According to an official budget speech by Victoria’s Treasurer, Kim Wells, that State will not be enacting the model Work Health and Safety laws. Under the subheading “A Stronger Victoria” (page 14), the Treasurer states
“The Government will not sign up to the current proposal for harmonised legislation for occupational health and safety. It offers little benefit for Victoria to offset the $3.4 billion of estimated costs, the majority of which falls on small business. Victoria will continue to work towards best practice legislation.”
The figure quoted is from the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report commissioned by the Victorian Government.
If the Government has made a firm decision on the new laws the questions that need to be asked now include:
- What standing will national Codes of Practice have in Victoria? Continue reading “Victoria bows out of OHS harmonisation”