This bill became law on Nov 9th, 2022.
Work & employment
Employees covered by the national Fair Work system get 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year instead of 5 days unpaid leave, with small-business employees starting later.
The existing five days of unpaid leave left workers facing family and domestic violence risking financial hardship, unemployment or homelessness if they took time off, as COVID-19 increased the prevalence and severity of violence. The bill replaces that with 10 days of paid leave, expands who is covered, and protects workers who use it.
After the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. granted five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave in March 2018, many workers could still lose income if they took time off to secure safety, housing, medical care or legal help. The Albanese government introduced a bill in July 2022 for 10 days of paid leave and broader coverage; Parliament later added privacy protections and passed the bill before Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law. in November 2022 turned the change into law.
The main criticism was that the bill went beyond the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law.’s model and could impose higher costs and harder administration on employers, especially small businesses, by paying casuals at full rates and granting leave upfront more broadly. That case was raised mainly by Coalition speakers and framed as a call to narrow or review the scheme rather than opposition to paid domestic violence leave itself.
Tony Burke MP introduced this bill. It passed on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded..
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 09 Nov 2022
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
2 recorded amendment or procedural votes were found, but no counted vote on the bill itself was recorded.
Passage speed
104 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
Employees covered by the national Fair Work system get 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year instead of 5 days unpaid leave, with small-business employees starting later.
Casual workers who take this leave must be paid at their full rate for the rostered hours they were due to work.
The leave now covers violence or abuse by someone in the employee’s household or by a current or former intimate partner, not just close relatives.
Employers cannot use information from a worker’s leave request for other purposes or to punish that worker, unless the worker agrees or another law or safety need applies.
The Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. can change older enterprise agreements if their family and domestic violence leave leaves workers worse off than the national minimum entitlement.
Omit “5 days of unpaid”, substitute “10 days of paid”.Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) as-passed bill text
(b) for a casual employee—at the employee’s full rate of pay, worked out as if the employee had worked the hours in the period for which the employee was rostered.Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) as-passed bill text
After “a close relative of an employee”, insert “, a member of an employee’s household, or a current or former intimate partner of an employee,”.Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) as-passed bill text
(2) An employer must not, other than with the consent of the employee, use such information for a purpose other than satisfying itself in relation to the employee’s entitlement to leave under this Subdivision. In particular, an employer must not use such information to take adverse action against an employee.Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) as-passed bill text
the FWC may make a determination varying the agreement to make the agreement consistent with the NES entitlement.Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) as-passed bill text
Context
After the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. granted five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave in March 2018, many workers could still lose income if they took time off to secure safety, housing, medical care or legal help. The Albanese government introduced a bill in July 2022 for 10 days of paid leave and broader coverage; Parliament later added privacy protections and passed the bill before Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law. in November 2022 turned the change into law.
Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. creates five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave
The decision established a minimum entitlement for many award-covered workers but left leave unpaid, so employees could still face a loss of income when escaping violence.
Hansard ↗Government introduces a bill for 10 days of paid leave
The minister said workers should not have to choose between safety and income, setting out a national paid leave entitlement to replace the existing unpaid model.
Hansard ↗Senate passes the bill with amendments
The Senate agreed to the bill after considering amendment packages, clearing the way for both chambers to settle the final text.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Parliament passes the bill
The House agreed to the Senate amendments so the bill passed both houses in the same form and completed its parliamentary journey.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law. makes the paid leave changes law
Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law. turned the bill into an Act, locking the new paid entitlement and related protections into the Fair Work system.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (04/08/2022): Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee; Committee report (01/09/2022)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Committee of the Whole debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Consideration of Senate message
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill went beyond the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law.’s model and could impose higher costs and harder administration on employers, especially small businesses, by paying casuals at full rates and granting leave upfront more broadly. That case was raised mainly by Coalition speakers and framed as a call to narrow or review the scheme rather than opposition to paid domestic violence leave itself.
Criticism was real but mostly about scope, cost and implementation, not the goal of helping victim-survivors.
Higher cost and compliance burden for small business
Critics argued the bill could cost more and be harder to administer than the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. model, especially for small businesses, because it broadened eligibility, paid casuals at their full rate for rostered hours and applied the entitlement upfront.
Bill went further than the Fair Work Commission approach
Opponents said the government should have stayed closer to the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law.’s recommended model instead of expanding the entitlement further, arguing the balance between support for workers and the burden on business had shifted too far.
