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025
passed, as at 2025-11-04. Home Affairs portfolio.
- Sponsor
- Not recorded
- Portfolio
- Home Affairs
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2025-07-31
- second reading — 2025-07-31
- second reading — 2025-08-27
- second reading — 2025-08-28
- second reading — 2025-08-28
- third reading — 2025-08-28
- introduced — 2025-09-01
- second reading — 2025-09-01
- second reading — 2025-10-29
- second reading — 2025-10-29
- third reading — 2025-10-29
- passed — 2025-10-29
- royal assent — 2025-11-04
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2025-07-31.
The bill would create a new Act to protect Commonwealth workers and workplaces from violence and harmful behaviour by members of the public.
It would let authorised people apply to certain courts for workplace protection orders when personal violence linked to a worker's duties occurs.
A final order would last no more than two years and could not be made against anyone under 14 years old.
- Establishes the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Act 2025.
- Allows authorised persons to seek workplace protection orders from state or territory courts, the Federal Court, or the Federal Circuit and Family Court.
- Makes contravening an order a criminal offence punishable by up to 120 penalty units or two years in prison.
- Requires courts to consider hardship, harm, and existing orders before imposing conditions.
- Prevents orders from blocking access to government services, benefits, or political communication.
Commonwealth workers, frontline service-delivery staff, and members of the public in Commonwealth workplaces, including those at Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office.
Sources
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billhome
frl act