Can OHS advisory committees set reform agendas?

Recently I reported on the attainment of a seat at WorkSafe Victoria's OHS Advisory Committee by the Safety Institute of Australia. The unions do not believe that such a committee is of much benefit as it receives its directions from the WorkSafe Board. I wondered if ACT or other States have similar bodies with a similar experience.

In an industry where consultation is pushed as an essential base for safety improvements, it seems odd to have such a committee that is unable to bring issues to the table rather than just responding.

With the introduction of harmonisation will such committees have an increased irrelevance?

Kevin Jones