Occupational health and safety (OHS) can feel like a humdrum career when working in a low-risk, well-managed organisation. But the wheels of change roll on. Here’s a quick sample of some of that activity over the last week or so that you are unlikely to see elsewhere.
International Worker Memorial Day (IWMD) events are usually moving and solemn occasions. Today’s event in Melbourne, Victoria, was a good example, but something was missing, especially given the calibre of dignitaries who were present. (A list of most of them is below)
Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari was on message as the first formal speaker. He was the only speaker who addressed the IWMD theme – The role of AI and digitalisation at work. He was followed by Premier Jacinta Allan, Melbourne Lord Mayor, Nick Reece, Acting CEO of WorkSafe Victoria, and Ash West. The Premier’s attendance was notable as I cannot remember the last time a Premier attended or spoke at this type of event.
WorkSafe Vcitoria’s annual awards night for 2024 was held last week. It was an unexceptional night, with around 400 in the audience, most of whom were award finalists and their colleagues. Although unexceptional, it was not dull, as the finalists’ stories were often compelling. However, the event needs a boost. Perhaps not to the flamboyance of earlier this century with over 1000 attendees and dancing into the night, as that would not be a good political look, but it needs something.
What was not notable was the politics of the evening.
At WorkSafe Victoria’s Awards night, Minister Ben Carroll said he was pleased to be involved with WorkSafe’s new 5-Year Plan to be launched on February 28,2025. WorkSafe executive Sam Jenkin summarized the plan’s principal aims in his speech. He said:
For personal reasons, Joe Calafiore, Chief Executive Officer of WorkSafe Victoria, announced his departure today after less than eighteen months. Narelle Beer departed in mid-2024.
Calafiore said in a staff email that:
“This job is 100% or nothing, and at this stage I am unable to commit the full focus that the role requires.”
WorkSafe Victoria Chair Bob Cameron told staff:
In January 2025, Kilvington Grammar was fined over $100,000 for breaches of occupational health and safety (OHS) laws related to the death of one of its students, 16-year-old diabetic Lachlan Cook, who was on an overseas school trip. The best source of publicly available reports on this case appears to be the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This article does not discuss the incident but focuses on the sentencing decisions and their relevance to OHS.
The Victoria Premier, Jacinta Allan, reshuffled her Cabinet and recently allocated responsibility for the Workcover and Transport Accident Commission portfolios to Deputy Premier Ben Carroll. This may be the first time a politician of that position has been given these portfolios. But what should Ben Carroll do now?
Continue reading “What should Victoria’s new WorkSafe Minister do now?”
