In the culture of entitlement and expectancy that prevails in our little backward socialist paradise, has the Minister not just given to industry the perfect disclaimer from accepting responsibility – We are waiting for the Government to develop the guidelines???

\”Bullying is a serious issue, but it is a work health and safety issue
and should not be mixed up with industrial relations,\” Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said today.
\”There is a lot of misunderstanding of what workplace bullying actually is. Workplace bullying is a problem that primarily falls within the jurisdiction of work health and safety laws, which have a strongly preventative focus, and not industrial laws. The Government’s
proposal is likely to increase the confusion and increase disputation.\”

Disputation, confusion and greater worker stress, methinks.

\”Mr Bornstein has for a long time led a vocal push for a national law that enables employees to seek urgent orders stopping the bullying conduct before the real damage is done.
“Workplace bullying affects workers at all levels in all sectors – including executives. Above all, this issue is a matter of how we treat each other as human beings. Workplace bullying is illegitimate, it is toxic and I support today’s moves to help stamp it out,” he said.\”

What is meant by \”real damage\”?
It is my contention that Minister Shorten\’s initiative is unlikely to \”help stamp it out\”. Eliminating workplace bullying requires a different strategy.

\”Giving the federal IR commission jurisdiction over workplace bullying is a limited measure that crosses State laws and cannot be enforced. The Fair Work Commission is not a court and cannot prosecute breaches or enforce its decisions. On health and safety matters, State inspectorates and courts exercise that power.\”