Need for review and implementation safeguards
Reservations about how the new entitlement would work in practice were strong enough to produce a Senate amendment requiring a 12-month reviewA formal check after the law starts to assess how it is working in practice, including effects on small business and people experiencing violence., including impacts on small businesses, sole traders and people experiencing family and domestic violence.
Further sources
Votes
The bill passed both chambers on the voices. The counted divisions below were about amendments or procedure, not final passage.
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded., so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded., so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.
House
The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Senate
Defeated 29 to 34. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor and minor parties and independents. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted aye. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This was a second-reading statement vote, not a direct change to the bill text. If agreed, it would have expressed the Senate's view that the new scheme should be independently reviewed after commencement, but the bill itself could still proceed without that added statement.
Defeated 3 to 41. Support came from Jacqui Lambie Network and UAP. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This was a direct bill-text amendment vote in committee. If agreed, it would have substantially rewritten the leave model in the bill by substituting a different emergency leave framework for the scheme then before the Senate.
The APH progress record says 4 Government, 2 Opposition amendments were agreed without a counted division being collected by this run.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The APH progress record says 1 Jacqui Lambie Network amendment was agreed without a counted division being collected by this run.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate agreed to the government amendment on sheet RU110 on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded. during committee consideration.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate agreed to the government amendment on sheet PF105 on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded. during committee consideration.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate carried Senator Tammy Tyrrell's proposal on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded. during committee consideration. It stops employers using information about leave claims for other purposes without consent, except where another law or safety need applies.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate carried Senator Michaelia Cash's revised proposal on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded. during committee consideration, adding a 12-month reviewA formal check after the law starts to assess how it is working in practice, including effects on small business and people experiencing violence. of how the Act works, including its effect on small businesses, sole traders and people experiencing family and domestic violence.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate Journal records this outcome as carried on voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded..
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate rejected Sen Larissa Waters' package on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded., which would have added a separate unpaid leave entitlement and broadened access to paid leave, including where attending is unsafe.
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate rejected Sen Larissa Waters' proposal on the voicesA parliamentary decision made by members calling out support or opposition, without a counted vote being recorded., which would have stopped employers taking adverse actionAction by an employer that harms a worker or job applicant, such as dismissing them or treating them badly because they used a workplace right or experienced family and domestic violence. against employees or jobseekers because they have experienced family and domestic violence.
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The Senate Journal records this outcome as defeated on voices.
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
These are amendment votes, not the final passage vote on the bill itself. The bill passed both chambers on the voices.
The parliamentary record also shows 4 Government, 2 Opposition amendments and 1 Jacqui Lambie Network amendment agreed without a counted division.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Mr Burke supports the bill and says it will give employees 10 days of paid leave to deal with family and domestic violence so they do not have to choose between safety and income.
Read in Hansard ↗Fletcher says the coalition acknowledges the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law. model for paid family and domestic violence leave, but opposes the government going beyond that model because the bill is broader and potentially more costly for employers, especially small businesses.
Read in Hansard ↗Steggall supports the bill and says the House should back paid family and domestic violence leave as a practical first step.
Read in Hansard ↗Spender supports the bill and wants it to pass, saying paid family and domestic violence leave is important relief for people facing domestic violence.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
22 speakers · 24 contributions · 22 support
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Tony Burke on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Mr Burke supports the bill and says it will give employees 10 days of paid leave to deal with family and domestic violence so they do not have to choose between safety and income. He argues it is a life-saving workplace entitlement that should be available to all employees, including casuals.
“This bill will not by itself solve the problem of family and domestic violence; but it does mean no employee in Australia will ever again be forced to make a choice between earning a wage and protecting the safety of themselves and their families.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Mr Burke supports the bill and says the government wants to take this step now rather than widen it further, because many people’s lives could be improved by the change.
