BOAZ_David: << "lazy or deceptive opportunistic work attitudes" should also be an offense (sic). >>

That's just scary. You frequently mention Orwell - I suggest you actually read some of his stuff.

The bullers are authoritarian characters with low maturity, responsibility and sensitivity.
I supposed they grew up in a bad environment, where the human integrity, personality was not respected.
These persons do not understand what mean human integrity or self respect.
Usually bulers are right BUT THERE ARE MANY LEFT BULLERS TOO.
They are YES men, the only way to savvy of cause their bad behave. They are very submissive to the managment and very authoritarian, hard and violently to persons unter them.
These cheap, dirty, uncivilized persons create HUGE PROBLEMS TO MIGRANTS, MUSLIMS, WOMEN OR YOUNG EMPLOYEES.
It is very usefull if we could sent some of them in prison, in other case Australia will pay hard of cause the bullers in workplaces
They destroy lifes, destroy families, they create HUGE problems in the relations between Anglo and not Anglo Australians.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Under Federal Anti-Discrimination Law an employer, regardless of size, may be legally responsible for discrimination and harrassment which occurs in the workplace.

Employers must actively implement precautionary measures to minimise the risk of discrimination and harrassment occuring.

See the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity.com information about anti-discrimination policies and complaint handling and workplace bullying.

Visit Workplace Ombudsman website for Workplace Rights and Rules.

Contact the Workplace Authority 'Workplace Infoline.'

Did you FOXY come from an other planet?
If an employee follow youe advices brobably he/she would lose her/his job and never again find one.
Do you know how many ways have employers to suck an employee, if they want? Ouuou!!
Do you know how difficult is to find your rightfrom discrimination in Australia? Read the report of Human Rights Commission of UN, about Australia.
Many times the law created only as a cover!
You know that in the White Australia time, any migrant had the right for citizenship test? No one from non Anglos passed it! because it was unknown language, for non Anglo migrants.
The BIG question is if there is the willing from to protect employees from bullying and harassment in the workplace.
My answer, from my experiences in Australia for more than 15 years is N_O.
THE LAW CAN NOT BREAK THE THICK WALLS OF THE BUSINESS.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Boaz, "lazy or deceptive opportunistic work practises should also be an offense". No, just sack-able. You just can't legislate a good work ethic. I take your point that 'bullying' may be co-workers' intolerance of bludgers. I've seen plenty of this.

Likewise, any decent group will quite naturally weed out real bullies if given the chance. Legislation already exists, but short of an Orwellian/Ruddian utopia workability will always be flawed.

See you in the re-education camp bro.

I don't know that a group always does weed out the bullies... I think in reality often the bullies win, what they win is stuff like territory or being top dog or what ever...

They do this with intimidation, like social pressure not to be seen as a dobber or get the bully or their mates on your back...

They win also by mis-using legislation, claiming victimization that may not be so...

My theory is that bulling and the various bad behaviors are like a regression to grade 7 for all of us... I think it might be worth looking into stopping trying to force it to stop as I doubt it will.

IE: Even when people are polite as pie, with the sweetest smile they can be so nasty too...

Maybe a different approach, separate people at work rather than try and force resolution of a conflict..