Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025

Subject to this section, any of the following persons may apply to the Court for a workplace protection order in relation to a workplace:

an employer at the workplace;

the owner or occupier of the premises in which the workplace is situated;

a representative of an employer association of which an employer at the workplace is a member;

a health and safety representative for the workplace;

a union entitled to represent the industrial interests of workers at the workplace.

When an application for a workplace protection order has been received in the Court, the Court must fix a date for a preliminary conference unless—

an interim workplace protection order is sought; or

the Court is satisfied, on application or its own initiative, that—

holding a preliminary conference would create an unacceptable risk to a person's safety; or

a preliminary conference would be unlikely to achieve its objects.

If the Court does not fix a date for a preliminary conference under subsection (2), the Court must fix a date for the hearing of the application which, if an interim workplace protection order is sought, must be returned before the Court as a matter of priority, as far as is practicable.

The Court must, on fixing a date for a preliminary conference or for the hearing of an application, issue a summons for the appearance of the defendant on the date fixed.

A summons for the appearance of the defendant must be served on the defendant—

personally; or

in some other manner as may be authorised by the Court.