Services Australia secures temporary protection order from client who threatened to stab staff

An initial judgment, pending final orders, has been made concerning alleged repeated harassing behaviour towards Services Australia staff.

Judge Sophie Given of the Federal Circuit and Family Court has placed an interim Commonwealth Workplace Protection Order (CWPO) against a 48-year-old woman who allegedly committed multiple acts of physical and verbal assault on Services Australia staff.

The individual, identified as a client of Services Australia by receipt of jobseeker payments and a pension, had allegedly led to intervention orders from two members of staff, at least 15 visits from police, and at least 13 partial or complete lockdowns.

A hearing took place on 30 July 2026 after Services Australia sought both interim and final orders pursuant to the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Act 2025. The agency proposed that the respondent be prohibited from entering any premises that facilitate Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support services, as well as further distance and contact conditions.

According to evidence from an employee, the respondent’s alleged behaviour included swearing and conducting counterproductive behaviour on calls with Services Australia staff, necessitating the call’s termination; making threats of self-harm to or in the presence of staff; threatening to grab a staff member by the throat; threatening to stab a staff member, claiming their murder has been ordered; waiting for staff around their workplace out of hours; and punching the windows of Services Australia premises on two occasions.

The respondent was already subject to an existing Managed Service Plan (MSP) that limited modes by which they can engage with the applicant; this was allegedly unsuccessful in curbing the aggressive and abusive behaviour.

While noting the proposed restriction “will likely cause some inconvenience to the respondent if she is unable to physically attend Services Australia premises”, Judge Given concluded that there is a strong likelihood of repeat conduct: “The court is satisfied that interim order 1(a) is necessary and desirable to prevent [the respondent] from engaging in further personal violence in respect of Services Australia staff and clients.”

Further, it was noted that the act was introduced “to provide legal protections for Commonwealth workplaces and workers, and deter acts of violence and other harmful behaviours by members of the public in response to what were said to be ‘significant’ workplace health and safety risks faced by Commonwealth workers and workplaces, particularly those in frontline service-delivery”.

Judge Given was therefore satisfied that the respondent engaged in personal violence as described by the act and that the application for an interim CWPO was valid under section 12.

The interim order dictated that the respondent must not enter any Services Australia premises, be within 20 meters of the Shepparton Service Centre or its carpark, contact any staff member except by telephone or mail, be within 10 meters of any person recognised or identified as a staff member, or engage in any behaviour that would constitute personal violence.

Included with the court’s order was a penal notice that read: “It is an offence to contravene a Commonwealth Workplace Protection Order. If you disobey an order or condition of order 1 above, you will be liable to imprisonment or penalty, or both.”

The order is active for a period of 12 months unless otherwise abbreviated or carried by the court.

Directions and final order are anticipated to be made at the next scheduled hearing on 10 September.

Case citation: Chief Executive Officer Services Australia v Bryce [2026] FedCFamC2G 1542

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