Summit brings together WHS leaders

Australian Industry Group and ACCI (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) joined forces last week to host the third annual National Employers Work Health and Safety (NEWHS) Summit, in our role as employer representatives at Safe Work Australia. 

The Summit is an important event that ensures employer perspectives — grounded in real workplaces, risks and challenges — meaningfully inform the national WHS conversation. 

It started with a fantastic networking event the night before at Amazon’s Sydney offices, featuring a fireside chat with Jerome Carslake, of Monash University Accident Research Centre, on the recent release of the industry-led Platform Delivery Safety Principles — initiated by Australian Industry Group. 

Key highlights from the Summit included: 

🔹 an opening address from NSW Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis MP, reinforcing the importance of strong and ongoing collaboration between government and business; 

🔹 a thought-provoking discussion with ACCI’s Shaun Schmitke and Australian Industry Group’s Brent Ferguson on the growing intersection between workplace relations and work health and safety; 

🔹 a panel featuring icare NSW CEO Geniere Aplin, WorkSafe Victoria’s Jason Lardelli and Australian Industry Group’s Tracey Browne, exploring the current pressures on workers’ compensation schemes — including rising demand, return to work outcomes and long-term sustainability; 

🔹 a panel conversation on tripartism in WHS, featuring Angela Wallbank, of Safe Work Australia; Liam O’Brien, of ACTU; Janet Schorer, of SafeWork NSW and Rebecca Sostarko, of ACCI. The discussion highlighted how diverse voices deliver stronger policy outcomes and help address emerging challenges and  

🔹 an interactive workshop led by our Principal Adviser - National WHS Policy, Leigh Thredgold, and Ms Sostarko, examining the WHS implications of AI, digital technologies and climate change. Attendees shared practical insights on how businesses are responding and identified the tools and support needed moving forward. 

We thank speakers and participants for contributing to this engaging and constructive discussion.  

The insights shared will play an important role in shaping safer, and healthier workplaces across Australia.

For more photos, view our event gallery.  

Main photo, (L-R): Frank Reid and Rebecca Sostarko, of ACCI, with Australian Industry Group's Leigh Thredgold, Tracey Browne and Bruce McKinley.