Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan: What Queensland Businesses Need to Know in 2026
Since the 1 March 2025 update to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), Queensland organisations have been required to take a far more proactive approach to managing workplace risks – particularly when it comes to sexual and gender-based harassment.
Now in 2026, this is no longer a “new” requirement. It’s an established legal obligation. Any Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must prepare and implement a Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan where a risk is identified, and be able to demonstrate that it is actively being used and reviewed.
For many organisations, the focus has shifted from awareness to compliance, implementation and ongoing management.
A Quick Recap: What Changed?
The 2025 amendments reinforced that sexual harassment is a psychosocial hazard under workplace health and safety laws. This means PCBUs must manage the risk just like any other workplace hazard.
If a risk of sexual or gender-based harassment exists (and in most workplaces, it does), a Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan is required.
What is Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment?
Sexual or gender-based harassment includes any unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature, or based on a person’s gender, that could reasonably make someone feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.
It can occur:
- In the workplace
- At work events
- Online or via messaging platforms
- Between colleagues, clients or customers
Common examples include:
- Sexual comments, jokes or innuendo
- Unwanted physical contact
- Sending explicit messages or images
- Repeated requests for dates
- Gender-based insults or degrading remarks
Importantly, it doesn’t have to be repeated behaviour – one incident can be enough.
What Must Your Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan Include?
A compliant Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan in Queensland must be tailored to your specific workplace and clearly outline how risks are being managed.
Here’s what regulators expect to see:
Identified Risks
You must document where and how sexual or gender-based harassment could occur in your business.
Control Measures
Detail what you’re doing to eliminate or minimise those risks.
Decision-Making Process
Explain how you determined your control measures.
Consultation
You must show that workers (and health and safety representatives) were consulted.
Reporting and Response Procedures
Clearly outline how workers can report concerns and how those reports are managed.
Accessibility
Your Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan must be easy to access and understood by all workers.
Review and Updates
Plans must be reviewed regularly, including after incidents or when risks change.
Moving Beyond Compliance: What Good Looks Like
A strong Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan isn’t just a document – it’s embedded in how your workplace operates.
Leading organisations are aligning with best-practice guidance from Safe Work Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission to go beyond minimum requirements.
Proactive Risk Management
Regularly identify risks before issues arise.
Ongoing Training
Provide consistent, practical education—not just induction sessions.
Leadership Accountability
Equip leaders to actively prevent and respond to issues.
Safe Reporting Culture
Encourage early reporting through safe and accessible channels.
Continuous Improvement
Use data and feedback to refine your approach over time.
Why This Matters in 2026
Regulators are increasingly focused on enforcement, not just education. Organisations that cannot demonstrate an active and effective Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan may face serious legal and reputational risks.
More importantly, workplaces that fail to address these risks risk harming their people, culture and long-term success.
Need Support?
If your organisation hasn’t reviewed its approach recently, or you’re unsure whether your current Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan meets Queensland requirements – now is the time to act.
MSJP’s Workplace Relations Specialists can support you with:
- Risk assessments tailored to your workplace
- Development of a compliant Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan
- Implementation strategies and staff training
- Ongoing review and management
Get in touch with a HR consultant from MSJP Management Consulting today to ensure your workplace is not only compliant – but safe, respectful and future-ready. You can also use our HR Health Check tool to review your broader HR framework and identify any gaps across your policies and processes.