“A lot of questions have been raised from some about potentially increasing the breadth of what we're doing here and applying it to more people. From the government's perspective, we are already taking a very big step, and the government's view is: let's take that step; let's see how it goes. There are many people whose lives potentially can be fundamentally altered for the better by the step that the parliament is taking. I commend the legislation to the House.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“This is why the Government is proud to bring forward the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022 which will provide employees with 10 days of paid leave to deal with the impacts of family and domestic violence.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Access to paid family and domestic violence leave saves lives. It saves lives. No worker should ever have to choose between their income and their safety, or the safety of their children. As we welcome in these new rights, it's important that we also commemorate all the lives lost—I won't go through those names, but we all know some of those names—and the people impacted in Australia by family and domestic violence. I commend the legislation to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I am very proud to be able to speak of what is indeed a very historic bill, because this bill, very importantly, sets out 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave as a minimum employment standard. In fact, the government values this initiative so much that we introduced this in the first week of this new parliament. This bill also sends a very strong message that women's safety and gender equity are a national priority and that these issues are at the forefront of the Albanese Labor government's agenda.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Paid family and domestic violence leave is a long-overdue change.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I thank all senators who have spoken in this debate for their support of this historic legislation, and I commend the bill to the Senate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill will not in itself solve the problem of family and domestic violence, but it does mean that no-one will ever again be forced to make that decision between earning a wage and protecting the safety of themselves and their children. This is a proud moment for the Australian parliament, and I ask all members to support this bill.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So I support this legislation for the social reasons, for the economic reasons and because of the impact that this could potentially have in the long term by giving us information about productivity, but, more importantly, because it will inform us as a country, inform us as a government and inform us all as legislators.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill represents a crucial step in the fight against family and domestic violence. This bill will provide Australians experiencing family and domestic violence—women and men, no matter where they work or what industry they are in—access to 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I am pleased to rise today to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022, and am incredibly pleased to be supporting this bill.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“It's great to have this piece of legislation moving through the House and I look forward to it being passed, but there are many things that we need to do as we go forward so that we can look back and say that this parliament made a difference and see the statistics start to shift as women's and children's lives are saved because of what this place has done.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Both of those measures are very important, and this legislation is very important to that first measure of assisting people who have experienced and been subjected to domestic violence to be able to do what they need to do to secure their and their children's safety without also having to lose work and income.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is a change that could and should have been made years ago, but the previous government failed to act, even though this had the support of the business community. Those on the opposition benches now have another chance to do the right thing and back this important legislation.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The bill before us delivers on one of the key commitments Labor made at the federal election—to legislate for 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave for full-time, part-time and casual employees.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I urge the Liberal and National parties to support this legislation because it will make a difference and it will save lives.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In closing, I commend this bill to the House. I think I've made it pretty clear that I commend this bill to the House. I feel very passionately about this bill. I think I've made that pretty clear too. I implore every member of this House to think about it. Think about that woman at the shopping centre. You might not know her, but, in passing this bill, you can make a difference to her life.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I am proud, again, to place on the record that the Albanese Labor government is treating this issue with the urgency that it deserves and requires. I congratulate everyone, particularly our minister Tony Burke and all those on the frontbench, for doing an outstanding job, as well as those in the union movement for advocating for this bill. I commend this bill to the Senate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022. In opposition, Labor promised to provide 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave to all employees. As one of our first legislative acts in government we are doing exactly that. I'd like to thank the Deputy Chair of the Education and Employment Committee, Senator O'Sullivan, and the secretariat of the committee for their strong engagement on the inquiry into this bill. In that inquiry not a single stakeholder that made a submission or appeared at a hearing said that this was a bad idea—not a single one—because everyone recognised just how important this is.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“What victims need when building a life out of abuse is security. This proposal, originally a union claim in the workplace to provide paid domestic violence leave, provides that security to survivors. It tells survivors that the people they spend the most time with, their colleagues, have their back. As a government, we are building on existing entitlements to make sure that it's closer to what workers, the experts, are telling us is effective. I want to congratulate the campaigners, the organisers and the advocates who have delivered and held the standard for decades.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In conclusion, I will just say this: as a nation, we can and must do better. This bill is one way that we can do better, so I encourage all my Senate colleagues to support this bill.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“But make no mistake: just because this bill doesn't do everything it doesn't mean it won't make a tremendous difference, and it doesn't mean that it won't change lives and save lives. So I very much commend the bill to the Senate and I would hope it is something that we can all get behind and support.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Jenny McAllister on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
McAllister strongly supports the bill, saying it will improve the Fair Work Act by lifting the entitlement from five days of unpaid leave to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. She argues the change is needed because people fleeing violence often face impossible choices between safety and keeping their jobs.
