[Greens-Media] Vote to Secure SA Firefighters’ Futures

[Franks, Office]

May 14, 2013

Vote to Secure SA Firefighters’ Futures

An important Greens’ bill to protect firefighters should they contract cancer in the course of their work will come to a vote tomorrow (Wednesday) in the Upper House.

Greens’ Emergency Services and Volunteers spokesperson Tammy Franks says she is confident that the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (Protection for Firefighters) Amendment Bill has widespread support.

“This is an extremely important reform for the state’s MFS firefighters and CFS volunteers,” Ms Franks said.

“I have heard from every single member of Parliament, except the members of the Weatherill Government benches, and I am hopeful that we can get this bill up.

“We know that, despite their fitness, firefighters in this state contract cancer at five times the rate of the general population as a direct consequence of their work.

“Last year the Government announced it would introduce a compensation scheme to protect paid firefighters only, but the Greens believe that the state’s 13,500 CFS volunteers deserve the same protections – and that is why the Greens’ Bill provides for compensation for both career and volunteer firefighters.

“Put simply, carcinogens don’t discriminate and nor should we.

“In South Australia alone, CFS volunteers face thousands of incidents each year, equating to more than 200,000 hours of service.
“They stand side by side with their paid comrades to fight fires in this state - and we saw first-hand how important our CFS volunteers were at the weekend at Cherryville.

“Firefighters deserve this compensation, it’s been a long time coming and getting this Bill through will help to secure the future of firefighters in this state.

“This Bill will ensure that firefighters who meet service requirements will receive compensation should they contract one of the 12 specified cancers scientifically linked with their work.”

The Tasmanian Government recently tabled a compensation bill to cover paid and volunteer firefighters in that state, while a Federal Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill introduced by Greens’ MP Adam Bandt was passed in November 2011. The Act predominantly covers firefighters in the territories.

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