Key points
- Each MOP(S) Act employee has duties as a Worker under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
- Each person who volunteers in a parliamentarian’s workplace has duties as a Worker under the WHS Act.
- Some MOP(S) Act employees may also have duties as an Officer under the WHS Act.
Your duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 (MOP(S) Act) employees, volunteers, contractors and other persons who carry out work for parliamentarians have duties as a worker under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).
In a few, limited cases, a MOP(S) Act employee could also have duties as an officer under the WHS Act. To have duties as an officer, a MOP(S) Act employee would need to make, or participate in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part of the business of their employing parliamentarian.
Further information
Information about the WHS Act and general work health and safety (WHS) advice is available from Comcare. Comcare provides detailed advice on the worker and officer duties in its Regulatory Guide Health and Safety Duties.
Circular 2016/07 Work health and safety arrangements in parliamentarians’ workplaces outlines the WHS duties of parliamentarians and others within parliamentarians’ workplaces.
Attachment A to this circular provides information to assist MOP(S) Act employees to work safely and comply with the WHS Act. Detailed information on WHS for MOP(S) Act employees, including resources on common issues you may encounter and descriptions of the support services the Department of Finance offers, is available on the Ministerial and Parliamentary Services website.
MOP(S) Act employees with specific questions about WHS within their workplace should contact the Staff Help Desk on (02) 6215 3333, or email mpshelp@finance.gov.au.
Jason Ford
Assistant Secretary
Entitlements Management Branch
Ministerial and Parliamentary Services
13 September 2016