Legislation for psychosocially safe workplaces came into effect on 1 December 2025 and marks a turning point in how Australia understands and protects the wellbeing of its workforce. No longer treated as a “soft” or secondary issue, psychosocial safety is now recognised in Australian law as a core element of work health and safety—on par with physical hazards. For nurses, who routinely navigate high pressure environments, emotional labour, and complex team dynamics, these reforms signal both stronger protections and clearer expectations.
Psychosocial safety legislation places responsibility on employers to identify, eliminate, or minimise risks such as excessive workload, bullying, poor change management, role conflict, and exposure to traumatic events. But it also recognises the essential role of employees. Workers are expected to contribute to a safe environment by speaking up early, participating in risk mitigation processes, and engaging in open, respectful communication. In nursing, this means raising concerns about unsafe staffing levels, escalating repeated exposure to distressing situations, and contributing to team cultures that value psychological wellbeing as much as clinical excellence.
As these laws take effect, the profession has an opportunity to shape how psychosocial safety is understood and embedded across health settings.
The article, Witch hunts and perfect storms — why nurses attack their own leaders, by Liz Manning and Wendy Blair was published in Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand in August 2022. While it is written for the New Zealand context, it is adaptable to Australia and is worthy of reflection in light of psychosocial safety responsibilities for all nurses and employers.
Author: Frances Rice MACN
ACN Chief Nursing Officer
