CHILD EMPLOYMENT BILL - Letter to the Editor

September 22nd, 2003

The Editor

The controversial Child Employment Bill has still not yet been passed by the Parliament. The Bracks Government has announced a back down on grandparents, aunts and uncles requiring police checks, but you will still have to obtain an annual permit to have your grandchild, niece or nephew come and help out on the farm or your small business. These permits will among other things, require you to list the type of work the child may be involved in, hours of work, who is the supervisor and will have to be signed by the child's parents and school principal. If a permit is not obtained you could be visited by a child employment officer and face a fine of up to $6,000. This is regardless of whether the child receives payment or not.

The National Party views this as an outrageous and an unnecessary intrusion into family relationships, typical of the social engineering policies of the Bracks Government.

The Vic Nats will be moving amendments to the legislation to remove the requirement for family members to obtain work permits. The Government has bowed to public pressure to remove police checks and it is not too late for them to remove work permits. I strongly urge you to write to the Premier, Minister Hulls and local Labor MPs to again voice your protest. If you want some help in doing this or require further information, please call my office on 5174 7066. The legislation will be debated in the Legislative Council on October 7th.

Yours sincerely,

PETER HALL MLC
MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND PROVINCE
& LEADER VIC NATS, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL