Catherwood LibraryILR School

Four employees of Cafe Vamp in eastern Melbourne were each fined between 10 and 45 thousand dollars this week under the Victoria Occupational Health and Safety Act, some of the highest penalties ever awarded under the law. Additionally, the cafe itself was fined $220,000 on charges of failure to maintain a safe workplace, and failure to properly train and supervise employees. The fines are being hailed as a turning point in workplace bullying legislation in Australia. The four men, Marc Da Cruz, Nicholas Smallwood, Rhys MacAlpine, and Gabriel Toomey were fined for the excessive bullying of 19-year old employee Brodie Panlock, who committed suicide in 2006. The cafe was fined for its 'tacit approval' of the 'persistent and vicious' bullying.