Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Assistant Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

The Work Health and Safety Amendment (Norfolk Island) Bill 2021 will clarify how the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act applies to the Australian government's activities on Norfolk Island. It does this by removing obsolete exclusions for Norfolk Island from the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act. The amendments in the bill will ensure that all persons involved in Commonwealth work on Norfolk Island understand how the Work Health and Safety Act applies. For example, it will make clear to local entities engaged by the Commonwealth that they need to assist the Commonwealth to comply with its work health and safety obligations under the Commonwealth act. This will assist the Australian government to meet its work health and safety obligations under the act in relation to Norfolk Island. This will in turn foster the advancement of health and safety in workplaces on the island. This bill is a small reform but an important one that reflects the government's ongoing commitment to protecting workers and other persons against harm to their health, safety and welfare through the elimination or minimisation of risks arising from work.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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