Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for WorkSafe Ben Carroll this week announced two bills to be introduced to Parliament, aimed at strengthening safety for workers, communities and the environment.
Dangerous goods include chemicals that are corrosive, flammable, explosive or otherwise hazardous, many of which are routinely transported by heavy vehicles as part of everyday freight operations.
The reforms will modernise Victoria’s dangerous goods framework, which has remained largely unchanged for more than 40 years.
Transport safety rules will be brought into line with modern freight practices and enforcement standards.
A key change for the trucking industry is the creation of a new Dangerous Goods Transport Act, which will regulate the movement of hazardous materials across road, rail and boat.
The government said the new laws would provide clearer obligations and stronger oversight for transport operators responsible for moving dangerous freight.
Under the reforms, dangerous goods regulation will also be embedded into the existing Occupational Health and Safety Act, creating a formal duty for employers and operators to handle and transport hazardous materials safely.
Mr Carroll said the changes were about improving safety throughout the supply chain, from storage to transport.
“Workers who handle dangerous goods deserve to be protected,” Mr Carroll said.
“We’re making sure dangerous goods don’t hurt workers or the environment with new laws that keep bosses accountable.”
Tougher offences are proposed for employers and operators who place workers or the public at risk through unsafe handling or transport of dangerous goods.
The bills will also strengthen WorkSafe Victoria’s prosecution powers and give courts broader sentencing options for serious breaches.
The reforms follow an independent review of the Dangerous Goods Act 1985, released in October 2022, conducted by former King’s Counsel and now judge Andrew Palmer.
The 2022 review was commissioned after a series of major chemical fires in Melbourne linked to illegal chemical stockpiling.
The government said the changes would strengthen enforcement, while also supporting transport and logistics businesses to improve safety systems and compliance as dangerous goods continue to move across the state’s freight network.
