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ARTICLE · 11 AUGUST 2014

Why we need new work and safety laws now

Holding Redlich
Holding Redlich
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At present, businesses employing staff across states comply with different work health and safety regulatory regimes.

AustraliaEmployment and HR
Matthew Orr
Matthew Orr
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Most businesses that employ staff across states must comply with up to eight different work health and safety regulatory regimes.

It's a complicated, red-tape heavy system.

But a bill before Parliament could change that if it is passed.

A Senate committee last week gave the green light to the federal government's Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2014, saying big changes to the existing system are "necessary to significantly reduce compliance costs, simplify processes and boost productivity and efficiency for businesses that operate and employ across multiple jurisdictions".

The proposed changes will see a significant streamlining of WHS obligations for businesses that operate in more than one of the country's states or territories.

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