A parliamentary inquiry has recommended the passage of a Bill increasing Queensland's maximum mine safety fines 15-fold to nearly $3.8 million, despite non-Government members raising concerns about the possibility of duty holders being penalised twice for the same breach under the changes.
WHS amendments that recently passed in Queensland and will be pushed nationally effectively mandate risk management, while the industrial manslaughter provisions "create conflict" in the operation of the WHS Act, according to leading health and safety lawyer Michael Tooma.
Safety regulations for transporting mobile cranes are likely to be overhauled, with a coronial inquest into a double fatality making a series of recommendations to Safe Work Australia, WHS and road regulators and a crane manufacturer.
Queensland's controversial 67-page WHS Bill passed Parliament last night, with amendments explicitly excluding lack of intent as a defence against the new industrial manslaughter offence.
Queensland will push for industrial manslaughter provisions and other safety amendments to be adopted nationally during the upcoming review of the model WHS Act, a parliamentary committee inquiry has revealed.
Mine safety laws in Queensland are being amended to increase the maximum fine 15-fold to nearly $3.8 million, indexed annually, and introduce civil penalties of up to $126,150.