Additional comments from the Australian Greens

1.1The Australian Greens are supportive of the establishment of the National Dust Disease Registry to ‘better protect and support workers, and to recognise the incidence and severity of dust disease.’

1.2We want to note the recommendations provided by Australia’s leading public health organisations as further amendments to improve this registry. Specifically:

All occupational respiratory diseases found in the Safe Work Australia List of Deemed Diseases in Australia be prescribed and require notification to the Registry upon diagnosis;

That the annual public reports from the Commonwealth CMO be broadened to include occupation, main job task, industry, and state;

That as a matter of priority, the registry be expanded to include Asbestosis, Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Mesothelioma, Work-related asthma, and occupational lung infections;

The additional of multiple exposures in 'additional notification information' should be included in the 'minimum notification information'; and

Remove the restriction, subject to worker consent and ethical approval, on researchers access to information contained in section 2.

1.3The Greens strongly support these initiatives to strengthen the registry.

1.4In addition, the Australian Greens have long supported a ban on the use of engineered stone in Australia. The evidence is clear, manufactured stone is the 21st century asbestos and the Federal Parliament should act urgently to ban its importation and use. The Greens welcome a previous statement from the Albanese government that it wants to move towards a ban, but this cannot wait 12 months while more young workers are exposed to this deadly dust.

1.5The Greens call on the Australian Government to pass legislation implementing a ban of engineered stone this year in line with the calls of public health experts.

Senator Janet Rice