Qld union entry test, WorkCover changes pitched to save $1.46b a year

Queensland builders and subcontractors could face a new gatekeeping test for union officials on site and a tighter WorkCover scheme, under reforms the state government announced on 14 October 2026. They are proposals, not law.

For a Queensland builder or contractor, the practical change is on the worksite. Union officials who want right of entry would have to pass a “fit and proper person” test. The government also wants fewer disruptions to major projects from long-running disputes.

Why it matters

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who is also Minister for Industrial Relations, and Small and Family Business Minister Steve Minnikin released the package in a ministerial statement. It follows a statutory review of the state’s industrial relations laws.

The statement says officials using right of entry powers would need to act lawfully and in members’ best interests. It also promises provisions, reflecting national and other states’ laws, so that major projects are not “unnecessarily disrupted” by protracted industrial disputes. It gives no project examples.

The government says the changes would align Queensland more closely with the federal Fair Work Act 2009. They also promise streamlined dispute resolution so new pay deals reach workers faster, and more resources and powers for the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

On WorkCover, the statement proposes more medical expertise inside the scheme and higher maximum penalties for workers’ compensation fraud, with convictions to be recorded. It also flags stronger action against non-compliant insurers.

Mr Bleijie told the ABC the right of entry test would draw a line in the sand against threatening behaviour on worksites. He said unions would keep the ability to represent workers, and the right to strike would stay.

Industry groups cited in the statement backed the package. They include Master Builders Queensland, the Housing Industry Association Queensland, the Civil Contractors Federation Queensland and Master Electricians Australia. The Civil Contractors Federation said alignment with national workplace laws would give confidence to businesses delivering infrastructure.

The numbers

The state puts the cost of inaction at more than $1.46 billion a year in extra premiums by 2035. It says WorkCover premiums would rise 26 per cent over the next five years without action.

Psychological injury claims have risen almost 268 per cent in a decade, the statement says. The ABC reports WorkCover’s annual report shows 4,110 accepted mental injury claims last financial year, up 108 per cent from 1,974 in 2021-22.

The review was led by Glenn Ferguson AM and Gary Black. The ABC reports it made 104 recommendations. The government accepted 75 in full and 14 in principle, noted six and did not accept nine.

What’s next

The ministerial statement names no bill and gives no start date for either the WorkCover or the industrial relations changes. The ABC reported that a bill was due to be introduced in Parliament on the evening of 14 October.

That bill’s wording will decide how the fit and proper test works, who applies it and what counts as a disruption to a major project. The ABC notes the review did not consider the outcomes of the CFMEU inquiry, which has been extended until December 2026.

Builders should watch the bill text for the test criteria and any new dispute resolution timeframes. WorkCover premium effects will depend on the scheme changes and how insurers respond.

More Queensland coverage is on our Queensland market page.