A key part of the conference was the opportunity for the reps to hear the different viewpoints of the various 'stakeholders' in OHS on the question of what their organisations considered as 'unfinished business' in terms of occupational health and safety in Victoria. As their organisations often hold very different views of what still needs to be done to improve OHS in this state, the session was sub-titled "Difference of Opinion" .
Moderated by the VTHC's Workers' Compensation Officer, Jarrod Moran, the panel was made up of the following:
- Cathy Butcher, OHS Coordinator, VTHC
- John Darcy, Senior OHS Advisor, Master Builders Association of Victoria (MBAV)
- Peter Rozen, Barrister, Victorian Bar
- Sue Pilkington, Vice President Safety Institute of Australia (SIA), Victorian division
- John Merritt, Executive Director, WorkSafe Victoria
- Karen Batt, Victorian State Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU)
The panelists' overhead presentations are attached below. John Merritt, having given one of the key note addresses earlier, participated in the general discussion and, as did the others, took questions from the floor. As usual, there were many more questions than time allowed.