Motion: Attempt to Introduce: Sentencing Amendment (Emergency Workers) Bill 2026

MOTION:

‘ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE: SENTENCING AMENDMENT (EMERGENCY WORKERS) BILL 2026’.

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:06):

I move:

That I introduce a Bill for an act to amend the Sentencing Act 1991 to widen the scope of when an emergency worker is on duty for the purposes of that act and the Crimes Act 1958 and for other purposes.

Today is an important day in this State. For too long our emergency services workers have been at threat at work, and this Government has done nothing to fix it. In fact, on learning that there was a loophole in the law which saw many of our important emergency services workers left unprotected at law, what did this Government do? They referred the matter to a committee, which by the way is the Premier’s true-to-form way of dealing with every problem – referring it to committee.

We only just found out that the Government referred that matter to a committee until at least mid-2027. By the time the committee reports, by the time the committee comes back with recommendations, the Government considers them and drafting occurs, we are talking about potentially a two-year delay on action. It is not good enough, and the Coalition will not stand for it. That is why the Coalition today is moving to introduce an urgent Bill. This is not just a Bill; it is an urgent Bill. We need to see action today. We need to make sure that our emergency services workers are protected from now, from today, and not only will the Bill that we are moving to introduce commence upon royal assent but any matter that has occurred where there are proceedings underway will be retrospectively included, because we know that there are thousands of emergency services workers who report assault every year. That is just the reported cases – thousands.

Jess Wilson interjected.

James NEWBURY: As the Leader of the Opposition said, that number is growing. I would say to the House: how could you not support a Bill that sees immediate action? We have seen a number of cases over recent years where our emergency services workers go to work and take a break, perhaps a lunchbreak. They are in uniform, they take a break, they are assaulted while they are having a bite to eat or having a cup of coffee, and what happens to them? We find out that the court has determined there is a loophole so that assault will not be dealt with under the additional protections that should exist for those workers. There should be a special set of laws that protect our emergency services workers from
assault when they are at work. There should be a protection, there must be a protection, and a loophole in the law is not good enough.

To learn that when the Government discovered the loophole existed they were going to kick the issue to a committee for over a year – before they report to the Government, before any drafting is done – is a disgrace. What it tells us is that this Government does not want to close the loophole. And every –

Mary-Anne Thomas interjected.

James NEWBURY: Well, we will find out shortly, former Minister for Health, because we are going to be looking to see how every single Labor Member votes. How will every Labor Member vote today? They must support this. How could you not in good conscience support it? How could you not? These laws will commence as soon as royal assent occurs, and they will be retrospective on any case that is currently in proceeding, as they should be. It does not matter when that assault occurred, these laws will cover those workers. Today is a very important day, and we will test whether this Parliament does the right thing by our emergency services workers or if this government plays politics again and kicks this issue down the road. The law is here: just support it. We can do it today, with resolve. We can pass this in Parliament today. You can pass donation laws in one day; you certainly should be passing these. This must be done today.