Young workers in the retail and fast food sectors too often face risks of sexual harassment. The SDA is determined to address this issue, particularly with some alarming cases of grooming and abuse in workplaces.
Protecting young workers requires consistent action across the country.
Laws to protect children from sexual predators vary widely across Australian States and Territories. In March 2024, South Australia passed legislation banning sex offenders from working with children, and in the Northern Territory, adults are required by law to report any knowledge of suspicion of abuse.
However, these protections are inconsistent, leaving gaps in legal coverage across jurisdictions. There is no national standard for who can work with young people, who needs a “working with children” check, or what to do when abuse is suspected.
To address these issues, the SDA is pushing for national reforms aimed at protecting young workers centered on four key initiatives.
- A National ban on sex offenders working with children
The SDA is calling for uniform laws across all States and Territories to ensure sex offenders are banned from working with young workers, including reforms to bail laws to prevent offenders charged with sexual crimes from working with young people while those charges are being dealt with. - Employer funded ‘working with children’ checks
These checks should be a requirement across all States and industries wherever adults are working side by side with young people. You need one of these checks to coach a soccer team but not to manage a crew of young workers at McDonald’s. Governments need to make this a requirement. Employers must take responsibility by funding these government checks that verify whether adult workers interacting with young employees have a history of child sexual abuse. - Clear, standardised reporting obligations
Employers should have a clear legal responsibility to report any suspicion of child sexual abuse, including worker-on-worker abuse. This should be a national standard to avoid confusion and delays in reporting. - A trauma-informed approach to sexual safety
Reforms should focus on supporting victims and survivors, with workplaces fostering trauma-informed environments that prioritise the well-being of young workers.
The SDA’s campaign to protect young workers is a call for action at every level – government, industry and the community. By implementing these reforms, we can improve young workers safety from the threat of sexual predators in the workplace.
Together, we must create safer and more supportive workplaces for young workers.