Australia’s New South Wales government is set to introduce new laws to improve safety outcomes in the gig economy and food delivery industry.

Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the new measures include ensuring riders are provided with personal protective equipment by food delivery platforms, the implementation of compulsory induction training and a new penalty system for riders to crack down on repeated unsafe practices.

The changes will be implemented by amendments to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 and were recommended in the final report of the Joint Taskforce into Food Delivery Rider Safety, which was released today.

Anderson said, “These laws have come in the wake of a recent education and safety blitz that found continued widespread non-compliance with the state’s road and work health and safety laws. It is completely unacceptable that our inspectors found almost nine in ten food delivery riders were not wearing safe, hi-visibility clothing, and 40% were observed riding in an unsafe manner.”

“Enough is enough. Following the tragic deaths of four riders late last year, we immediately increased education and compliance to try to lift safety standards, but we can no longer stand by while riders continue placing themselves and others at risk,” Anderson said. “That’s why we will now introduce the toughest safety requirements for food delivery platforms and riders anywhere in Australia. Together these measures provide the necessary regulatory tools to drive compliance within the industry and ultimately help create a culture where safety comes first.”

The Taskforce’s report also recommends several operational changes, including enhanced reporting of incidents, increased compliance activity by SafeWork, Transport for New South Wales and New South Wales Police and issuing riders with a unique identification number.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the new laws would save lives.

“Improving safety on our roads is our number one priority. Everyone deserves to return home safely to their families at the end of the working day and these new laws will play a big role in ensuring that happens,” Constance said. “The message is clear, safety must always come first. You must abide by these new measures or you will be caught, you will be fined and you will be called out.”

The new measures are in addition to the Food Delivery Rider Safety Taskforce’s Industry Action Plan, in which delivery platforms committed to 50 actions to improve the health and safety of their riders.

The government will begin consultation on the new regulations in September and expects to finalise the changes by 1 November 2021.