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.
After being flagged in the State budget more than seven years ago, Western Australia has finally introduced a mirror WHS Bill, which includes a two-level industrial manslaughter offence and a new duty of care for "WHS service providers". Meanwhile, the Northern Territory's industrial manslaughter laws have passed Parliament.