Labor’s chaotic Right to Disconnect laws put Mallee employers at risk of criminal punishment if they contact employees outside of work hours.

“Mallee small business owners will need to become industrial relations lawyers – or fork out for them – to get their heads around these rushed amendments to Labor’s already bad Industrial Relations legislation,” Member for Mallee Anne Webster said.

“The Albanese Government did a dodgy deal with the Greens over the Right to Disconnect laws and then foolishly voted for the Greens amendment which contained criminal penalties, despite the ramifications for small business owners.”

The Right to Disconnect laws cast doubt over how farmers, hospitality managers, construction companies and even school principals engage with staff outside of regular working hours.

“Mallee business owners and managers face chaos and confusion over how to deal with crises when they occur and sometimes need to contact employees urgently, thanks to Labor’s desperate haste to pass terrible Industrial Relations legislation,” Dr Webster said.

“As we head back to Canberra for our second sitting week, the Coalition will be exposing the destructive impact this rushed deal will have on Australian small businesses, farmers and families,” she said.

“Now Labor are in a panic to pass new legislation to counter the bill and fix the Greens’ disconnection mess.  Frankly, an election cannot come soon enough to unwind the most productivity-sapping, economically destructive elements of this legislation.”