Sustainability-related Regulations Database

The legislation establishes a comprehensive framework to combat modern slavery by mandating annual reporting from Australian entities and those operating in Australia with an annual consolidated revenue exceeding $100 million. These entities must detail modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains, outline actions taken to address these risks, and assess the effectiveness of their measures. All statements are made publicly available on a dedicated register. The legislation also creates the Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner, an independent body with functions focused on promoting compliance, supporting entities in addressing modern slavery risks, aiding victims, conducting research, raising awareness, and advocating for policy improvements. The Minister has powers to enforce compliance, including requesting explanations for non-compliance and publicly disclosing entities that fail to meet their reporting obligations.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive and nationally consistent framework for ensuring the health and safety of workers and workplaces. Its primary goal is to protect individuals from harm by mandating the elimination or minimisation of risks arising from work. It defines clear duties of care for businesses, their officers, and workers, as well as those managing workplaces or supplying plant and substances. The framework emphasizes mandatory consultation, representation, and cooperation on health and safety issues, alongside requirements for incident notification and authorization for certain activities. Regulators are empowered to monitor compliance, investigate, and enforce standards through notices, undertakings, and legal proceedings. The legislation promotes ongoing improvement in safety practices and fosters national harmonization of work health and safety laws.

This legislation supports farmers and their partners experiencing financial hardship by providing a comprehensive assistance framework. It offers a farm household allowance for up to four years within a ten-year period, contingent on an assets test and an activity test. Recipients must agree to a Financial Improvement Agreement, undertaking activities like training, seeking work, or receiving professional advice, with specified exemptions. The framework also funds these approved activities through an activity supplement and covers the cost of independent farm financial assessments to help evaluate financial options. Furthermore, it includes specific relief payments for those reaching the allowance's time limit and additional supplements for particular periods, aiming to foster long-term financial stability in the agricultural sector.

This legislation establishes a balanced framework for cooperative and productive workplace relations across Australia, aiming to promote national economic prosperity and social inclusion. It provides fair and flexible workplace laws that advance job security, gender equality, productivity, and economic growth. A guaranteed safety net of minimum terms and conditions is ensured through national employment standards, modern awards, and national minimum wage orders. The law protects against unfair individual employment agreements and extends minimum standards to regulated digital platform and road transport workers. It supports work-life balance through flexible arrangements, upholds freedom of association, prevents discrimination, and facilitates enterprise-level collective bargaining with clear rules. Effective dispute resolution and compliance mechanisms are central to achieving fairness and productivity, with consideration for the specific circumstances of small and medium-sized businesses.

This legislation establishes the Australian Human Rights Commission to promote and protect human rights and equal opportunity, with a particular focus on employment. It empowers the Commission to inquire into and conciliate complaints of unlawful discrimination and acts inconsistent with human rights. The Commission actively promotes public understanding through research and educational programs, and advises the government on human rights laws and compliance with international instruments. Additionally, it addresses systemic unlawful discrimination and enforces a positive duty related to sex discrimination, including issuing compliance notices. The legislation grants the Commission powers to obtain necessary information for its functions and outlines processes for redress in discrimination cases, while prohibiting interference with its work or victimisation of those who cooperate.

This legislation seeks to eliminate discrimination based on age across a wide range of areas, including employment, education, access to premises, and the provision of goods, services, and accommodation. It aims to ensure everyone has equal rights under the law, regardless of age, and promotes the full participation of all age groups in society. The law prohibits both direct and indirect age discrimination, as well as victimisation against those who assert their rights. It also outlaws publishing discriminatory advertisements. While establishing broad prohibitions, the legislation includes provisions for certain justified exemptions, such as those for genuine benefits provided to specific age groups or for differentiation based on sound actuarial or statistical data in areas like superannuation or insurance. Ultimately, it works to remove barriers and challenge negative stereotypes, particularly for older individuals in the workforce, fostering a more inclusive community.

