Queensland government to table bill implementing 75 industrial relations reforms

A review led by former Law Council president Glenn Ferguson AM and ex-Commissioner Gary Black examined Queensland's industrial relations laws and issued 104 recommendations. The state government has agreed to adopt 75 of these recommendations in full and will introduce legislation tonight, according to Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie. Key measures include a robust fit-and-proper person test for union officials seeking lawful right-of-entry powers, expanded protections for union whistle-blowers, and the ability for workers to be represented by unregistered industrial associations.

The government also accepted recommendations to publish union rules and limit officials to representing only their own members. Six recommendations were simply noted, nine were declined, and 14 were accepted in principle. Bleijie framed the reforms as a way to end violence and intimidation in the construction sector and to improve fairness and productivity in workplaces.