New WHS Code of Practice for Commonwealth workplaces

The Australian Government has approved a new code of practice to help employers and workers prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based harassment in Commonwealth workplaces.

The new Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025 should be read and applied alongside the code of practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work.

Sexual and gender-based harassment often occurs with other psychosocial hazards. Duty holders must consider the interaction between these hazards when managing health and safety risks.

The Commonwealth code makes minor additions to the model code to reflect arrangements in the jurisdiction, recent research on workplace technology‑facilitated sexual harassment, and to ensure consistency with the approach in the psychosocial hazards code of practice.

Guidance includes:

• Gender-based harmful behaviours
• Work health and safety duties
• Risk assessment and control
• Investigation and response

Codes of Practice provide practical guidance for duty holders on how to meet their obligations under work health and safety laws. They are admissible in court proceedings as evidence of what is known about a hazard, risk or control.

Learn more at WHS laws are changing