This legislation aims to prevent and eliminate discrimination and harassment across various areas of public life, including work, education, housing, and services. It specifically targets discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and family responsibilities. The law also prohibits sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, hostile workplace environments, and victimisation. It places a positive duty on employers and businesses to take proactive, reasonable, and proportionate measures to eliminate these forms of unlawful conduct. The legislation supports international human rights principles by promoting the recognition and acceptance of equality between men and women, working towards achieving substantive equality. It also outlines enforcement functions for a human rights commission to ensure compliance and understanding.

A national framework is established to protect workers and other individuals from harm, ensuring safe work environments and practices. It outlines primary duties of care for businesses, officers, and workers, including provisions for industrial manslaughter offences. The framework mandates immediate incident notification, requires authorisations for specific work, and promotes consultation, representation, and participation through health and safety representatives and committees. It grants regulators powers to monitor compliance, enforce standards, and issue penalties. Additionally, it facilitates a silica worker register and requires suitable accommodation for rural workers, prohibiting discriminatory conduct and insurance for penalties, all while aiming for continuous improvement in workplace safety.

This legislation establishes a nationally consistent framework for work health and safety in Western Australia. Its primary purpose is to protect workers and other individuals from harm by requiring the elimination or minimisation of risks arising from work. It places duties of care on businesses, officers, and workers to ensure health and safety. The framework promotes fair workplace representation, consultation, and cooperation, encouraging participation in setting safety standards. It facilitates the provision of safety advice, information, and training. The legislation also ensures compliance through effective enforcement measures, including incident notification, inspector powers, and prohibiting insurance for fines, while aiming for continuous improvement and national harmonisation of safety laws.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for licensing and regulating providers of labour hire services. Its primary aims are to protect workers from exploitation and to promote integrity within the labour hire industry. The law mandates that all labour hire providers must hold a licence to operate, and prohibits engaging with unlicensed providers or attempting to circumvent the regulations. Applicants for a licence must demonstrate they are fit and proper persons and that their business is financially viable. Licensed providers are required to comply with all relevant laws, submit regular reports on their operations, ensure their nominated officers are available, and notify authorities of significant changes. A public register of licences is maintained for transparency.

This legislation establishes a mandatory licensing system to regulate the provision of labour hire services. Its core objective is to protect workers from exploitation by labour hire providers and host businesses, while significantly improving the transparency and integrity of the entire industry. The framework requires all providers to secure a licence, strictly prohibiting operations or arrangements with unlicensed entities. It sets out detailed application criteria, demanding declarations of legal compliance across areas like workplace, taxation, and migration laws. The law creates a dedicated Labour Hire Licensing Authority and Commissioner to manage licences, monitor adherence, and enforce regulations through inspections and civil penalties. It also mandates ongoing reporting, fee payments, accurate record-keeping, and full cooperation with regulatory bodies, ensuring high standards and accountability within the sector.

This legislation establishes a mandatory licensing scheme for labour hire services, aiming to protect workers from exploitation, safeguard licensed businesses from predatory practices, and uphold the integrity of the industry. It requires all providers to hold a licence and prohibits engaging with unlicensed services. The framework mandates licence holders to meet eligibility criteria, pay periodic fees, submit regular reports, and promptly notify authorities of significant changes. Provisions include strict requirements for responsible management, robust enforcement powers for monitoring compliance, and a public register for transparency. The legislation also prohibits false information and requires licence numbers in advertisements, ensuring accountability across the sector.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for licensing and regulating providers of labour hire services. Its primary purpose is to protect workers from exploitation and ensure that labour hire businesses meet their legal and ethical obligations. It aims to foster integrity and responsible practices within the labour hire industry. A key feature is a mandatory licensing scheme, requiring all labour hire providers to obtain and maintain a licence, demonstrating their suitability and adherence to workplace laws. A public register of licensed providers enhances transparency. The legislation outlines penalties for operating without a licence, breaching conditions, or engaging unlicensed providers. It also grants powers for monitoring compliance, conducting investigations, and taking regulatory action, ensuring a fair and compliant labour hire market.

