Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

Spoke about the importance of union delegates and workplace health and safety representatives in keeping workplaces safe, emphasising that safety systems alone do not save lives but rather the daily work of people on the ground.

“Anything we can do to further improve communication between workers and workplace health and safety representatives to improve the culture in a workplace is a good thing, and I think that is what this bill does.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As Minister for Industrial Relations, introduced the bill implementing recommendations from independent reviews of the Work Health and Safety Act. Emphasised the government's commitment to worker safety and praised the committee for recommending the bill be passed.

“The Miles government is fundamentally committed to protecting the health and safety of Queensland workers. Every single worker deserves to be safe at work and then go home safe to their families. Workers sell their labour, not their health.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Strongly opposed the bill, arguing it is a protection racket for Labor's union donors rather than genuine workplace safety legislation, and criticised the exclusion of non-registered unions like the Red Union Support Hub from representing workers.

“Let us call this bill 'Thank our donors and pay them back bill'. Labor members are no doubt licking their lips at this one, saying to their union masters, 'Keep the money rolling into our bank accounts because we'll make sure the workers of Queensland are forced to dig into their pockets and roll money into yours.'”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As Deputy Leader of the Opposition, argued the bill is designed to benefit the union movement and Labor Party rather than workers. Criticised the independence of the review that recommended the changes and argued the bill restricts worker choice by preventing non-union associations from representing workers.

“This bill is not about workplace health and safety, although that is in the title. This bill is about union encouragement and union membership; it is not about choice for workers, it is not about choice for nurses, it is not about choice for teachers.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as strengthening Queensland's nation-leading workplace safety laws, emphasising the role of health and safety representatives and criticising the LNP's 2013 WorkCover changes that harmed injured workers.

“This bill again makes Queensland the nation-leading state in workplace health and safety standards. We are committed, and we are focused on making our workplaces safe for all Queensland workers, both young and old, and on reducing all workplace injuries and fatalities to zero.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill and criticised the opposition's track record on worker protections, citing their votes against labour hire laws, paid domestic violence leave, and industrial manslaughter laws. Defended registered unions against what she called unregistered 'fake unions' promoted by the LNP.

“Nobody can take the member for Kawana seriously when it comes to protecting Queensland workers here in this state. That is absolutely an absurd proposition.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Opposed the bill as a clear attempt to bolster union power under the guise of health and safety, citing union disruption on Gold Coast construction projects including the Gold Coast University Hospital and Commonwealth Games sites.

“It is a clear attempt to bolster the power and influence of unions within workplaces under the guise of promoting health and safety.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Strongly opposed the bill, arguing it destroys workers' right to choose their representation and benefits the Labor Party's union benefactors. Questioned the independence of the review and argued members receiving union support should not vote on the bill due to conflicts of interest.

“What a wicked corruption this bill is. What a disgrace that we have members of the Labor Party who are—all of them, I understand—in one way or another, in receipt of support from the union movement. This bill is a wholesale destruction of the right of choice for workers.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, defending unions as collectives of workers and arguing the bill empowers workers to identify safety risks, criticising the LNP's statement of reservation as code for backing 'fake and fraudulent' red unions.

“Workers know their workplace—and the member for Stretton highlighted this very well. They know their workplace better than anyone else and they know when their workplace is safe and when it is not safe.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As a proud AWU member and former committee member, supported the bill as part of Labor's continued support for Queensland workers. Defended the integrity of reviewer Deirdre Swan and criticised the opposition's attacks on independent decision-makers.

“I rise today to proudly speak in support of the Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023. I do so as a proud member for Stafford and also as a former member of the Education, Employment and Training Committee that has dealt with a significant number of IR reforms during my time in this place.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing it creates a union monopoly over workplace health and safety representation, expressing concern about unions being able to enter and shut down worksites where they have no members, and criticising the lack of fit and proper person tests.

“One of the things that worries me about this bill is that the unions will be given monopolistic control over what will happen in particular workplaces.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As a committee member, spoke in support of the bill's safety objectives while noting concerns about cease work directions. Drew on his mining and construction background to emphasise the importance of workplace safety and the ability to report incidents.

