New WHS and anti-bullying laws are now in place in NSW, and they give more power to unions and safety reps.
Amongst these are:
- If you receive a Provisional Improvement Notice (PIN) from a Health and Safety Representative, you must notify SafeWork NSW straight away.
- Union permit holders now have expanded rights to take photos, videos, and conduct on-site tests during safety inspections.
- Unions can now directly prosecute WHS breaches if the regulator doesn’t act.
- New powers for the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to issue stop orders for bullying and sexual harassment—civil penalties now apply.
If you operate in NSW, expect tighter scrutiny on-site and a more aggressive union presence. Check your WHS procedures and incident reporting.
If you need advice or want to talk through how any of these changes impact your business, please contact our Advisory Team at workplace@mba.org.au or 02 6175 5900.