This legislation establishes a modern and robust framework for regulating apprenticeships and traineeships in Queensland. Its core purpose is to cultivate a skilled workforce that effectively meets the current and future needs of industry, government, and the community, thereby strengthening the state’s economic base. It facilitates high-quality vocational education and training directly linked to employment, supporting individuals in accessing and completing the skills training required for job readiness and personal prosperity. The legislation streamlines the system through provisions governing training contracts, outlining specific obligations for employers and training organisations, and establishing mechanisms for compliance, including inspector powers and a Training Ombudsman. It aims to support industries and employers in fostering and retaining apprentices and trainees, ensuring a responsive and flexible approach to trade training.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating apprenticeships and traineeships across various vocations. It outlines processes for designating recognised trades, setting training guidelines, and formalising training contracts and plans. The law defines clear duties for employers, apprentices, trainees, and training organisations to ensure appropriate training, supervision, and progress monitoring. It also includes provisions for recognising trade qualifications, managing training changes, and restricting junior employment in trades. Additionally, the legislation provides mechanisms for resolving disputes, enforcing compliance through disciplinary actions and prohibition orders, and details powers for industry training officers, including inspection rights. Employers must adhere to strict requirements for application, training delivery, notification of changes, and record-keeping.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for vocational education and training, primarily focusing on apprenticeships and traineeships. Its purpose is to regulate the approval, management, and oversight of formal training contracts between employers and individuals, ensuring structured and quality work-related learning experiences. The legislation aims to support high standards and best practices within the vocational sector by outlining requirements for training providers and employers, enforcing compliance with approved codes, and enabling monitoring through authorised visits. It empowers a director-general to manage contracts, resolve disputes, and ensure adherence to established requirements, while also promoting the development of vocational training that aligns with industry needs. Non-compliance, such as providing training without an approved contract, incurs penalties.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for vocational education and training in the Northern Territory. Its primary purpose is to ensure the provision of nationally recognised training that addresses current and future needs of government, industry, and the community, thereby supporting employment and economic growth. The framework aims to enhance quality, flexibility, innovation, and access within vocational education. It defines the responsibilities for employers, apprentices, trainees, and Registered Training Organisations. Key provisions include processes for employer approval, the creation and management of training contracts and plans, and the oversight of training providers. It also sets out regulations for apprentice and trainee wages, employer record-keeping, and compliance through authorised officers, ensuring a responsive and effective training system for a skilled workforce.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive vocational education and training system in Western Australia. It aims to efficiently meet industry and community skill needs by regulating training providers and courses. The framework ensures a competitive training market and promotes equality of opportunity in skill development. Key functions include registering and accrediting vocational training providers and courses, as well as overseeing and enforcing rules for training contracts, such as apprenticeships. The system is governed by a Ministerial Corporation, advised by a State Training Board, and regulated by a Training Accreditation Council. It outlines requirements for training colleges, ensuring strategic planning and accountability. Provisions also detail compliance, inspection, and enforcement measures to maintain high standards and integrity across the state's training landscape.

This legislation defines and regulates the observance of various types of holidays across Queensland. It designates specific public holidays and empowers the Minister to substitute alternative days for these. The framework establishes a process for appointing special holidays, either statewide or within particular districts, which includes provisions for annual agricultural, horticultural, or industrial shows to be recognized as public holidays. It also clarifies how these holiday declarations are interpreted within industrial instruments and defines bank holidays. The regulations ensure consistent application of holiday entitlements and observance across the state, providing flexibility for local and special events while maintaining a standard calendar of public days off.

This legislation establishes and governs public holidays throughout New South Wales. It declares standard public holidays and provides mechanisms for the Minister to announce additional or substitute holidays for the state or specific areas. The Act incorporates Commonwealth employee entitlements concerning public holiday absence and payment, making them applicable laws in NSW. It also enables the designation of local event days for community significance, which are not public holidays. Employers must observe declared holidays, allow employee absence, and ensure correct payment in line with the applied Commonwealth provisions. The legislation includes provisions for regulations and mandates a review of its effectiveness.

