Safe Work Australia Reports Record Average WHS Penalties in 2025

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by Safe Work Australia.

2025 Prosecution Trends

Data released by Safe Work Australia indicates that while the total volume of work health and safety prosecutions declined in 2025, the average financial penalty reached a record high.

Following four consecutive years of increases, national WHS prosecutions fell to 308 in 2025 from 321 in 2024. Despite the drop in cases, 99% of prosecutions resulted in a financial penalty, continuing an upward trajectory from 98% in 2024 and 97% in 2023.

Penalty Values and Industry Distribution

According to the agency, the average financial penalty per prosecution reached $147,985, representing a 33% increase from 2024 and the highest annual average recorded since tracking began.

Construction accounted for 43% of defendant cases, followed by manufacturing at 20% and mining at 6%. Safe Work Australia noted that construction and manufacturing have consistently remained the most common industry divisions among defendants since data collection began in 2020.

National WHS Dashboard

The figures were published as part of an annual update to the national work health and safety prosecutions dashboard, which tracks criminal proceedings, offences, and sentencing outcomes across Australia dating back to 1 January 2020.