Safe Work Australia Annual Report Highlights WHS Progress

Safe Work Australia’s 2025–26 Annual Report was formally tabled in the Australian Parliament on 12 October 2026, providing a comprehensive overview of the agency’s performance and strategic initiatives.

The report details Safe Work Australia’s activities during 2023–24 aimed at creating healthier, safer and more productive workplaces across the country. It highlights national efforts to improve work health and safety (WHS) standards and workers’ compensation arrangements, including the development, review and implementation of WHS laws, guidance material and national policy frameworks.

In addition to outlining regulatory and policy achievements, the report presents detailed information on organisational performance, staffing and funding. This transparency supports PCBUs, officers and WHS professionals to better understand current national priorities and trends, and to align their own WHS management systems, policies and procedures with contemporary best practice. For organisations seeking to strengthen their internal frameworks, structured WHS management systems can provide a practical foundation for compliance and risk control. Further guidance on such systems is available from specialist providers, for example via WHS management system resources.

The 2025–26 Annual Report also underscores the importance of effective consultation, risk management and incident prevention across all industries. By applying robust internal controls, supported by documented policies, procedures and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), businesses can help ensure safer workplaces and contribute to the national WHS objectives outlined in the report.

Stakeholders, including employers, workers, WHS practitioners and policy makers, are encouraged to review the Safe Work Australia 2025–26 Annual Report to gain insights into current and emerging WHS and workers’ compensation priorities, and to inform continuous improvement in their own WHS practices.