Queensland Parliament passes industrial manslaughter laws in wake of Dreamworld fatalities

Senior executives of corporations could be charged with industrial manslaughter if someone dies at their workplace under new laws passed in Queensland’s Parliament.

The new legislation, which the Queensland Government says will ensure that no-one is above the law, was passed in the State’s Parliament Passed last Thursday.

Queensland Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the laws were in response to the deaths of two workers at the Eagle Farm Racecourse last year, and the deaths of four visitors to the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast in October 2016.

Minister Grace told the Queensland Parliament the new offence sent a clear message to corporations that negligence was not acceptable, advising “we owe it to the victims of these tragedies and their loved ones to ensure Queensland has strong industrial manslaughter laws to protect people on the job backed by strong penalties for employers proven to be negligent.

"No one should be above the law and that's what this bill seeks to achieve.

"This isn't about favouring unions as those opposite side claims, it's about saving lives and holding negligent employers to account.

"It's simply not good enough that a company and its senior officers can negligently cause the death of a worker and evade justice due to the veil of corporate anonymity."

Gold Coast criminal lawyer Bill Potts sees that the new legislation will not only punish, but will also deter companies from allowing unsafe workplaces.

Potts told the ABC “any death in the workplace is one too many.

"The question is going to be is whether this law will succeed in reducing the number of deaths and succeed in ensuring companies have better work cultures designed to prevent the loss of life of either workers or in the case of Dreamworld innocent victims seeking to have a day of fun."

Click here to view an advisory note on the legislation from the Australian Federation of Employers & Industries, added 20th October 2017.

Image shows Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride prior to last year's fatalities.

30th September 2017 - QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION OVER DREAMWORLD DEATHS

29th September 2017 - GARY WEISS TAKES ON CHAIRMAN’S ROLE AT ARDENT LEISURE

14th September 2017 - DREAMWORLD TO REMOVE MOUNTAIN SURROUNDING ITS EUREKA MOUNTAIN MINE RIDE

4th September 2017 - ARDENT LEISURE INVITES REBEL SHAREHOLDERS TO JOIN BOARD

27th August 2017 - DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY HIGHLIGHTS LEGAL DUTY OF CARE FOR THEME PARK GUESTS

23rd August 2017 - QUEENSLAND TO IMPLEMENT NEW SAFETY LAWS FOLLOWING DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY REPORT

11th July 2017 - DREAMWORLD BATTLES INCONSISTENT ATTENDANCES AND FALLING REVENUES

30th June 2017 - DREAMWORLD LAUNCHES AFTER DARK THRILL EXPERIENCE

24th May 2017 - ARDENT LOOKS TO QUASH DREAMWORLD SALE RUMOURS, EXPLORES SITE REZONING PLAN

9th May 2017 - DREAMWORLD SUFFERS FURTHER ATTENDANCE AND REVENUE SLUMP