A new industrial manslaughter offence and other key safety measures passed Federal Parliament today, under a Government deal with crossbench senators, while new right-to-disconnect laws appear likely to be added to the Closing Loopholes Bill.
Special protections for first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder are among the "urgent worker safety measures", in the Federal Government's Closing Loopholes Bill, which two crossbench senators are attempting to fast-track through four separate pieces of legislation.
Businesses and public authorities covered by the Commonwealth jurisdiction's WHS laws could soon face the toughest WHS penalties in the country, under a major amendment Bill that will also introduce presumptive workers' compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Seven kinds of cancer have been added to the list of cancers, in the Commonwealth Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act, which are presumed to be caused by firefighting duties.
S-xual harassment committed in "connection with work" will be expressly prohibited under the Fair Work regime, while building productivity laws will re-focus on WHS outcomes, under two of many changes in a major Bill. Meanwhile, new domestic violence leave entitlements have passed Parliament.
Australia's new no-fault COVID-19 vaccine claims scheme will be applied retrospectively and, according to business groups, better facilitate workplace vaccination programs, reduce business risks and accelerate the reopening of the economy.