Business Franchise Australia

Behind the Headlines

Mowing franchisor offers to pay franchisees’ fines for lockdown breaches

 

The founder of home services franchise Jim’s Mowing has reportedly offered to pay any fines issued to his franchisees caught breaching Melbourne’s Stage 4 Covid-19 restrictions, according to a media report.

 

The offer has resulted in a warning from Victoria Police that they will “crack down hard” on Jim’s Mowing and a statement from the Premier that “there will be no mowing your lawns” until mid-September. In a television interview, Jim’s founder Jim Penman accused the Victorian premier of being a tyrant for the draconian measures.

 

 

The new laws due to come into effect in mid-2021 have been criticised by the federal Attorney-General, academics and business organisations who claim there is a risk that people will be prosecuted multiple times for the same offence under new state and existing federal laws. A team of inspectors will be empowered to police the laws which include fines of up to $1 million for businesses and up to 10 years’ jail for offending employers.

 

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