Monday May 11, 2009
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| Joy Moon and Maitea Medina |
“This is no time to compromise on health and safety. This is too important for all workers and their families. Any compromise would result in 2nd rate safety” said Ann Taylor. She also spoke about the positive elements of Victorian OHS laws and said these should not be lost in a new national model law. Unions also pointed out that, if all the Review Panel’s recommendations are accepted OHS standards would be lowered everywhere in Australia.
Joy Moon, whose son Darren was killed when he became entangled in a machine in 2003, said “Darren was just making paper. That shouldn’t happen in this day and age. New OHS Laws have to make the workplace safer for everybody.”
Maitea Medina, whose husband Tony died three days before Christmas last year from an asbestos
More people are killed at work than in wars. 7,000 people die each year in Australia due to work. This is higher than the national road toll.
Twelve people have already died in Victorian workplaces this year.