A recent report has highlighted serious fails within SafeWork NSW and criticised the agency for excessive “light touch” investigations into other government agencies.
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that SafeWork NSW was slammed in the report for their inadequate handling of internal complaints and lack of transparency for injured workers and their families.
The report, conducted across 12 months under the guidance of Robert McDougall, KC, highlighted numerous deficiencies within SafeWork NSW and proposed a total of 46 recommendations, including a call for the transformation of the agency into a standalone.
One of the key concerns in the report was the perception of SafeWork NSW having a “cosy relationship” with other government agencies. This resulted in a lack of action and a soft approach to inspecting and investigating these agencies and issues.
NSW Industrial Relations Minister, Sophie Cotsis addressed the report and vowed to fix the concerns raised.
Ms Cotsis committed to NSW workers to “never allow the health and safety regulator to be compromised so badly again.”
“Worker safety is not red tape, it is not a tick a box function, it is not a cost of doing business,” the Industrial Relations Minister said. “It is a fundamental right for every worker to go to their job and come home safely.”
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
