From 1 March 2025, every Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) in Queensland that identifies a risk of sexual harassment or sex or gender-based harassment at work must prepare and implement a written Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan. This is not a policy. It is a documented risk management plan with prescribed content, required under section 55H of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld).

Queensland is the first Australian state to require a written prevention plan for this specific psychosocial hazard category. It is the most prescriptive documentation requirement any jurisdiction has imposed for a single hazard type.

What the plan must contain

The prevention plan must be in writing, readily accessible to workers, and expressed in a way that is understandable. It must include:

The identified risks to health and safety from sexual harassment or sex or gender-based harassment at work.

The control measures already in place and those to be implemented, along with the matters the PCBU considered in determining those controls. When selecting control measures, the PCBU must have regard to characteristics of workers (such as age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, and disability) and characteristics of the workplace (such as whether the work environment may permit a culture of unacceptable behaviour, or a lack of diversity in decision-making positions).

A description of the consultation undertaken with workers in developing the plan.

The procedure for dealing with reports of sexual harassment or sex or gender-based harassment at work.

When the plan must be reviewed

The PCBU must review the prevention plan at least every three years. A review must also occur as soon as practicable after a report of sexual harassment or sex or gender-based harassment at work, or after a request from a worker's health and safety representative or a health and safety committee.

How this fits Queensland's broader approach

The prevention plan requirement builds on amendments to Queensland's WHS Regulation that took effect on 1 September 2024. Those amendments introduced explicit obligations for Queensland PCBUs to manage the risk of sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment as part of their existing duty to manage psychosocial risks. The prevention plan is the documentation mechanism that makes that obligation concrete.

This approach treats sexual harassment the same way as any other identified workplace hazard: identify the risk, implement controls proportionate to the risk, document what you have done, consult workers, and review regularly. The difference is that Queensland now requires this documentation to exist in a specific written form for this hazard category, rather than leaving it to the PCBU to determine how to record their risk management process.

Worksafe Queensland has published a prevention plan template and an example of a completed plan. The template is not mandatory, but it provides a practical starting point for PCBUs building their plan from scratch.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information on psychosocial compliance in Australian workplaces. It does not constitute legal advice. Organisations should consult qualified professionals for advice specific to their circumstances. Information cited is sourced from Worksafe Queensland, the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld), and relevant legal analyses as of the date of publication.