Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) since September 2018, more than 20 cases of advanced silicosis have been found in Queensland,

  (ii) at present, there is no known treatment that can arrest the progress of this disease, and

  (iii) previous attempts have been made to raise this issue with the Government, but that they have not taken action on it; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

  (i) fund respiratory health assessments of all workers (past and present) in the industry,

  (ii) conduct an urgent review of the dust control measures used in the industry, including independent monitoring of dust levels,

  (iii) conduct comprehensive enforcement of hazardous substances regulations related to silica dust exposure,

  (iv) enforce an immediate prohibition on dry cutting techniques, and

  (v) establish a national occupationally-acquired respiratory disease surveillance and registry program.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Safe Work Australia, which is a tripartite body including the states and territories, is actively working to better raise awareness of the duties and control measures for eliminating and minimising respirable silica dust in the workplace. The motion follows the urgent reference that the government made to Safe Work Australia, which received support from the states last Friday at the COAG Health Council meeting in Adelaide.

Question agreed to.