The national model Work Health and Safety Act, Regulations and related materials have been amended to reflect a wide range of recommendations from Marie Boland's independent review of the laws. Some states have already adopted some of the changes, while other jurisdictions are likely to follow suit soon.
The commencement date of Western Australia's mirror WHS Act has been delayed by about three months, but the State Parliament has passed laws allowing workers to seek orders to stop bullying and s-xual harassment.
Australia's WHS ministers have agreed to amend the model WHS Regulations to prescribe control measures for psychological risks, and significantly increase safety penalties, but proposed industrial manslaughter laws were voted down at their meeting yesterday.
Western Australia has taken a critical step closer to implementing industrial manslaughter laws and joining the harmonised WHS regime, with its Work Health and Safety Bill 2019 passing the Upper House with amendments last night.