Australian workers are a step closer to being protected by national occupational health and safety laws, after the federal coalition dropped its opposition to elements of Labor's proposed regime.
The opposition believes the plan still requires some "panel-beating" but says it won't insist on amendments that were rejected by the Rudd government last year.
Labor's draft laws establish Safe Work Australia, a body which will drive harmonisation of the nine different sets of occupational health and safety and workers' compensation laws across the commonwealth, states and territories.
The coalition had wanted to strip the minister's veto power over appointments of employer representatives to the body, and establish an audit committee to examine its finances and expenditure.
But Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard put aside the regime late last year rather than accept the coalition's amendments which were supported by the Senate.
She's since reintroduced the Safe Work Australia Bill.
Opposition workplace relations spokesman Michael Keenan conceded on Wednesday the coalition wouldn't try and change the draft laws a second time around.
"At least with the passage of this bill, we will be moving towards a nationally consistent (occupational health and safety) system - something the coalition has always believed is desirable - and therefore, we won't be pressing forward with our amendments," he said.
Liberal colleague Steven Ciobo said it didn't mean the opposition would stop harassing the government to make changes.
"(The legislation) does require some panel-beating," he said.
Liberal backbencher Peter Slipper said the bill was being reintroduced "no doubt in the hope, from the government's perspective, that it will gain a double-dissolution trigger".
Labor frontbencher and former trade union heavyweight Bill Shorten says current model laws being considered by Safe Work Australia - which started work earlier this year - include an unqualified obligation on employers to provide a safe workplace to employees.
The laws broaden the duty of care owed to workers and introduce higher penalties of up to $3 million and five years' imprisonment for serious breaches.
Employers are also be required to consult employees over health and safety issues under the model laws.
"They (national laws) will result in fewer Australians being killed, maimed or traumatised at work," Mr Shorten told parliament before the bill passed the lower house.
"Standardising and improving occupational health and safety regimes across Australia is a worthy goal for this parliament to pursue."
