[Greens-Media] Govt Bill a Slap in the Face for CFS Volunteers

[Franks, Office]

June 18, 2013

MEDIA RELEASE: Govt Bill a Slap in the Face for CFS Volunteers

The Weatherill Labor Government's announcement today that it will introduce a cancer protection Bill to cover MFS firefighters only is a slap in the face for CFS volunteers, says Greens' Industrial Relations spokesperson Tammy Franks MLC.

The introduction of the Bill follows the successful passage of the Greens' Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Protection for Firefighters) Bill through the Upper House - a Bill which seeks to protect both paid and volunteer firefighters and sets the same timeframe requirements as the Government's proposed law.

"I have made the case for this legislation to cover both paid and volunteer firefighters very clearly - and it is a compelling one," Ms Franks said.

"Yet Minister Rau continues to inaccurately quote the science. He says there is insufficient evidence to support an increased prevalence of cancers in volunteer firefighters and he is wrong.

"There is a significant body of science linking these sorts of structural fires with a significantly heightened risk of cancer and we know that our MFS and CFS firefighters often stand shoulder to shoulder at these incidents.

"The carcinogens don't discriminate, so why is the Government?

"In the Upper House when the Labor members stood alone in voting against the Greens' Bill, the Government referred to the Monash survey, a study it is apparently waiting on before determining whether this legislation should be extended to include volunteers.

"So dismayed were the authors of the Monash survey about this that they wrote to me saying, 'We are concerned that decisions about presumptive legislation are being delayed pending our study's findings.'

"Minister Rau has now run out of excuses. The Government should have at least checked with the academics undertaking the Monash firefighters study before attempting to use it as a smokescreen.

"Clinging to that excuse while the study's own authors recommend proceeding is a farcical response and it's a slap in the face for our volunteer firefighters, who selflessly give their time and put their lives on the line to protect the community.

"The only impediment to this important legislation for our firefighters is the Weatherill Labor Government.

"When this legislation comes before the Upper House I will not hesitate in moving amendments to ensure that volunteer firefighters who meet the timeframe requirements are also protected."

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