Simon Corbell has announced he’s legislating to create a new hat for a magistrate to wear:
Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, will today introduce a bill which will create an Industrial Court in Canberra, to hear and decide industrial and work health and safety matters in the ACT.
“The safety of all workers, including those people working on ACT construction sites, is a top priority for this government,” Mr Corbell said.
“The new Industrial Court is a key element in the initiatives the government is implementing to improve the safety of ACT workers.
“The new Industrial Court will be modelled on the Children’s Court, as it has the advantage of requiring the specific appointment of a Magistrate, which will lead to expert knowledge and specialisation in the area of industrial workplace accidents and compensation.
“The Industrial Court will be able to hear and decide work safety matters and workers’ compensation claims up to $250,000, which is the current jurisdiction of the Magistrates Court. The criminal jurisdiction of the Industrial Court will remain the same as that of the Magistrates Court.