Farmers to help shape new regulations on quad bike use

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Quad bikes have improved farm productivity, but sometimes at a cost.

New guidelines will be drawn up on the use of quad bikes and other vehicles on farms, in the latest planned shake-up to health and safety laws.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden said too many people were killed or seriously injured in quad-bike related incidents, but promised farmers would have a lot of input into the new regime, which she expects will be finalised in April.

WorkSafe would work closely with the agriculture sector in developing a “sensible and workable” approved code of practice , she said.

“It is important that farmers, who know their work best, are able to help shape the rules that will help keep them safe,” she said.

WorkSafe has estimated 80,000 quad bikes are used on farms.

Seventy-nine people were killed when using quad bikes off-road over about a 12½ period ending in April 2023, with dozens more seriously injured each year.

A second approved code of practice will be developed to help farmers “navigate work activities” and, in particular, to provide clearer guidance on where responsibilities fall when contractors come on to farms, van Velden announced.

Brooke van Velden says the changes are part of the wider health and safety reforms that deliver on the ACT-National coalition agreement

“Farmers and other businesses coming on to the farm need to know what health and safety duties they are each responsible for and how they can best work together to manage the risks.”

The guidelines in codes of practice are voluntary, but van Velden said changes would mean that if businesses complied with them, they would be deemed to have done enough to meet their health and safety duties.

That creates a strong incentive to comply.

In a separate change, the Government plans to alter regulations to make it clear that children can help out with small jobs on farms.

Van Velden said she had been told by farmers that laws needs to recognise that the farm was often both their workplace and their home, and children should be able to learn and contribute to farm life in ways that are “safe and age-appropriate”.

“We’ll be consulting with farmers and the agriculture sector on the thresholds for light chores children can do on farms, like collecting eggs, feeding small animals and watering plants, while ensuring safety is not compromised,” she said.

“I expect higher-risk activities, such as being near heavy machinery like a hay baler, will remain off-limits.”

As children grew older, they would be able to undertake more complex tasks with supervision and training, such as driving a tractor, she said.

“These changes will give confidence to farming families that their children can continue to be involved with the family business.”

Overall, the consultations would mean health and safety regulations “reflect the realities of farm life”, van Velden said.

The announcement came on the heels of a planned overhaul to scaffolding rules, that will mean people working at heights will no longer need to use scaffolding in all situations where that is currently required.