The Industrial Relations Minister can now end protected industrial action if it endangers public safety, damages the economy, or is otherwise against the public interest.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) can order the suspension or termination of industrial action if it seriously disrupts public services or harms people not involved in the dispute.

Employees who refuse to work during protected industrial action are no longer entitled to be paid for that time. Employers can also reduce pay for employees taking such action.

Industrial action loses its 'protected' status if it happens during conciliation or arbitration, or while a QIRC order or Ministerial declaration to stop the action is in place.

Employers can now put a proposed agreement to a direct employee ballot even if some negotiating parties haven't agreed, as long as at least one employee organisation has agreed.

Employers must give an employee organisation a reasonable chance to represent a worker in negotiations before the employer asks for a direct ballot.

The QIRC and the industrial court now have the same powers as the Supreme Court to punish people for contempt of court. The QIRC Registrar can apply to have people jailed for contempt.

The QIRC Full Bench must set a Queensland minimum wage for all employees at least once a year. They must adopt the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review unless someone objects.

People appearing before an industrial tribunal can only be represented by a lawyer if all parties agree, the tribunal gives permission, or the matter is a criminal prosecution.

The ban on using paid agents in industrial proceedings remains, but parties can now be represented by other entities that claim to represent their interests.

Whistleblowers who report misconduct within an organisation to the Registrar or an inspector are now protected from reprisal. People who take reprisal against a whistleblower can be sued for damages or fined up to 200 penalty units.

The QIRC Registrar can request a person's criminal history from the Police Commissioner to check if they are fit to be an authorised officer. If an officer refuses to consent to this check, they are no longer considered a fit and proper person to hold that authority.

The QIRC can now stop an applicant from filing further applications of a certain type without permission if a previous proceeding was dismissed.

The Workers' Compensation Regulator or their authorised officers can suspend lump sum compensation or legal proceedings for up to three months if they suspect fraud.

Penalties for fraud and providing false information in the workers' compensation scheme are increasing. Providing false documents can now carry a fine of 300 penalty units or up to 2 years jail.

Workers claiming compensation for psychological injuries must now show that their employment was the major significant contributing factor to the injury.

Insurers can review and end a worker's compensation entitlement based on new material information. However, they cannot end it if they failed to make reasonable enquiries for that information earlier, or if the information is a medical opinion that differs from what was used to first grant the claim.

Insurers are banned from recovering overpayments from workers if the overpayment happened because the insurer reviewed the worker's entitlement, unless the worker committed fraud.

The time limit for filing damages claims under the workers' compensation scheme is extended by 6 months in certain cases where a claim is recommenced.