A Senate Committee has backed new protections for Commonwealth frontline workers.

A Senate committee has endorsed the Criminal Code Amendment (Protecting Commonwealth Frontline Workers) Bill 2024. 

The bill proposes increasing penalties for offences against Commonwealth frontline workers. 

Harmful conduct would now carry a maximum penalty of 13 years' imprisonment, up from 10 years. 

Threats of serious harm would see penalties increase from seven years to nine years. This means assaulting a Services Australia worker would incur the same penalty as assaulting law enforcement or judicial officers.

Following the stabbing of Services Australia worker Joeanne Cassar last year, the government commissioned a review led by former Victorian Police commissioner Graham Ashton. 

The review, which resulted in 44 accepted recommendations, led to a $314 million allocation in the 2024 federal budget to enhance security measures, including additional security guards and improved CCTV.

During 2022-23, Services Australia reported almost 9,000 incidents of customer aggression during 10 million face-to-face interactions. 

The new legislation aims to ensure the safety of frontline workers who face increasing violence from the public.

More details are accessible here.