NEW REPORT GIVES HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS THUMBS UP

Wednesday, 19 December 2007
The Brumby Government today welcomed a new report that confirms Victoria is the Australian leader in workplace safety.

The independent review of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 found overwhelming agreement from employers and unions that the new legislation, introduced in 2005, was ‘sound’ and ‘working as intended’.

The Minister for Finance, WorkCover and the TAC, Mr Tim Holding, said the review, completed after extensive consultation with trade unions, employer associations and other Victorian organisations, was a strong endorsement of the new laws.

“It is clear from this review that Victorian employers and workers are meeting the challenges of the new legislation and are succeeding in making workplaces safer,” Mr Holding said.

“The new Act demands that consultation be the key ingredient in workplace safety and the evidence coming from the shop floor is that it is working.”

The review found Victorian employers welcomed the importance of consulting with their workers, and supported the role of the Inspectors as well as better, easier to understand information being produced by the safety regulator, WorkSafe Victoria.

It also found unions believed the majority of the new Act helped to make Victorian workplaces safer.

“Of course, there is always more that can be done to enshrine the rights of workers to ensure that they make it through their work day safely,” Mr Holding said.

“We welcome the review’s recommendations and will consider them all carefully to make sure we maintain our position as the safest state in Australia to work.”

The review of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 fulfils a commitment given by the Government at the time the legislation was introduced.

The review was conducted by Mr Bob Stensholt MP, who also led the consultation process following Mr Chris Maxwell QC’s review of the Act in 2004.

“The Brumby Government is appreciative of the work that Mr Stensholt has done in completing this review in a timely and constructive manner,” Mr Holding said.

The Government will formally respond to the report in the first quarter of 2008.

The report is available at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au