The NSW government is considering introducing an industrial manslaughter offense with significant fines and prison sentences as part of a broader overhaul of workplace safety laws in the state.
This decision follows the launch of a consultation paper by Sophie Cotsis, Minister for Industrial Relations and Safety. Cotsis's paper notes that seven Australian jurisdictions—Queensland, Victoria, the ACT, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Commonwealth—have already integrated industrial manslaughter offenses into their laws.
The paper seeks feedback on proposed penalties and criteria for establishing industrial manslaughter, with submissions closing next Monday.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the NSW Auditor-General has raised concerns about SafeWork NSW's performance and outdated systems. Unions NSW described the report as 'an indictment of the regulator's conduct over the last decade' and is advocating for reforms, including direct parliamentary oversight and the inclusion of worker perspectives within the regulator.