This legislation establishes and defines public holidays in Victoria, setting a fixed calendar of observed dates. It grants the Minister the power to appoint additional public holidays or half-holidays, and to substitute existing ones. Non-metropolitan Councils can request a specific substitute public holiday for Melbourne Cup Day within their municipal district. The legislation also declares these public holidays as bank holidays for Commonwealth purposes. Crucially, it outlines entitlements for employed persons in Victoria, ensuring they receive applicable public holidays without loss of pay, with specific conditions for holidays falling on weekends for Monday-to-Friday workers. This framework provides a clear and adaptable system for managing public holidays across the state.

This legislation establishes and rationalises public and bank holidays across the State. It defines specific days as holidays, including Easter Sunday, and designates Saturdays as bank holidays. It empowers the Governor to proclaim special holidays or alter existing ones, and such proclamations take precedence over industrial agreements. The legislation also mandates that banks close on designated bank holidays, with specific exceptions. While industrial instruments generally prevail regarding holiday provisions, they cannot substitute another day for Easter Sunday if it falls on a weekend. The law aims to provide a clear, consistent framework for holiday observance and its interaction with employment conditions.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for industrial relations in New South Wales. Its primary purpose is to ensure fair and just employment conditions, promote economic efficiency, and facilitate prompt dispute resolution across the state. It empowers the Industrial Relations Commission to set employment standards through awards and approve enterprise agreements, while also preventing discrimination and ensuring equal remuneration. The framework protects employee rights, including parental leave entitlements and remedies for unfair dismissal. It outlines employer obligations regarding remuneration and record-keeping, and regulates industrial organisations to ensure democratic control and transparent operations. The legislation also provides mechanisms for enforcement, inspections, and the recovery of unpaid wages, fostering cooperative and productive workplace relations.

This legislation establishes long service leave entitlements for employees across public and private sectors, including police officers. It grants eligible employees long service leave equal to one-sixtieth of their total continuous employment after seven years of service. The law details how leave is calculated, defines continuous employment and ordinary pay, and outlines processes for requesting and directing leave. It mandates payment of entitlements upon cessation of employment or an employee's death. The legislation preserves superior accrued entitlements from previous agreements and prohibits contracting out of its provisions unless more beneficial. It defines employer obligations for record-keeping, requires disclosure of modified entitlements in workplace agreements, and establishes enforcement mechanisms through the Industrial Division of the Magistrates' Court, including prohibitions on actions like payments in lieu or adverse action.

This legislation broadens and updates the law to promote equal opportunity and protect against discrimination, sexual harassment, and victimisation. Its core aim is to eliminate these harmful practices to the greatest extent possible, fostering equality by addressing systemic causes and requiring reasonable adjustments for substantive equality. The law identifies specific attributes, such as age, disability, race, and sex, on which discrimination is prohibited across various domains including employment, education, and the provision of goods and services. It imposes a general duty on individuals and organisations to take proportionate measures to prevent unlawful conduct. An independent commission is established to encourage best practices, conduct investigations, and resolve disputes. The legislation also outlines a clear dispute resolution pathway, including direct access to a civil and administrative tribunal, to ensure fair treatment and uphold human rights for all.

This legislation establishes the framework for long service leave entitlements for employees in the Australian Capital Territory. It defines when employees become eligible for leave, specifying an entitlement after seven years of continuous service, with additional accrual annually. The legislation sets the rate at which leave accrues and details employer responsibilities for granting the leave, calculating and making payments, and maintaining accurate service records. It ensures continuity of service for leave purposes despite certain employment changes. The law also outlines provisions for payments in lieu of leave upon employment cessation or death, including pro rata entitlements for those with five to seven years of service under specific conditions. An administrative body oversees compliance, investigates complaints, and enforces these employee protections, which cannot be undermined by less favorable agreements.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for managing employer-employee relations in South Australia. It aims to ensure fair and equitable industrial matters, including setting minimum standards for wages, various types of leave such as sick, carer's, bereavement, family and domestic violence, annual, and parental leave, and severance payments. The framework promotes industrial efficiency, economic prosperity, and employment security. It provides mechanisms for resolving disputes through conciliation and adjudication by the South Australian Employment Tribunal, and outlines procedures for enterprise agreements and awards. Key protections include rights against unfair dismissal, freedom of association, and the prevention of workplace discrimination, ensuring equal remuneration and balancing work with family responsibilities. Employers are also subject to strict record-keeping and compliance requirements.

