New Safety Rules for Handling and Storing Dangerous Goods and Explosives
Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
chemical storage dangerous goods explosives hazardous chemicals industrial safety workplace health and safety
Introduced by: The Hon Jaclyn Symes MLC (ALP); The Hon Ben Carroll MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Tim Bull NAT
“I rise to make a contribution on these bills that we are debating concurrently: the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026. The changes in these bills are being delivered, as ourpreviousspeakermentioned,afterareportwasdone–areviewoftheDangerousGoodsAct1985, it was, by Andrew Palmer – and it was released in October 2022.”
Richard Welch LIB
“I rise to speak on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill2026, which are being debated together as cognate bills.”
Danny Pearson ALP
“I amdelighted to makea contribution on this billbecause it is a really important piece of legislation. At the outset I do want to acknowledge the contribution made by the member for Eildon.”
David Ettershank LCV
“I rise to speak on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill2026 and indicate that Legalise Cannabis will be supporting both of these bills. The Dangerous Goods Act 1985 is outdated and no longer reflects the way chemicals are used, stored and handled throughout the state.”
Jaclyn Symes ALP
“Thank you to the speakers who have contributed to the bill. I think we know why we are here. People have talked about some examples of behaviour and conduct that are wanting to be addressed by this reform following a comprehensive review.”
Wayne Farnham LIB
“I am pleased to rise to talk on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026. From the outset, we do not oppose this bill, and for good reason, because anything we do throughthischamberthatmakesworkplacessafershouldbesupported.”
“I rise to support the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026. I would liketo acknowledgethein-depthandbipartisancontributionsfromallsidesof thechambertoday.”
Roma Britnell LIB
“I rise to speak on the Occupational Health and SafetyAmendment(DangerousGoods)Bill2026and theDangerousGoods TransportBill2026,two bills that we will bedebating in cognate tonight. These bills represent the culmination of a significant bodyof workarisingfromanindependentreviewof theDangerousGoodsAct 1985.”
Nina Taylor ALP
“It is funny when we are thinking about what we label as dangerous goods, they are things that so many of us rely on each and every day: cleaning products, food of course, fertiliser, fuel, plastics and paint. We do not always reflect on how that paint got to Bunnings or the store otherwise that we all want to use day in, day out across the community.”
John Lister ALP
“I rise to speak on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026. I want to reflect, as many have, on some of the impetus for having these changes, particularly some of those industrial waste fires that we saw back in 2018 and 2019.”
“I rise to speak on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026.”
“I rise to speak in support of the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026. At the start I would just like to make the point that it is the Labor Party and Labor governments, together with unions, thathaveaverystrongandproudhistoryof supporting andenactinglegislationtosupportworkersrightsatwork,inparticulartheirrighttoahealthyandsafe workplace,andalsoofcoursetheirrighttocomehome.”
Josh Bull ALP
“I ampleased to havequiteafew minutes lefton theclock to make a contribution on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026 and follow on from what was a very sound and measured contributionfromthe memberforShepparton, whoI think wentto thekeycomponents within thebill that go to providing for better safety for our state and go…”
Mathew Hilakari ALP
“I am so pleased to rise at this point in time on the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026.”
Sarah Connolly ALP
“I too rise to speak on this cognate debate on the two pieces of legislation before us this morning, those being the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026. The real aim of these two pieces of legislation is to deliver on key recommendations from a really important report, the Palmer report.”
“Thank you, Acting Speaker Kathage, for replacing me in thechairso I couldspeakon thesetwo incrediblyimportantbills, this cognatedebatein support of the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026 and the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026. I listened with great interest to both the member for Laverton and the member for Melton and previous speakers about these bills.”
“I move: Thatthedebate benowadjourned. Motion agreed to and debate adjourned. Ordered that debate be adjourned until later this day.”