“That's why, from opposition, I introduced the Fair Work Amendment (Ten Days Paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave) Bill 2020 into this chamber. Those opposite opposed it then, and we wait to see how they will handle this legislation, but I am honoured to speak this afternoon in this debate. This bill will amend the Fair Work Act. It will improve the existing entitlement in the National Employment Standards from five days of unpaid leave to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. It's an entitlement that will be available to a person who is experiencing family and domestic violence.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
McAllister supports the bill, saying it will extend paid family and domestic violence leave to millions more workers and is an important step that could save lives. She argues it is long overdue and that no worker should have to choose between safety and income.
“Preventing family violence is everyone's business. It is long overdue for the Australian government to show leadership in this way, and I am so proud to support this bill.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
11 speakers · 12 contributions · 5 support · 5 oppose · 1 mixed
“The coalition acknowledges the concerns raised by business and employers, in relation to the provisions of the bill that go beyond the Fair Work Commission's recommended model. Notwithstanding the research and consultation carried out by the Fair Work Commission, the government has opted to legislate a scheme for paid family and domestic violence leave which is far broader and, potentially, more costly than the Fair Work Commission and industry previously contemplated. These issues must be worked through with employers, and, in particular, small-business employers, prior to the commencement of the operation of this entitlement.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I support the provisions of this legislation. I would like to see some clarification given to employers through possible amendments to the bill or the acceptance of the coalition's second reading amendment. This is consistent with the provisional model set out by the Fair Work Commission. It builds on the legacy of the former Morrison government, which first addressed domestic violence leave back in 2018. I have outlined aspects of concern with the bill, but I hope that they can be addressed. It will impact small businesses in a way which the government has not adequately modelled, and I encourage the government to step up and provide that clarification so that employers are very clear—because I have no doubt that employers want to support those that are victims of domestic violence.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Labor government's bill goes beyond the model recommended by the independent Fair Work Commission and implements many of the claims made by the ACTU during the hearing of the matter. It's quite concerning that this is going far further than what the Fair Work Commission had recommended. It's critical that we get the balance right. I'll touch on some of the differences.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Ms Foster's comments reflect some of my own concerns with this bill. I want to reiterate that I do support this legislation; however, I want to put on the record some of the concerns I have as to whether further improvements could be made on how the leave is administered.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Michaelia Cash on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Michaelia Cash notes that the bill gives employees 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave, but she argues the earlier award-based approach created unnecessary complexity for businesses. Her position is not stated clearly in the extract, so the speech reads as cautious and descriptive rather than an explicit endorsement or rejection.
“I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022. The bill provides an entitlement to 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12-month period for full-time, part-time and casual employees. The bill builds on measures put in place by the former coalition government following the independent Fair Work Commission's 2018 decision to grant five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave to employees covered by a modern award. The Fair Work Commission made its decision after carefully considering extensive evidence and submissions from unions, employers and other interested parties.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Michaelia Cash says the coalition will move a second reading amendment and does not support the bill in its current form because it goes beyond the Fair Work CommissionAustralia's national workplace tribunal, which had already created the earlier unpaid leave entitlement and can adjust some older workplace agreements under this law.'s model, especially on casual workers, upfront access and full-rate pay. She argues those changes need more work with employers, particularly small businesses, before the new entitlement starts.
