Released 11/04/2024
The ACT Government is delivering stronger work health and safety laws to better protect Canberra’s workers following a national agreement on model workplace safety.
The changes implement a nationally consistent and proportionate approach to sanctions for breaches of WHS duties and obligations and include applying the model penalty amount for industrial manslaughter offences of $18 million, as well as strengthening the rules for establishing corporate criminal liability.
Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Mick Gentleman, said the changes reinforce the ACT Government’s commitment to protecting the health and wellbeing of all working people.
“These latest changes to strengthen WHS penalties and offences in the ACT is yet another step to deliver safe and healthy workplaces for the whole Canberra community and are an important continuation of our stance on WHS standards and continued improvements in industrial reform,” Minister Gentleman said.
“We know that safe and healthy workplaces are the right of all people, and I am proud that in the ACT our achievements in work health and safety reform are nation leading.”
The indexation of penalty levels within the WHS framework will ensure that penalties remain consistent with community expectations and an effective regulatory tool in addressing non-compliance and poor workplace safety practices.
The Workplace Legislation Amendment Act also fixes the date for commencement of the expansion of the ACT’s portable long service leave schemes of 1 April 2025, after a two-year transition period.
Expansion to the hairdressing, beauty services, accommodation, and food services industries was passed by the Legislative Assembly in 2023.
The Parliamentary and Governing Agreement (PAGA) commits to reviewing and amending work health and safety (WHS) laws to keep Canberrans safe.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases