SafeWork NSW has opened public consultation on its proposed regulatory priorities for the 2026–27 financial year, calling on workers, employers, unions and industry associations across all sectors to have their say before submissions close on 31 May 2026.
The consultation is part of SafeWork NSW’s Annual Regulatory Statement process — an annual cycle that determines where the regulator will focus its inspection, enforcement and education resources across New South Wales. Proposed priorities inform deployment decisions for inspectors, compliance campaigns, and enforcement action, making them directly relevant to any employer operating in NSW.
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer has emphasised the importance of broad participation in the process. ‘We want to hear from workers, employers, unions and industry associations from all sectors, and anyone with an opinion on health and safety at work,’ she said. ‘This will allow SafeWork NSW to focus resources on areas with the highest risks and where we can have the greatest impact on preventing harm and harassment in the workplace.’
The 2025–26 regulatory priorities — which run through to 30 June 2026 — have focused on falls from heights, harms to workers in the healthcare and social assistance sector, managing psychosocial risks including sexual harassment, exposure to hazardous substances including asbestos, crystalline silica and welding fumes, and injury from mobile plant, vehicles or fixed machinery. The consultation process for 2026–27 will consider whether these priorities should continue, be modified, or be replaced by emerging areas of concern.
Stakeholders are encouraged to engage with the consultation paper, which is available on the SafeWork NSW website, and to complete the online survey via the NSW Government’s Have Your Say platform. Feedback can be submitted anonymously, and organisational responses from employer groups, unions, and industry bodies are welcomed.
The consultation presents a genuine opportunity for WHS professionals, workers and employers to shape the enforcement agenda for the coming financial year. Submissions close 11:59pm Sunday 31 May 2026.
