[Greens-Media] Business interests put before workers safety and State's democratic process

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

09.03.05

Business interests put before workers safety and State's democratic
process

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle urged State governments to continue with
plans to introduce industrial manslaughter offences despite the federal
government's introduction today of a bill to exempt all Commonwealth
employees and employees of Government business enterprises from such
legislation.

The ACT government's industrial manslaughter laws came into effect in
March 2004, NSW and Queensland all have legislation in the pipeline.

"It's typically perverse that sub-title of the Minister's bill is
'promoting safer workplaces' when the effect will be to weaken criminal
sanctions against those who have been proven to be criminally negligent
in causing injury or death in the workplace," Senator Nettle said.

"This bill is more about dissuading States from enacting industrial
manslaughter legislation as part of a concerted campaign pushed by the
big business community.

"The James Hardie debacle has shown that some in corporate Australia
will evade their responsibilities and deliberately risk lives if they
feel they can get away with it.

"The provisions of States industrial manslaughter legislation focus
specifically on incidents of extreme negligence and should pose no
threat to the majority of employers who are doing the right thing.

"The Greens have introduced private members bills at both state and
federal levels which are yet to be considered."

Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146