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. … Continue reading “Australia to get a national workers’ memorial”
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 … Continue reading “Unionists express anger at Australia’s approach to OHS on Workers’ Memorial Day”
Paul Howes, national secretary of the Australian Workers union has issued a media statement in support of the International Day of Mourning in which he says the Government is scared of BHP Billiton. “Politicians – of all political shades – are just too scared to stand up to BHP-Billiton and tell them that in a safe work … Continue reading “Too big to be held accountable?”
“The conference inside is a bit of a sham” claimed Brian Boyd, Victorian Trades Hall Secretary at the first meeting into the harmonisation of Australia’s workers compensation laws. “It’s really another hidden agenda about trying to harmonise workers comp after we fully know already, they’ve messed up harmonisation of OHS.”
On 18 March 2010, the last sitting day of that session of Australia’s Parliament, Labor Member of Parliament , Bill Shorten, spoke about workplace bullying and the OHS prosecutions that stemmed from the bullying and suicide of Brodie Panlock. Some of his short speech rehashed details of the workplace bullying prosecutions but, according to the draft … Continue reading “Australian MP mentions workplace bullying but is short on practical controls”
For some reason several Australian newspapers on 16 February 2010 carried articles about the possibility of prosecuting the Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, over recent deaths associated with an insulation rebate scheme, he launched and his Department administers. The employers are drawing a long bow to support their calls. They are linking several related OHS … Continue reading “Australian employer groups are out for blood”
The future of Australia’s Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, is uncertain as he struggles for credibility in the wake of furious political attacks. In the various media discussions there are hints of other issues, some related to OHS in Australia, that demand attention. Australian Standards and safety planning Chris Bowen, Minister for Financial Services defended Garrett’s handling of the … Continue reading “Missed OHS issues in insulation debate”