A statement from Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Mark Stone AM:
The Victorian Chamber strongly supports the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition commitment to moving a series of amendments to the Workplace Manslaughter Bill when it returns to the Victorian Parliament next week.
These amendments address key concerns raised by employers with the bill:
- Employees should be included in the offence
- Maintain existing protections against self-incrimination
- Qualify the direct attribution of the criminally negligent conduct of employees to a body corporate
4. Exclude circumstances where an individual or family business could be prosecuted in relation to the workplace death of a relative.
We consider that, without these changes, the legislation will have detrimental effects on safety, investment and jobs.
The Coalition is also seeking an important clarification that the offence will apply to senior officers of the crown such as Ministers and Departmental Secretaries.
With such significant penalties it is vital that the Government gets this law right.
The new law must have safety as its number one objective and be workable, proportionate, fair, support continuing collaboration on workplace safety and avoid unintended outcomes.
Victorian employers and employees have a shared responsibility for safety by working together. This collaborative approach is working with Victoria’s workplace injury rate remaining at a near record low.
Employers are working with the Government, opposition and cross bench to ensure that these laws are fair and equitable and deliver improved workplace safety outcomes.
