Independent review of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

The Queensland Government has commissioned an independent review of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to support proposed amendments to the state’s WHS laws introduced to Parliament late last year.

The review will consider a number of factors and considerations, including:

• the WHSQ inspectorate, including resourcing, training, accountability, decision-making consistency, and enforcement and compliance capacity
• policies and procedures to ensure the inspectorate is supported and meets stakeholder and community expectations of transparency, accountability, timeliness and consistency
• the interaction between WHSQ’s policy teams and the inspectorate to ensure policy is implemented in practice
• ensuring regular and robust proactive external engagement occurs with stakeholders and the community
• transparency and accountability of data and decision-making.
  
  

The review will be led by former Managing Director of Hutchinson Builders, Greg Quinn, who will consult with industry stakeholders, including the Work Health and Safety Board and Committees, the Affected Persons Committee, registered unions and registered employer organisations, and WHSQ staff.

A report on the review’s findings is anticipated to be delivered to Minister for Industrial Relations, Grace Grace, by mid-year.

“It is timely that an independent review is conducted of Work Health and Safety Queensland to complement the legislative changes we have before Parliament,” said Minister Grace, who said Quinn is well-placed to lead the review and has a long history of working effectively with industry and unions.

“As a former Chair of the Work Health and Safety Board he has demonstrated a strong commitment to work health and safety.”