Hands Off Our Safety: Queensland Workers' Rally to Defend WHS Rights

Yesterday, Queensland workers gathered at Parliament House to send a clear message to the State Government.

The Hands Off Our Safety rally, organised by Queensland Unions, brought together workers from across industries to oppose the LNP's proposed changes to WHS legislation. Together Union members joined workers from every industry at Speakers Corner to stand in solidarity.

What's at stake?

The Crisafulli Government has been rolling back workplace safety protections since taking office in late 2024. Their changes include:

• Reintroducing 24-hour notice requirements for union officials to enter workplaces to investigate safety concerns, giving employers time to cover up breaches before inspections occur
• Removing workers' right to immediately cease unsafe work
• Stripping protections against deadly hazards and psychosocial harm
• Repealing information-sharing powers that allowed safety representatives to access compliance data from the regulator

These protections were not handed to us. They were fought for and won by workers, often in response to workplace tragedies. Rolling them back puts lives at risk.

Why this matters

These changes affect every Queensland worker. Whether you work in health, education, corrections, child safety or any other sector, your right to a safe workplace is under threat.

Workplace safety is not just about physical hazards. It covers occupational violence, unsafe workloads, psychological harm and the countless daily risks that workers in every industry face. When these protections are weakened, every worker pays the price.

The right to stop unsafe work exists because workers have died when that right was denied. These laws were not given to us out of goodwill. They were won by workers who organised, campaigned and fought for them.

Rolling them back is not about cutting red tape. It is about shifting the balance of power away from workers and towards employers who would rather not be held accountable.

What happens next?

The fight doesn't end with one rally. Queensland Unions and affiliated unions, including Together, will continue to campaign against these changes.

But campaigns are only as strong as the workers behind them. The protections we have today exist because workers before us stood collectively and demanded change.

This starts in your workplace. Talk to your colleagues about what these changes mean. Ask questions. Get informed. If you are not already a union member, now is the time to join: Join Together Union

You can take action today by signing the petition today: Sign the Petition Here!

Every signature sends a message. Queensland workers will not accept laws that put productivity ahead of lives.