On 11 December 2009, the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council endorsed the Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Bill. The intention is that the Commonwealth and each state and territory government will enact a workplace health and safety Bill to commence on 1 January 2012. This is consistent with the Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety, signed by the Council of Australian Governments. 
 
The following summary highlights key provisions of the model WHS Bill.