By April Murphy
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced at the Labour Day Celebrations in Barcaldine that the Queensland Worker Safety Net is due for review.
“Our industrial protections must keep pace with the changing shape of work to ensure everyone gets a fair go,” the Premier said.
The sexual harassment protections for workers will be investigated as part of a review of Queensland’s industrial relations laws. The Premier stated that sexual harassment and gender inequity in the workplace are pressing issues that need addressing.
“Our review of the Industrial Relations Act will investigate industrial protections for workers subjected to sexual harassment, including the independent Queensland Industrial Relations Commission having the power to make anti-sexual harassment orders.
The review is also said to investigate protections for workers in precarious and short-term employment arrangements in Queensland, such as independent courier drivers.”
The Premier said the review would dovetail with the Palaszczuk Government’s response to the recommendations of Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report.
The review will commence soon and will include extensive consultation with unions and other stakeholders.
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the Palaszczuk Labour Government had a proud record of protecting workers’ rights.
“We were the first state in Australia to make industrial manslaughter an offence, which now carries maximum penalties of 20-year jail terms and fines of up to $10 million,” says Minister Grace.
Ms Grace cited the reforms delivered to mine safety and built fair wages into significant infrastructure projects. She pointed up the portable long service leave for Queensland’s 40,000 or so community sector workers, most of them women, and the nation’s first paid domestic, and family violence leave.