Category: politics

Mining safety conference is shadowed by taxation debate

As there was in the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, there is a third member in the relationship at the New South Wales Mining Council (NSWMC) conference that is being held in the Hunter Valley this week – the Government’s response to the Henry review into Australia’s taxation scheme.

The CEO of NSWMC, Dr Nikki Williams has been interviewed repeatedly at the conference with workplace safety being the opening line from reporters before asking about Henry.  Only 24 hours after the release of the Government’s response very little detail can be expected from an interview.  By lunchtime Williams’ responses were polished as she outlined the potentials – mine closures, economic damage to regional towns……  The reality of the taxation changes to the mining sector is not really going to be understood for several more days.  Any direct impact on safety is highly unlikely.

Sadly safety is not getting much consideration in the media discussions however there are potentials in this conference that could extend well beyond the mining industry. Continue reading “Mining safety conference is shadowed by taxation debate”

Union view of OHS harmonisation and data on the social cost of workplace safety

The national OHS Officer of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Deborah Vallance, provided her perspective on the tweaking of Australia’s OHS laws to the StickTogether radio program on 25 April 2010.  (The interview is at the 16 minute mark in the podcast)

Vallance says that the complexity and overlap of laws is often overstated but that there are benefits for licencing systems related to workplaces.  She casts doubt on the significance of the reforms leading to a “seamless economy” regularly spruiked by government ministers. Continue reading “Union view of OHS harmonisation and data on the social cost of workplace safety”

New Mesothelioma Registry and government answers asbestos questions

The Australian Workplace Relations Minister, Julia Gillard, this morning launched the latest Australian Mesothelioma Registry.  SafetyAtWorkBlog took the opportunity to ask Safe Work Australia some specific questions about asbestos and government policy.  Their responses are below.

The government has awarded the contract for the new Australian Mesothelioma Registry to a consortium led by the Cancer Institute of NSW. Continue reading “New Mesothelioma Registry and government answers asbestos questions”

Australia to get a national workers’ memorial

Last year, Tasmania began building a memorial garden for people who have been killed at work.  South Australia has the Don Gage Memorial Walk.  Queensland unveiled its new workers’ memorial on 28 April 2010.  The Australian government has finally sought to establish a national memorial in Canberra in support of the International Day of Mourning.

According to media statements from the Minister for Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, and Senator Doug Cameron (former National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Workers Union) a committee will look into establishing an appropriate memorial in Canberra. Continue reading “Australia to get a national workers’ memorial”

National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK

The United States President, Barack Obama, has officially proclaimed 28 April 2010 as Workers Memorial Day.

It may be a politically appropriate announcement given the multiple fatalities that have happened recently in the United States, which the President mentions, but this should not overlook the fact that the leader of one of the most influential countries in the world has acknowledged the International Day of Mourning. Continue reading “National recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day – US & UK”

Australia’s national safety award winners

This evening in Canberra, Safe Work Australia announced the winners of the 5th Annual Safe Work Australia Awards. The profiles below are provided by Safe Work Australia.

The winners are:

Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System – Private Sector

GHD, South Australia

“GHD South Australia uses an electronic workplace health and safety management system accessible to all employees and has a workflow element to ensure that the necessary safety analysis and reporting is undertaken for all projects. Continue reading “Australia’s national safety award winners”

Unionists express anger at Australia’s approach to OHS on Workers’ Memorial Day

Some days, politics should be kept in the background.  Increasingly the International Day of Mourning is being used as a political platform, principally by the union movement.  But this is discomforting and a little like anti-war protests during ANZAC Day, as happened several decades ago.

International Day of Mourning, or Workers’ Memorial Day, as it is also known, should be a time of reflection.  There is no doubt that there is a political element to wortkplace safety and the deaths of workers but it is hard to remember the dead, look at the memorials and the floral tributes when a tannoy is shouting to a unon protest rally.

This was part of the scene outside the Trades Hall in Melbourne on 28 April 2010.  Thousands of construction workers used the memorial as the starting point for a march to the offices of the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Continue reading “Unionists express anger at Australia’s approach to OHS on Workers’ Memorial Day”

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