Services Australia will face court over the stabbing of one of its employees at a Centrelink office. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions has charged Services Australia with breaching federal work health and safety laws over an attack on a Centrelink staff member.
A member of the public violently attacked Centrelink worker Joeanne Cassar at the Airport West Centrelink office on 23 May 2023. A subsequent Comcare investigation found Services Australia was negligent in its responsibilities to its staff.
Following the Comcare investigation, the CDPP filed a single charge alleging that Services Australia failed to comply with its duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
The incident sparked a review of security at Services Australia centres, resulting in $314 million in funding over two years to beef up security at 318 service centres.
Comcare’s investigation found Services Australia failed to comply with its primary health and safety duty to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers (section 19(1) of the WHS Act).
The charge alleges Services Australia failed to undertake a range of measures to eliminate or minimise the risk of physical violence to workers, including:
- Providing at least two uniformed security guards at the workplace at all times, including one guard inside the public entrance
- Managing entry to the workplace, and
- Giving the service centre manager the authority to decide whether managed entry to the workplace should be implemented and remain in place.
The charge is a Category 2 criminal offence under the WHS Act, carrying a maximum penalty of $1.5 million.
The matter is listed for mention in the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on 1 July 2025.
Comcare is a statutory authority of the Australian Government established under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act) and covered by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
It also administers the Commonwealth’s workers’ compensation scheme under the SRC Act and the WHS Act.
