This Member Advice provides important information about:

• Legislative Changes:
  
  • Queensland – changes to electrical regulation and new on the spot fines for WHS laws; new requirements for female amenities on construction sites; new state-based respect at work laws; guidance available in relation to recently implemented requirement to notify workers of right to seek election of health and safety representatives.
  • Western Australia – falls from height in construction; crystalline silica substances Statement of Regulatory Intent.
  • Tasmania – new Industrial Manslaughter provisions in the WHS Act.
  • Commonwealth – bullying and harassment legislation applicable to Commonwealth parliamentarians and their staff.
• Effective dates of previously advised legislation changes:
  
  • New South Wales Industrial Manslaughter – 16 September 2024.
  • South Australia WHS amendments – 1 September 2024.
• Bills before Parliament:
  
  • Western Australia – union right of entry provisions and sexual harassment.
• Communique – WHS Ministers meeting 2024.
• Artificial Intelligence – Voluntary Standard for AI Safety. Member online forum – 11 October 2024.
• Inquiries and public comment:
  
  • Western Australia – dangerous goods; falls in the construction industry; psychosocial hazards for fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers in the resources and construction sectors.
  • Review of Workplace Exposures Standards – now including aluminium welding fumes.
  • National guide for asbestos surveys.
  • Cannabis – status of recent inquiries and other relevant information related to work.
• Publications of interest.
• Opportunities to engage in policy discussions that are not public comment processes, with a list of active discussions.