Timeline
26 May 2005
Federal government announces the WorkChoices package — a major shift in the industrial relations landscape of Australia.
July 2005
DIR begins free workplace health and safety consultations for small business. By 30 June 2006, more than 800 consultations had been undertaken.
September 2005
Memorandum of Agreement completed with Queensland Council of Unions for consistent wage outcomes and enhanced employment conditions for public sector workers — includes increasing paid maternity/adoption leave from six to twelve weeks.
October 2005
Work Safe Week focuses on prevention of sprain and strain injuries — the most common type of workplace injury. More than 2,100 people attend more than 85 events across Queensland.
2 November 2005
Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Acts Amendment Act 2005
commences — enhanced workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers and adoption of aspects of the National Standard for Construction Work.
December 2005
Workplace Relations Amendment (WorkChoices) Bill 2005 passed. Under the new system, the federal government will establish the Australian Fair Pay and Conditions Standard of five minimum conditions for employees.
DIR launches the Fair Go Queensland Advisory Service to help workers and employers understand the impact of the WorkChoices changes.
Role change for department.
Three units of DIR’s Division of Public Sector and Employee and Industrial Relations become part of the Office of Public Sector Merit and Equity. DIR continues to focus on wages policy, remuneration generally and conditions of employment.
December 2005 - March 2006
Assisting in Queensland Health’s reform agenda.
DIR took a lead role in developing industrial strategies for Queensland Health’s certified agreements (agreements for nurses, medical staff and other staff). This included piloting facilitated interest-based bargaining to allow the parties to explore problem-solving approaches rather than adversarial positional bargaining.
1 January 2006
Workers' Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2005 – changes to a range of requirements relating to: asbestos, construction, licences and certificates for prescribed occupations, mobile cranes and tower cranes registration, and workers' compensation and rehabilitation.
30 January 2006
Queensland announces it will be part of state and territory governments’ High Court Challenge to WorkChoices.
1 March 2006
Electrical safety regulation change.
Owners of domestic rental accommodation are required to install safety switches within six months of a new lease starting.
27 March 2006
Commencement of the federal government’s WorkChoices legislation.
30 March 2006
Worker’s Compensation and Rehabilitation Amendment Act 2006 preserved Queensland’s medical assessment tribunals as a non-adversarial and independent medical assessment of workers’ injuries or impairments in a non-threatening environment.
March and April 2006
More than 1,500 people attend seminars about changes to workplace health and safety laws and report high levels of satisfaction.
Cyclone Larry clean-up
In Innisfail and surrounding districts, DIR officers work to ensure that work is carried out safely – in the immediate aftermath and during the continuing rebuilding process.
May 2006
Right of entry legislation passed.
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 amended to give unions the right to enter workplaces on health and safety grounds — part of the Queensland Government’s response to the federal government’s new WorkChoices laws.
Don’t DIY
Electrical safety advertising campaign focusing on safety switches and ‘Don’t Do It Yourself electrical work’.
June 2006
Queensland Work Safe Awards — call for nominations in the inaugural Queensland Work Safe Awards.
1 July 2006
Commencement of the Child Employment Act 2006, Child Employment Regulation 2006 and the Children and Young Workers Code of Practice 2006. The code identifies a number of hazards that can represent particular risks to young workers.
Asbestos
Workers must hold a new 'B' class licence to remove 10 square metres or more of bonded asbestos in Queensland. That’s equal to about four standard sheets of plasterboard.
Last updated November 7, 2006
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