[Greens-Media] Keneally should act on building site safety

[Lee Rhiannon]

Media Release - 28 May 2010 - Greens MP and IR spokesperson Lee
Rhiannon

Keneally should act on building site safety

Commenting on the two serious building site accidents this week, Greens
MP and industrial spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has called on Premier
Kristina Keneally to work with unions to strengthen workplace safety
standards and to ensure the national occupational health and safety
harmonisation plan improves safety and does not leave workers worse off
(SMH, 'Another accident on CBD building site', http://tiny.cc/ffdhq).

*More stringent regulation of building sites is needed and this issue
warrants the attention and support of the Premier,* Ms Rhiannon said.


*There have been at least two serious building site accidents this
year in Sydney, and last year a 12 storey scaffold collapsed in the CBD,
trapping a worker and injuring three pedestrians.

*These incidents serve as a wake up call to the NSW government to
stand up to Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard*s Work Health and
Safety proposal that, if introduced, would downgrade job safety in NSW.

*The ACTU has criticised the Gillard plan and it is time the Keneally
government publicly backed the peak union body on this issue. 

"Premier Keneally should be working closely with unions in the coming
months to establish strong worksite safety measures. With the prospect
of a NSW Coalition government being elected in 2011 this should be a
priority for Labor. 

*Right now unions and their peak bodies have been sidelined in this
rush by the federal and state Labor governments to sign off on their
harmonisation plan.

*This is the Premier*s opportunity to provide national leadership
in the face of Minister Gillard*s watering down plans.

"The Greens are not against attempts to bring consistency to the many
occupational health and safety laws and regulations across the different
states and territories, but the aim always has to be to raise standards,
not to leave workers worse off.

"Existing occupational health and safety laws have come about through
the struggle and sacrifice of working people over many decades.

"No one has the right to water down these conditions," Ms Rhiannon
said.

Contact:    Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568




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Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Email   lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web    http://www.lee.greens.org.au/

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