WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY CODES OF PRACTICE REVIEW

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:56): I move:

That this council urges the Minister for Industrial Relations—

1. To refer for further review the codes of practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, made on 20 December 2012 and laid on the table of this council on 19 February 2013, viz.:

Construction Work Code of Practice;

Preventing Falls in Housing Construction Code of Practice; and

Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice

to the Small Business Commissioner.

2. To ensure that the review includes further consultation with relevant groups of the construction sector, including the Housing Industry Association, the Master Builders Association and small builders.

3. To require a report to the minister containing recommendations to improve the abovementioned codes and to table such report in parliament as soon as it is reasonably practicable.

As everyone here knows, this chamber very sensibly passed the Work Health and Safety Act. Under that act, there were codes of practice—Construction Work Code of Practice, Preventing Falls in Housing Construction Code of Practice, and Safe Design of Structures Code of Practice. Subsequent to the making of those codes of practice, a disallowance motion was moved in this chamber. This motion gives members an option to choose between disallowing those codes of practice or, quite sensibly, to make sure that there is a review to ensure that those codes of practice meet the purpose for which they were intended.

I urge all members to support this sensible way of making sure that the codes of practice are operating as intended, including consultation with the industry to make sure that that is the case.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.