With the Model Work Health & Safety Bill due to be tabled in federal parliament shortly, substantive changes must be made to the legislation which, as it stands, is unworkable and unfair for employers and industry.
Developments in recent weeks include the NSW Government threatening to renege on adopting the Model Bill, which all states and territories have promised to use as the basis of their work health and safety systems from 1 January 2012. This shows that state government stakeholders, in response to pressure from the labour movement, remain committed to making substantive changes to the legislation rather than just minor technical amendments.