Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (13:00): (868) I would like to ask the Minister for Industrial Relations for support to resolve an issue with the portable long service leave benefit scheme. The Portable Long Service Authority manages the entitlements of over 300,000 registered workers. The scheme was established in 2019, but organisations like Bendigo Baptist Community Care in my electorate have six employees who commenced work before 2019. They have made regular payments each quarter since the scheme commenced and several staff are eligible for long service leave, yet the authority has advised that because the scheme was set up in 2019, none of the staff will reach entitlement until 2026, in seven years. The scheme does not factor in any employee that may be entitled to long service leave prior to 2026. This community organisation has been told that they need to pay out again any long service leave accrued after 2019 and wait until 2026 to be reimbursed. I am happy to provide further contact details to the minister to ensure these claims are reimbursed without delay.