Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

In relation to the coalition's position on the amendment, whilst I understand the intent of the amendment, what it will do is mean there are no exceptions to the banning of insurance or indemnity from work health and safety penalties. The coalition can't support the amendment. The reasons being the main object of the Model Work Health and Safety Act is to provide for a balanced and nationally consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces. The amendment would mean that the Commonwealth is actually departing from the concept of the model work health and safety laws. I note that the Victorian government, in their legislation that passed in 2021, and the New South Wales government, in their legislation that passed in 2020, both have used similar wording to what is presented in this bill. On the basis that what we want to see is that national consistency, it is important for employers and employees that we continue to provide the nationally consistent framework of work health and safety laws and regulations.