WorkSafe reforms and road cone hotline

The story so far

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is changing WorkSafe to prioritise advice over punishment, aiming to address underfunding and a culture of fear.^{3 Jun 2025} Initial steps include updating more than 50 guidance documents.^{3 Jun 2025} As part of the broader overhaul, the minister launched a hotline for reporting excessive road cone use, intended to make WorkSafe more collaborative and supportive.^{3 Jun 2025} WorkSafe has started a 12-month road cone hotline pilot to investigate over-compliance in temporary traffic management.^{4 Jun 2025}

Latest

The hotline received 98 reports on its first day of operation.^{4 Jun 2025}

What's next

The road cone hotline pilot is set to run for 12 months.^{4 Jun 2025}

Key moments

1. 3 Jun 2025Minister announces WorkSafe shift from enforcement to advice and guidance.
2. 3 Jun 2025Road cone reporting hotline launched as part of WorkSafe overhaul.
3. 4 Jun 202512-month road cone pilot begins; hotline receives 98 reports on day one.

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