Coalition Plans to Scrap Mental Health Legislation
Synopsis
Last year, Australia passed the “right to disconnect” law in February. The purpose of this mental health legislation is to allow employees to ignore work communications outside of work hours without being penalised. The…
Last year, Australia passed the “right to disconnect” law in February. The purpose of this mental health legislation is to allow employees to ignore work communications outside of work hours without being penalised. The law applies to companies with 15 employees or more.
The law, passed by the Labor government, came into effect in August 2024. However, the majority of Australian employers are lacking a formal policy around it.
Coalition’s Plans to Roll Back Mental Health Legislation
However, opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced intentions to scrap the new law. Michaelia Cash, shadow IR minister, has backed this commitment, saying the new law is “costly, it is confusing and … complex”.
Additionally, Cash said in a statement that the Coalition would consider evidence that mental health legislation should be broadened. However, she claimed that these protections had actually led to more work for some employees.
“There have long been protections against unreasonable overtime in the Fair Work Act, which we support. Employers also already have obligations to protect the health and safety of their staff, including their mental health. These obligations will continue,” she said.
What Supporters Say
Prof Patrick McGorry from the mental health organisation Orygen, has shown his support for mental health legislation.
“For most workers it’s not necessary for them to be available and work beyond the hours … If there is a need to contact people outside working hours, that should be formalised and they should be paid,” McGorry said.
McGorry said the policy around these laws should be applied differently depending on the job. For senior staff or employees who are better compensated, work may need to be more flexible. This should be up for discussion within the workplace, however.
Other health experts have spoken out about the importance of these policies as well. Prof Ian Hickie, from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, said they create better work-life balance.
The Rippling’s Workforce Dynamic Report 2025 revealed that more young Australians are suffering with job dissatisfaction and poor mental health. More than a third of survey respondents said they were dissatisfied or neutral about their job.
Sources:
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