“Deaths and near misses should also be considered when voting on this legislation. The ability for workplaces to remain safe places and the ability for people to report those instances should be paramount. I come from a mining and construction background.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Supported the bill as strengthening Queensland's already nation-leading workplace health and safety laws, criticising the LNP's hypocrisy in claiming to support safer workplaces while voting against worker protections, and highlighting links between red unions and the LNP.

“Every worker deserves to come home safe at the end of their shift or at the end of their working day. Absolutely no-one should be killed at work.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing it entrenches union influence rather than advancing worker safety. Claimed it restricts workers' ability to choose who advocates on their behalf and creates a monopoly for predetermined unions to represent workers on health and safety matters.

“The LNP do not agree that the Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill should be passed. We do not agree it should be passed because we do not agree that the bill seeks to advance the safety of workers.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

The Greens unreservedly support the bill as it improves workers' ability to organise, negotiate and participate in workplace health and safety, though called on Labor to go further in backing workers' rights to organise and take industrial action.

“The Greens absolutely commend and support this bill and the tools it gives workers to do just that.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as recommended by the committee. Provided historical context on the evolution of workplace health and safety legislation from the 19th century and outlined the key reforms including strengthening HSR roles and clarifying entry permit holder rights.

“The Education, Employment, Training and Skills Committee in its report No. 2 to the 57th Parliament, tabled in this Assembly on 23 February 2024, has recommended to the Assembly that this bill be passed.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, sharing his personal experience of losing his uncle Alan in a workplace accident, defending his experience as a workplace health and safety representative, and criticising fake red unions as LNP-linked organisations designed to undermine Labor.

“I will stand up for the rights of workers every single day. I will push for better laws that make sure we keep workers in this state safe so that people like my uncle can go to work and can come home and do not get killed.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Criticised the bill as a backward step for worker safety, arguing it removes workers' right to choose their representatives and empowers Labor-affiliated unions to represent workers even against their wishes. Noted the union connections of the reviewers who recommended the changes.

“In fact, this bill removes a worker's right to choose who is involved in representing their interests. It empowers a Labor Party-supporting and/or affiliated trade union to barge in and represent workers on workplace health and safety matters, even in cases where such intervention by the union is opposed by the workers concerned.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Opposed the bill as a 'payback' to Labor's union donors, arguing the so-called independent review was rigged, that Labor blocked other organisations from becoming registered unions and then called them fake, and criticising QCU funding.

“This is a payback for all members opposite who rely on the union movement for their bread and butter and their seat in this House.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As a former union official, strongly supported the bill and workers' rights to be represented by real trade unions. Criticised the opposition's voting record against worker protections and attacked unregistered 'fake unions' as attempts to undermine workers' rights.

“This bill is another example of Labor enacting legislation that supports workers and their right to go home safety to their families. We are strengthening workplace health and safety laws in Queensland and building on the substantial safety reforms of 2017 which introduced the offence of industrial manslaughter.”— 2024-03-20View Hansard

Supported the bill, emphasising that unions are simply groups of workers from communities, extending condolences to those who have lost family members to workplace accidents, and noting the importance of workers being able to identify safety issues.

“I know that it is the workers on work sites who are the best people to identify incidents at work.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

While supporting the idea of safe workplaces, opposed the bill for failing to require proper training (such as Certificate IV) for site inspectors, lacking a fit and proper person test, and limiting workers' freedom of association to choose their representative organisation.

“People should have the right to find an association they deem appropriate to represent themselves.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as codifying workplace health and safety improvements, clarifying that workplace health and safety reps are workers on the site not union officials, and criticising LNP hypocrisy for not giving red unions the same powers when they were in government.

“One person is one too many when it comes to workplace deaths. That is why our government introduced the offence of industrial manslaughter back in 2017 and the independent Work Health and Safety Prosecutor.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard

As Minister, delivered the reply speech strongly supporting the bill, emphasising it empowers workers to elect their own workplace health and safety representatives with proper training and support, refuting claims of new shutdown powers, and sharing her father's workplace accident story.

“Workers sell their labour, not their health.”— 2024-03-21View Hansard