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Should courts be able to bar people from a shop or transport route for up to 12 months for abusing workers there, without a conviction?

Both houses · 3 votes

Background

The Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026 lets a shop operator, a train, tram or bus operator, or a union ask the Magistrates' Court (or the Children's Court for 14–17-year-olds) for a civil order against someone who has been violent, abusive or threatening at a covered workplace in the past year and is likely to do it again. The court decides on the balance of probabilities; no charge or conviction is needed, and the person need not be in court. Orders last up to 12 months and can bar the person from that workplace, a transport route or contacting workers, while protecting access to necessary goods and services; breaching one is a crime (up to 2 years' jail). The scheme starts by 26 July 2027, and a three-year review must consider any disproportionate impact on vulnerable or marginalised communities.

What each side said

Summarised from the debate in Parliament, with sources below.

For “agree”

Supporters said "it is never okay to abuse or threaten these workers" (Sonya Kilkenny, ALP) and the orders give "another tool in the toolkit to protect these workers" (Enver Erdogan, ALP). The Coalition supported the orders — it said it had proposed them first — but said the scheme should start sooner and that police and the workers affected should be able to apply (Tim McCurdy, Nationals; Renee Heath, Liberal); the Shooters said "This may not be perfect, but it is a mechanism" (Jeff Bourman). One Nation also voted for it.

For “disagree”

The Greens said violence and abuse are already crimes, the threshold for an order is "extremely low and extremely vague" (Gabrielle de Vietri, Greens), and the orders will fall hardest on people experiencing homelessness, addiction or mental illness and on First Nations people; their amendment to take public transport out of the scheme, backed by the Libertarian, Legalise Cannabis and Animal Justice, was defeated 7–30 (Aiv Puglielli, Greens). The Libertarian supported businesses excluding troublemakers but said "this is going to be totally unworkable" and that people could face criminal penalties for breaching an order they did not understand (David Limbrick); Legalise Cannabis and Animal Justice also voted against.

How the parties voted

Across the linked votes below. Second and third readings count five times as much as other votes. Parties are in alphabetical order. How this is worked out

How each party voted across the linked votes
Party Record Votes with a party position
Animal Justice Consistently against 2 of 2
Greens Consistently against 3 of 3
Labor Consistently for 3 of 3
Legalise Cannabis Consistently against 2 of 2
Liberal Consistently for 3 of 3
Libertarian Consistently against 2 of 2
Nationals Consistently for 3 of 3
One Nation Consistently for 2 of 2
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Consistently for 2 of 2

The votes behind this question

Each vote (division) recorded in Parliament that this question is based on, in date order.

13 August 2026 · Legislative Assembly

Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026

Question put
Question — That this Bill be now read a second time — put.
Result
Question agreed to. Ayes 76, Noes 2.
Matches “agree”
An Aye vote
Weight
Strong: a second or third reading, counted five times
Why it's linked
Second reading (Assembly). Aye = support the bill; agree = Aye.
How each party voted on Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026, 13 August 2026
Party Aye No Position
Greens 0 2 No
Labor 49 0 Aye
Liberal 19 0 Aye
Nationals 7 0 Aye

Independents, each counted on their own: Will Fowles (Aye)

Every name (Ayes 76, Noes 2) in the vote of 13 August 2026

Ayes (76)

Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Chris Crewther, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D'Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Paul Edbrooke, Wayne Farnham, Eden Foster, Will Fowles, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Matthew Guy, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Martha Haylett, Mathew Hilakari, David Hodgett, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Lauren Kathage, Emma Kealy, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, John Lister, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Anthony Marsh, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Tim McCurdy, Steve McGhie, Cindy McLeish, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, James Newbury, Danny O'Brien, Michael O'Brien, Kim O'Keeffe, Danny Pearson, John Pesutto, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, Michaela Settle, David Southwick, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Jackson Taylor, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Bridget Vallence, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner, Rachel Westaway, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson, Jess Wilson

Noes (2)

Tim Read, Gabrielle de Vietri

Official record: Votes and Proceedings No 193 (LA-60-193-02)

27 August 2026 · Legislative Council

Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026

Question put
6 WORKPLACE PROTECTION ORDERS BILL 2026 — Debate resumed on the question, That the Bill be now read a second time.
Result
Question agreed to. Ayes 29, Noes 7.
Matches “agree”
An Aye vote
Weight
Strong: a second or third reading, counted five times
Why it's linked
Second reading (Council). Aye = support the bill; agree = Aye.
How each party voted on Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026, 27 August 2026
Party Aye No Position
Animal Justice 0 1 No
Greens 0 4 No
Labor 15 0 Aye
Legalise Cannabis 0 1 No
Liberal 10 0 Aye
Libertarian 0 1 No
Nationals 2 0 Aye
One Nation 1 0 Aye
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 1 0 Aye
Every name (Ayes 29, Noes 7) in the vote of 27 August 2026

Ayes (29)

Ryan Batchelor, Melina Bath, John Berger, Lizzie Blandthorn, Jeff Bourman, Gaelle Broad, Georgie Crozier, David Davis, Enver Erdogan, Jacinta Ermacora, Michael Galea, Renee Heath, Ann-Marie Hermans, Shaun Leane, Wendy Lovell, Trung Luu, Bev McArthur, Joe McCracken, Nick McGowan, Tom McIntosh, Harriet Shing, Ingrid Stitt, Jaclyn Symes, Lee Tarlamis, Sonja Terpstra, Gayle Tierney, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Sheena Watt, Richard Welch

Noes (7)

Katherine Copsey, Anasina Gray-Barberio, David Limbrick, Sarah Mansfield, Rachel Payne, Aiv Puglielli, Georgie Purcell

Official record: Minutes of the Proceedings No. 182 (LC-60-182-01)

27 August 2026 · Legislative Council

Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026

Question put
Enver Erdogan moved, That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.
Result
Question agreed to. Ayes 30, Noes 8.
Matches “agree”
An Aye vote
Weight
Strong: a second or third reading, counted five times
Why it's linked
Third reading (Council). Aye = support the bill; agree = Aye.
How each party voted on Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026, 27 August 2026
Party Aye No Position
Animal Justice 0 1 No
Greens 0 4 No
Labor 15 0 Aye
Legalise Cannabis 0 2 No
Liberal 11 0 Aye
Libertarian 0 1 No
Nationals 2 0 Aye
One Nation 1 0 Aye
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers 1 0 Aye
Every name (Ayes 30, Noes 8) in the vote of 27 August 2026

Ayes (30)

Ryan Batchelor, Melina Bath, John Berger, Lizzie Blandthorn, Jeff Bourman, Gaelle Broad, Georgie Crozier, David Davis, Enver Erdogan, Jacinta Ermacora, Michael Galea, Renee Heath, Ann-Marie Hermans, Shaun Leane, Wendy Lovell, Trung Luu, Bev McArthur, Joe McCracken, Nick McGowan, Tom McIntosh, Evan Mulholland, Harriet Shing, Ingrid Stitt, Jaclyn Symes, Lee Tarlamis, Sonja Terpstra, Gayle Tierney, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Sheena Watt, Richard Welch

Noes (8)

Katherine Copsey, David Ettershank, Anasina Gray-Barberio, David Limbrick, Sarah Mansfield, Rachel Payne, Aiv Puglielli, Georgie Purcell

Official record: Minutes of the Proceedings No. 182 (LC-60-182-02)

Sources

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