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WITH Queensland the only state to sign-up for Gillard Labor’s national work safety laws, the LNP today called on the Bligh state government to delay the January 1 start date.

LNP Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations & Employment Skills Ted Malone said Labor’s attempt to harmonise state laws had crashed and burned because the new laws were flawed and only Bligh Labor had swallowed the bait of better national standards.

"The new laws are a disaster," Mr Malone said.

"They remove the right to silence, a primary human right under criminal law. Occupational health and safety law is criminal law, and the removal of this right will inevitably lead to abuses of the prosecution process."

As well, Mr Malone said OHS laws in most states were based on the internationally accepted principle that everyone was responsible for safety according to what was under their ‘reasonable and practicable control’.

"But the new Federal laws have dumped the word ‘control’ so people would be held responsible according to what was ‘reasonable and practicable’.

"Solicitors are arguing about what this means so the short is Queensland has rushed to sign-up for work safety laws that lack clarity and could be open to serious abuse."

Mr Malone said while Bligh Labor had rushed to sign-up, every other state has seen the problems and put off agreeing – with Tasmania now saying no the January 1 start date.

Mr Malone said the very last thing Queensland businesses and employers needed were more confusing laws and costly red tape.

"With only Queensland on board, the national harmonisation process has become a joke.

"The South Australian Opposition has moved to defer legislative debate until February with support in the upper house. West Australia is delaying consideration until well into next year. Victoria is deferring pending the outcome of a review, and now Tasmania is very unlikely to proceed with the laws this year.

"The LNP has reserved the right to amend the laws should we win government at next year's election," Mr Malone said.

"The LNP is committed to safe workplaces in Queensland – through fair and workable laws that are clear and provide certainty."