Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Work Health and Safety, Sophie Cotsis, has urged the Perrottet Government to adopt all of the recommendations of Parliamentary review of the Dust Diseases Scheme, which include the licensing of manufactured stone businesses and lowering exposure of workers to silica dust.
“This Government has for years failed to heed repeated warnings that serious action needs to be taken to prevent silicosis among workers across a range of industries including stone manufacturing, tunnelling and construction,” said Ms Cotsis.
“After failing to support key recommendations of three previous parliamentary reviews into the NSW Dust Diseases Scheme, and under resourcing oversight of unsafe practices and screening of workers, the time for wilful ignorance and complacency is over. This report highlights that we are trailing behind other jurisdictions and the lives of thousands of workers are at stake.”
“For a disease that it is entirely preventable – the evidence is sobering – one in four engineered stone workers could already be suffering from deadly silica dust-related diseases.”
“This Government must implement the recommendations of the latest parliamentary review, which includes improved medical screening of at-risk workers, a licencing scheme for manufactured stone businesses and improved safety standards in workplaces such as air monitoring.”
Barry Robson, the President of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia also welcomed the report, but again called on the Government to heed the warnings of the Committee.
“This is a sobering report which clearly highlights that in the face of an entirely preventable silicosis epidemic the NSW Government has been both slow and ineffective. We must learn from the past so we don’t repeat it. Now is the time to act,” said Mr Robson.
Ms Cotsis also noted the report also shows the Government’s ban on dry cutting has been meaningless with evidence that this high-risk practice is still widespread across NSW.
“I thank the members of the committee for highlighting the tenfold increase of cases of silicosis, but immediate steps must be taken to prevent a further rise in cases. I particularly the efforts of Greg Donnelly, Anthony D’Adam and Mark Buttigieg in keeping the Government accountable.” said Ms Cotsis.
Their dissenting statement, noted the review needed to go further and their proposed further amendments can be found in Appendix D of the report.
“Yet again we have the parliamentary committee blowing the whistle alongside the National Taskforce’s warning that we could see a repeat of the terrible history of asbestos-related diseases unless action is taken to address the surge in silicosis cases”.
“What will it take for this Government to protect workers from silicosis?” Ms Cotsis said.

SOPHIE COTSIS MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, 

SHADOW MINISTER FOR WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY

MEMBER FOR CANTERBURY