This legislation establishes long service leave entitlements for workers based on their years of service, typically granting 13 weeks after ten years, with pro-rata payments available upon termination for workers with seven to ten years service, unless due to serious misconduct. It defines how continuity of service is maintained, even with certain breaks, and sets out conditions for taking leave, usually as a continuous period paid at the worker's ordinary rate. The law allows for payments in lieu of leave by mutual agreement. It mandates comprehensive record-keeping by employers regarding worker service and leave taken. Inspectors are empowered to ensure compliance, and the South Australian Employment Tribunal is authorized to resolve disputes, order compliance, and approve alternative long service leave arrangements that do not disadvantage workers. The overall purpose is to ensure workers receive their long service entitlements and to define employer responsibilities for their administration.

This legislation establishes long service leave entitlements for eligible employees in the Northern Territory. It details the accrual of leave, typically at 1.3 weeks per year after 10 years of continuous service, with further entitlements accruing every five years. The law specifies the calculation and payment of long service leave, including provisions for payment upon cessation of employment, based on service length and reason for departure. It defines continuous service and mandates employers to grant leave promptly or by mutual agreement. Employers must maintain comprehensive records of employee leave and employment particulars, making them available for compliance checks. The legislation ensures that its provisions take precedence over any less advantageous employment agreements, providing a clear framework for employee long service leave rights.

It establishes rules for long service leave entitlements for employees in Western Australia. It details how leave accrues, including specific periods for full and proportionate entitlements, and outlines the conditions for taking leave or receiving payment in lieu. The framework defines continuous employment and ordinary pay for calculation purposes. It also specifies employer obligations for maintaining comprehensive employment records, allowing employee and inspector access. Further provisions cover the transfer of entitlements during business changes and define mechanisms for dispute resolution and compliance, including requirements for written agreements when cashing out leave.

A comprehensive framework governs industrial relations in Western Australia, aiming to consolidate and amend laws for preventing and resolving workplace conflicts. It defines the rights and duties of employers, employees, and industrial organisations, fostering goodwill, freedom of association, and fair terms of employment. The framework promotes gender equality, fair wages, collective bargaining, and efficient work practices balanced with employee fairness. It provides robust mechanisms for dispute resolution, including conciliation and arbitration by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission, and ensures the enforcement of agreements and awards. Additionally, it prevents bullying and sexual harassment, protects employee rights against discrimination and sham contracts, and mandates transparent record-keeping for employers and registered organisations.

This legislation sets out long service leave entitlements for workers in New South Wales. It defines how long service leave is accrued based on continuous service, specifies the calculation methods for entitlements, and details the conditions under which leave can be taken. The law imposes clear obligations on employers, including granting leave, ensuring proper payment, and maintaining comprehensive records for each worker. It includes provisions that prevent the reduction of worker entitlements and establishes enforcement mechanisms, empowering inspectors and outlining penalties for non-compliance. Directors and managers of corporations are held liable for certain corporate offences related to these provisions. The legislation also addresses payments for untaken leave upon termination or death and special circumstances like COVID-19 related stand-downs, aiming to ensure equitable and protected long service leave benefits for all eligible workers.

This legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for New South Wales to address climate change, fulfilling international commitments to limit global temperature increases and enhance climate resilience for a sustainable future. It sets ambitious targets to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels: by at least 50% by 2030, 70% by 2035, and achieving net zero by 2050. An independent Net Zero Commission is established to monitor progress towards these emission reduction and adaptation objectives, provide expert advice and recommendations to the government, and educate businesses and individuals on climate action. While the legislation mandates government action and oversight, it does not impose direct compliance requirements on private agricultural organizations, instead focusing on informing and advising sectors like agriculture on climate change initiatives.