Today’s concession by Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans on Labor’s harmonisation of occupational health and safety laws is a welcome and common sense approach according to Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Eric Abetz.

Minister Evans has today conceded that businesses will be able to delay implementing new national health and safety laws by up to 12 months if the regulations result in them having to undertake significant change. Given that almost eve...

“The Coalition has been calling for a delay on these laws for months. The new laws are set to come into effect on 1 January yet Labor have taken their time in finalising the Model Legislation and Model Regulations – not to mention that the Model Codes of Practice are still out for public comment until 18 December,” Senator Abetz said today.

“While this measure doesn’t go far enough, the Coalition welcomes that the Minister has managed to get something half right.”

“Only today will we debate the Work Health Safety bill in the Senate, just a month and a half out from when the laws come into effect.”

“There are still some very serious concerns with the harmonisation, concerns that the Coalition will seek to address with amendments in the Senate later today.”

“Also of great concern is the Access Economics report on the legislation that says there will be ‘winners and losers’ in regards to small business. Given Labor’s vendetta against small business, this is deeply troubling.”

“This is just another debacle from a Minister who weakened our borders, almost shut down the Queensland Community Services sector and grounded Qantas through inaction.”

“But, to his credit – he got this one half right,” Senator Abetz said.