Senator Gerard P Craughwell - speech from 27 Mar 2020

Section 16, Senator Crockwell, go ahead. Thank you very much, Laskair. Very briefly, Minister, we are in an area here dealing with health and mental health. One of the issues this government has been very clear on is what companies should be doing and what they shouldn't be doing. I am getting word from people who work in areas such as, for example, safety deposit companies, where there are closed rooms, only one door in safety deposit boxes, and staff have been told this is a critical business, it has to stay open. I find that very hard to believe. I'm also hearing about supplement companies who provide food supplements in the area of bodybuilding and things like that, that they're a critical food provider. Now, I think, Minister, a statement from you, I've spoken to the Minister for Finance as well, about people being a little bit more honest with their workers. This is putting workers under severe mental stress that they are having to go into areas where they feel threatened when there should be no need for them to go in there. So, I think if those companies come to the light of the government, action should be taken, and I'm quite happy to share the names of the companies which are outside of this chamber, but I think I need to put it on the record. Companies need to look after their staff and the mental health of their staff. Okay, thank you, Senator Crockwell.