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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-04-07 Daily Xml
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INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:44): Will the Minister for Industrial Relations provide the chamber with details of the government's role in the upcoming commemoration of International Workers' Memorial Day?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:45): Honourable members would be aware that 28 April is now recognised worldwide as a day of remembrance of those who have died at work, as well as those who have been severely injured, and to strengthen our resolve on improving safety at work.

Since 1996, the International Trade Union movement has marked the day as one of mourning for all workers killed and seriously injured. More recently, the International Labour Organization has also used the day as one of action and awareness to promote the importance of health and safety at work.

Mr President, I am sure you would be well familiar with the unfortunate rates of workplace injuries in this country. The national body Safe Work Australia estimates that more than 135,000 people are seriously injured at work every year and more than 200 die from work-related injuries, while many more are lost to work-related diseases, such as those connected to asbestos. These incidents of harm—these tragedies—affect family, friends and loved ones emotionally and financially, and often for a lifetime.

In Adelaide on Thursday 28 April this year, the day will be marked with what is now a tradition on our calendar—the annual church service in the city. The service is open to people of all faiths and beliefs and provides a point of focus and reflection for those families who have lost a loved one through work-related causes.

To the wider community, especially to those of us in government, the labour movement and industry and commerce, the memorial service is a powerful reminder of why safe systems of work are so important. Bereaved families bring pictures of their loved ones as well as personal effects, such as helmets, shirts and work boots, into the church to remind us all of the high human cost of workplace harm.

For the first time as industrial relations minister, I will be attending the service. I acknowledge the work of SA Unions, SafeWork SA and Voice of Industrial Death, who come together each year to jointly contribute to and organise this important commemorative event. In keeping with the dual theme of promoting the importance of health and safety at work, the day is also one of highlighting positive achievements in workplace safety.

The annual Safe Work Awards are presented in Canberra at that time. Winners of the national categories in the state and territory Safe Work Awards in late October are automatically forwarded as finalists. This is an event we will watch with keen interest, given South Australia's outstanding results in past years at both an individual and a collective level. I am sure honourable members will join me in wishing South Australian finalists the very best on the day.

The state government has the reduction of workplace harm as a key target in its strategic plan, and recent national figures show that South Australia leads the way in reducing its injury claims rate, while the fatality rate is under the national average and at the lower end of the national scale. International Workers' Memorial Day reminds us of the importance of continuing our critical work to make all South Australian workplaces safer.

We are putting forward legislation this year—that is in the house now—ranging from the protection of child workers to the nationally harmonised work, health and safety laws (which I will introduce this afternoon), including regulations and codes of practice that will bring all Australian workers under a single health and safety protective framework.

On a daily basis, we will continue the range of information, compliance and enforcement measures undertaken by SafeWork SA inspectors to ensure that we aim for all South Australians to come home safely to their families at the end of their working day. I invite all honourable members and any interested members of the community to attend the memorial service, which will be held on Thursday 28 April from 10:30am at the Pilgrim Uniting Church in Flinders Street.

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