Introduction
Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (09:57): I stand to support the member for Brighton in introducing this legislation, but I stand in a little bit of confusion. We have just had those opposite –
Anthony Carbines interjected.
Danny O’BRIEN: I am confused by your position, Minister, because we have just had the other side elect a new Premier. The new Premier has gone out this morning and announced a policy to introduce workplace protection orders – not for over a year, I will grant you that. Now we come to Parliament, and the opposition, for the second time – not a stunt today, for the second time – brings in legislation to introduce workplace protection orders, and now the members of the government are going to vote against it. They are going to vote against what the Premier has just announced. I am confused because I thought the no-confidence motion was yesterday, but now we have members of the government already voting a vote of no confidence in the new Premier because they do not trust his policy.
Anthony Carbines: On a point of order, Speaker, I am just very keen that the opposition, who have brought in this bill that they would like to introduce, keep the focus on the procedural debate about why it is timely to do so now.
The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Nationals to come back to the motion before the house.
Danny O’BRIEN: I think that is exactly what I was doing, Speaker, and he is arguing what the –
The SPEAKER: Order! It is not appropriate for members to argue with my rulings. The Leader of the Nationals will come back to the motion before the house.
Danny O’BRIEN: Exactly what I am doing, Speaker, is arguing why this bill should be brought in. If the member for Monbulk does not trust the Nationals and Liberals and what they are doing, how about letting us bring the bill in and you can have a read of it? That is exactly what the process does. We have done the work, and we know that this is an important issue because there are 5000 attacks on retail workers every year. We have got situations where Coles has shut down its Elizabeth Street store because of the undesirables and the retail crime and the attacks on their workers in that area, and it is moving it out. This government is saying, ‘Yes, we think it’s an issue. We’ll deal with it in 12 months – 365 days.’ They had an opportunity previously. 253 days ago the opposition moved amendments to the Crimes Amendment (Retail, Fast Food, Hospitality and Transport Worker Harm) Bill 2025, and the government opposed them.
Is it simply that it is only a good idea when they do it? It just does not stack up. The evidence is there from the business community. We had literally a group of major businesses – and I believe the shoppies were there at the time – highlighting the issue of retail crime. Leah Weckert from Coles said:
… it is definitely the case that in Victoria, retail crime is escalating more than … we are seeing in the other states.
The Rebel Sport chief executive said in relation to retail crime:
We’ve seen a disproportionate increase in Victorian stores. No doubt about that.
The Reece chief executive Peter Wilson was reported as saying Victoria is the toughest place in the country to do business. The co-founder of Seek Paul Bassat said:
Whenever something that is done in this country that’s anti-business, the reality is there’s a good chance it is being done in Victoria.
Those opposite have liked to quote from the shoppies. The Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association has said:
If the government is serious about addressing the retail crime epidemic, introducing WPOs is a no brainer.
Well, what has taken so long? Why are this mob on the other side so indolent that they actually cannot get anything done? They make announcements all the time, but they do not actually bring the legislation forward. They do not do the work. The opposition has actually done the work for you. If you were half sensible, you could actually just say, ‘All right, we’ll adopt it.’ We would be happy to say, ‘You’re welcome’. We are all on the side of good here, yet the government is just going to put it off for another 12 months. I say again to those opposite: the legislation is here. You do not need the new Premier to announce it. It is right here. All they have to do is say, ‘Bring it in. Let’s debate it. Let’s have a look at it.’ We might even consider amendments, member for Brighton, but the government needs to support this. It is about supporting retail workers.