“What I therefore propose to do, and what I do foreshadow, is that the coalition will move a second reading amendment. Again, the coalition notes the rationale provided by the independent Fair Work Commission in handing down its model for 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave. But, at the same time, we also acknowledge the concerns raised by businesses and employers, and, in particular, by small and family businesses around the country in relation to the provisions of the bill that go beyond the Fair Work Commission's recommended model. These issues must be worked through with employers, in particular small business employers, prior to the commencement of this new entitlement.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“It is a corruption—I don't mean 'corrupt'—of a system that should be there to support people, and, I think, really unfairly targets the employer, which then, of course, leads to these outcomes where the employer may have great reluctance to employ. Those are my main concerns with the legislation as it stands.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I support this bill, with some caveats. The problem with the bill as it is currently drafted is that it goes beyond the recommendations of the Fair Work Commission. The bill as drafted effectively mirrors the recommendations of the ACTU to the Fair Work Commission. It goes beyond the findings of the Fair Work Commission. We all talk in this place about the importance of an independent arbiter and an independent umpire—in this case, the Fair Work Commission. What this government have done is go beyond it, and I'll talk about some of the problems with the way that they've addressed this issue.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill is not about addressing the perpetrators of domestic violence. It is not about additional housing. It is not about additional programs. It is not even about a very smart communications program. It is about saying to small-business operators, 'You will bear the cost of these outrageous and egregious crimes.' So I support the 12-month review following on from this legislation. I'm very keen to see the cumulative impact on small businesses. I want to urge the government to, instead, continue to build on the work of the former coalition government in implementing strategies to prevent domestic violence and to support victims.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“But, again, I want to be clear that I support this legislation completely.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So that is my call to support this bill. We need to look at who's paying for it all the time. There are 700,000 sole traders alone. In my area, I have about 10,000 small businesses with one, two or three people in them, and this will be another impost on businesses which are already struggling.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I'm very supportive of that principle. In contributing to the motion about paid family and domestic violence leave last sitting week in the House, I made the point of how vital it was that we do everything we can to support people in that horrible, terrible and disgraceful situation of being victims of family and domestic violence. We wouldn't ever want someone to feel, because of their employment circumstance, that they couldn't leave such a situation or have the time they needed to put themselves in a safe place and in a safe position because of fear of losing income or having some kind of repercussion for them through their employment.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
3 speakers · 3 support
“The Greens have long supported paid family and domestic violence leave, and we are delighted to support this bill. We hope that our amendments to further strengthen the scheme succeed.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022 is an important bill from the government, and the Greens support it. The Greens have long advocated for paid family and domestic violence leave to help victims-survivors, who are predominantly women, to escape abusive relationships, to protect themselves and their children and to rebuild their lives. We've previously brought legislation before this parliament to give effect to paid family and domestic violence leave, and, as long-time advocates for this position, we support the government's bill today.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Whilst this bill will save lives by providing a circuit breaker in the system for women's safety, we know that, on top of all the other challenges in reducing gender based violence, there are still racial biases that must be dismantled and culturally appropriate measures to be taken before First Nations women will actually not be at a higher risk but also to make workplaces safe places to disclose. The Greens have moved several amendments to this bill, the first to broaden the definition of 'family and domestic violence' for further clarity and to ensure that victims-survivors get the support that they actually need.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
7 speakers · 6 support · 1 mixed
“The bill indicates a solid start to improving the systems designed to support those afflicted by family and domestic violence, but I am concerned it doesn't go far enough. In consultation with one of my constituents, I learnt that her corporate employer already extends 20 days of paid domestic violence leave to its employees.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“These concerns will not stop me supporting the bill, because I support the principle behind it and I believe in providing real and valued support to Australians in these situations. But I hope that the government rethinks its stance on how the bill will apply to small businesses and whether we can secure the outcome of paid leave without imposing additional obligations on those businesses or at least while providing best-practice advice to those businesses and reducing administrative burdens on small businesses in other ways. In fact, I hope it rethinks its stance on small businesses more generally.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I commend this government for introducing its Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill and for extending this leave, importantly, to part-time and casual workers.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“While this is welcome, I know that for some employers it will be a challenge. There are many good employers across my electorate who want to do the right thing by their employees, who want to be fair and who want to support them when they are experiencing family violence. The CEO of COSBOA, Alexi Boyd, made the very important point that many small businesses have treated these situations with compassion and generosity, but they're not experts in handling trauma. While we are really welcoming this measure, we must also ensure that there's education and support, especially for small businesses. Implementing this reform must be simple and it must not cause unnecessary red tape for employers—and especially not for victims of violence. We mustn't create another barrier in the effort to remove one for those experiencing family and domestic violence.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak in support of the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022. The rate of family and domestic violence in Australia is appalling. So far this year, 41 women and 31 children have been murdered. Countless more have been subjected to other forms of coercive control, injury, physical, emotional and financial abuse. I wish we didn't need this leave but, unfortunately, for now, we do.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In this parliament we must implement policies that protect victims and save lives, which is why I support this bill, the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Today I rise to support an increase in the domestic and family violence leave entitlement for victims-survivors of family and domestic violence, from five to 10 days each year. It is irrefutable that the rate of family and domestic violence is growing in our country, and there is an urgent need for our communities to help when we can.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Committee of the whole: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
House · Message from Senate reported
Message from Senate reported
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Consideration of Senate message
House agreed to Senate amendments
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into law., turning the bill into an Act.
Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee; Committee report (01/09/2022)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (4 Aug 2022): Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee; Committee report (1 Sept 2022)
APH bill page notes
