Serious child sex offenders as well as those charged and on bail will be prevented from working in any positions where they may have contact with under-age employees, under proposed new South Australian laws.
Current laws prevent convicted or alleged child sex offenders from child-related work, with the definition limited to jobs relating directly to children such as child care, tutoring or coaching.
Under the proposed changes, the definition will be expanded to include any work involving contact with a child, either face-to-face, by phone or by email in connection with any business or undertaking in which children are employed.
That could include businesses across the retail sector.
Exemptions can still be granted by police, and the restrictions will not apply where the contact is either fleeting or incidental, such as a brief crossover at a shift change.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher said every person had the right to be safe at work, especially children.
"This bill will ensure we are doing everything we can to protect our children in the workplace," he said.
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association secretary Josh Peak said young workers were already the most vulnerable across the community.
"That they could be working with registered child sex offenders is a disgrace," he said.
Mr Maher said the government would consult on the bill, with a view to introducing it to parliament in the coming months.
