NSW welcomes Kevin Rudd’s plans for safer healthier fairer workplaces
NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca, today welcomed Federal Labor’s plans to build workplaces across Australia which are safe and cooperative.
“It’s a fundamental Labor principle that everyone has the right to a safe, healthy and fair workplace so they can return safely to their family and friends at the end of their working day,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“Good occupational health and safety requires employers, workers and government to cooperatively work together, backed by a well-trained and resourced inspectorate dispensing an appropriate mix of advice and enforcement.
“For too long, the Howard Government has undermined the joint efforts required in the workplace of employers and workers to build a workplace safety culture which focuses on improving safety,” he added.
“The Howard Government has only been interested in fragmenting workplace safety and workers compensation.
“Opening the self-regulating Comcare scheme to multi-state businesses has reduced safety standards and added more red tape for business.
“Employers self-insured with Comcare have reduced access to safety resources to help them build safer workplaces, while injured workers have fewer benefits.
“By allowing some companies to adopt a different system, against the wishes of all State jurisdictions, the Commonwealth has created enormous confusion where coverage overlaps.
“The NSW Government welcomes Mr Rudd’s moratorium on companies seeking new self-insurer licenses to allow a proper examination of all the issues around this matter.
“Over the past two years, the Iemma Government has been working hard with other state jurisdictions to harmonise OHS and workers compensation arrangements.
“A great deal of progress has already been made.
“Cooperative federalism is the key to cutting red tape for businesses and building improved safety with common standards and practices,” he said.
“It’s refreshing that Federal Labor is proposing a cooperative model, working with states and territories rather than the failed Howard Government’s negative blame game and bullying tactics,” he said.
The NSW Government recently announced the lowest rates of workplace injury for 20 years, along with further reductions in workers compensation premiums for employers and increased benefits for injured workers.
“Improving workplace safety is benefiting families and delivering financial benefits to industry,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“We do not want to see our improving workplace safety record jeopardised by the Howard Government’s attempts to lower safety standards in its race to the bottom.
“The Rudd Labor plans for establishing a truly independent tripartite national body charged with driving further harmonisation efforts to achieve nationally consistent laws and practices will complement the efforts that NSW employers, workers and Government are making to improving safety,” Mr Della Bosca said.
NSW MInister for Industrial Relations
24th October 2007
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PROTECTING AUSSIE JOBS 
