Greens MP and industrial relations spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has congratulated unions and WorkCover for achieving the significant drop in workplace injuries announced today and called on Finance Minister Joe Tripodi to take the position that NSW will only join a single national workers' health and safety system if standards are maintained.
"These results show that NSW's current OH&S laws are working, yet under the proposed new national OH&S scheme our safety laws will be watered down to the lowest common denominator," Ms Rhiannon said.
"Strict liability for employers will be removed and unions and the community will lose the right to prosecute for breaches. This will mean a real reduction in safety at workplaces.
"Mr Tripodi needs to lift his game in pushing for improved job safety standards under the federal plan. The message from the NSW government must be that there can be no compromise on job safety in developing a national standardised system.
"Today's announcement that NSW workplace injuries are at a 20 year low strengthens the Minister's case in taking on federal Industrial Relations Minister Ms Gillard over her attempt to water down job place safety standards.
"It is disappointing that Mr Tripodi has not been as strong an advocate on workplace safety as his predecessor Mr John Della Bosca.
"If Ms Gillard's occupational health and safety 'harmonisation' plan is successful it will be a set back for worker safety as she is backing a scheme based on the lower standards that prevail in Victoria and Queensland.
"The federal government's plan is supported by Employer Associations which have been lobbying for years for a wind back of job safety standards.
"Mr Tripodi needs to insist that union and community prosecutions of workplace safety breaches are retained, along with union's right of entry to investigate and enforce job safety standards.
"The push from the federal Labor government is looking more and more like the Howard government's attempt to strip back worker's rights and benefits.
"All workers have the right to a safe and healthy working environment and the right to refuse to undertake unsafe work. They should know what hazards they will be exposed to and be allowed to negotiate how those hazards are identified and the danger eliminated. These rights also include determining who represents them on job safety issues," Ms Rhiannon said.
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