Safe Work Australia is seeking feedback on any gaps in the regulation of crowd platform arrangements under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and potential options to address any identified gaps, such as introducing a new duty in the model WHS Act that would apply to crowd platform operators.
Crowd platforms are a type of digital labour platform that connect workers and clients. Clients can select workers from a pool of applicants who submit bids through the platform, with terms and negotiation often undertaken directly between the client and worker.
Crowd platforms are different to on-demand platforms, where work involving the delivery of goods or services requested by end-users is directly assigned to workers through algorithmic systems (e.g. food delivery platforms, ride-hailing platforms).
There is a lack of clarity on who is responsible for work health and safety in crowd platform work. This has led to concerns that some workers using crowd platforms may not be adequately protected from health and safety risks.
Consultation process
Safe Work Australia has published a consultation paper which seeks feedback on:
how work health and safety arrangements apply to crowd platforms and where there may be gaps in worker protections, and
potential options to address any identified gaps, such as introducing a new duty under the model WHS Act to regulate crowd platform operators, and any potential impacts.
Safe Work Australia welcomes feedback from all stakeholders with an interest or direct experience in the use of crowd platforms.
Responses to this public consultation will be used to shape recommendations for consideration by Safe Work Australia Members.
Please note the options in this paper are offered for consultation purposes only. They are subject to change in response to further policy development and feedback from consultation. Any changes to the model WHS Act are subject to agreement by WHS ministers.
Making a submission
Submissions are sought by 11:59pm (AEST), Sunday 24 May 2026. Submissions can be made by completing the survey under the 'Have your say' section.
We collect demographic data as part of this process when you complete the submission form.
You can decide how your submission is published on the Consultation Hub by choosing from the following options:
submission published with your name, your organisation’s name, or a pseudonym
submission published anonymously, or
submission not published.