Silicosis

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:30): My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the chamber on—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The opposition has had eight supplementaries already and no doubt will have more, but the Hon. Mr Hood—

The Hon. E.S. Bourke interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Will the Treasurer update the chamber on the government's attempts to tackle silicosis in South Australia?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:30): I thank the member for his question and I would imagine all members of this chamber would be interested in the response of governments—collectively—in trying to tackle the problem of silicosis in our workplace. I have reported to this chamber before that soon after coming into government I was concerned at the lack of a coordinated effort by the departments and the government in relation to tackling silicosis. There were so many agencies of government that had a potential role in a coordinated campaign, but it was uncoordinated and certainly needed, in the government's view and in my view, much better management.

I established a working group and out of that came the silicosis working party, or silicosis strategy working group, I should say, which involves now SafeWork SA, SA Health, the EPA, the Department for Energy and Mining, ReturnToWorkSA and MAQOHSC, the Mining and Quarrying Occupational Health and Safety Committee. That group is now led by SafeWork SA in terms of a coordinated strategy and response.

The government provided additional funding both through MAQOHSC and in addition to that to conduct some urgent audit findings in terms of practice within, in particular, the engineered stone industry. Between October 2020 and April 2021, SafeWork SA undertook a campaign focused on respirable crystalline silica, or RCS, in the fabrication, construction and mining industries.

I have reported previously, and I won’t repeat them, on the number of site visits, compliance orders, statutory notices—both prohibition and improvement notices—that were issued as a result of that particular compliance campaign. As a result of that particular campaign, a report was published in 2021 and is available on the SafeWork SA website.

Similarly, at the national level, ministers have worked and there has been agreement to significantly reduce the workplace exposure level or standard for respirable crystalline silica on 1 July 2020. That significant reduction in that standard, or that limit, was introduced by I think all governments, but certainly South Australia was a willing participant in reducing that particular workplace exposure level or standard.

The government continues to take action both through SafeWork SA, through the Department for Health and, in particular through MAQOHSC. There have been significant organisational and structural changes within MAQOHSC and a new focus on how silicosis can be tackled in worksites. The engineered stone industry is a major focus of it, but in recent discussions I have had with interstate experts in this area they have highlighted potential concerns in relation to tunnelling contracts in the other states, and the government is making some investigations because we are obviously about to embark on major tunnelling projects in South Australia. We are anxious to ensure that workers are protected to the greatest extent possible in terms of any tunnelling activity and any exposure there might be to potentially contracting silicosis.

The work health and safety ministers meet at lunchtime tomorrow. They coordinate efforts in relation to the National Dust Diseases Taskforce, including a coordinated national response to tackling silicosis, which will be an agenda item for tomorrow. I—and I hope ensuing state governments and ministers—will continue to take a very active role in terms of a coordinated response to what is an increasingly dangerous and important activity for workers in terms of protecting the health and wellbeing of workers in that particular industry sector.