Tony Abbott tells us why Peter Garrett should resign his portfolio:
“A company director who doesn’t put safe systems of work in place where workers subsequently die will typically in New South Wales be charged with industrial manslaughter. This is a very, very serious error. He has to be responsible for failing to adequately heed these warnings and that’s why I say that he should pay for these four deaths with his job.”
If you follow that logic on ministerial responsibility — that any death caused by a government policy or program should trigger the relevant Minister’s removal — there would be Ministers’ heads served up on platters with monotonous regularity.
Take defence. Operation Slipper in Afghanistan has so far claimed the lives of 10 ADF personnel — so it should have been goodbye to Peter Reith, Robert Hill, Brendan Nelson, Joel Fitzgibbon and John Faulkner.
In earlier days, the Snowy Mountains Scheme claimed no less than 121 workers’ lives — bye-bye Nelson Lemmon, Richard Casey, Wilfrid Kent Hughes, Allen Fairhall, Gordon Freeth, John Gorton, Bert Kelly, Reginald Wright, Gough Whitlam, James Cavanagh and Les Johnson.
Then there are government health policies that result in deaths, road building, infrastructure, regional skirmishes, building programs, etc, etc.
You get the drift. It’s a pity the Opposition Leader doesn’t.
Lets take invasion of a sovereign nation because they supposedly had weapons of mass destruction.
Short memories coalition !
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum yesterady did anyone hear Joyce and Abbott pick up another distraction – something about something “that incompetent, wasteful, Tanner(?)” said about “crossing the eyes and dotting the tea’s …. up in the ceiling …. something about bats(?)”….. it was Barnaby – and how he’d get clobbered if he said something like it (after saying something like that?):-
Three words – “Regional Development Fund” – with one of each – that shouldn’t have been too hard, but look what he and they did with that!
Yes
Yes – if you apply the Abbott doctrine to John howard, Phillip Ruddock, Alex Downer & Co, they would have had to resign back in 2003 and go straight to jail.
Not to mention all the deaths caused by James Hardie and CSR, plus the other employers who knew of the dangers but did nothing. My mate has asbestosis, caused when he was a wharfie – he worked in the hull where he couldn’t see due to asbestos fibres-not protective clothing, no breathing apparatus etc – he wore a singlet due to the extreme heat. He’ll be lucky to get a small amount of money due solely to his breathing difficulties – if and when it kills him, not one person will be charged with anything – not one!
Successive State & Federal(mostly Coalition) govts knew of the dangers and did nothing! I have RSI for over 26 yrs-my employer(NSW labor govt at the time) knew about it, and chose not to warn me or make the necessary inexpensive changes. I could go on ad infinitum!
The Opposition don’t give a s**t about workers. In fact, Howard’s next step was to nationalize Workers Compensation. If Minchin and Abbott are elected, they’ll finish the job. The Opposition are responsible for the Australian Building & Construction Commission(ABCC)which targets workers, including workers who meet off the job to discuss issues such as worker safety. These workers can be summonsed to be interrogated by ABCC thugs, and if they talk about it with their wife/partner or refuse to disclose information, they can be heavily fined or face 6 months jail or both. Howard introduced this, and Rudd has kept it operative, to his shame! These workers do not have the right to remain silent, can’t choose their own lawyer etc. Abbott, Hunt etc said not one word about this. Surprise! surprise!
Minchin apologized to his rich employer mates that WorstChoices didn’t go further. He promised them that it would in future. They’ll do it if re-elected, of that I have no doubt! Hypocritical bastards all!
If Peter Garrett has committed any ‘crime’ it’s the fact that the use of foil insulation should’ve been cancelled after the 1st death. There should’ve been an Inquiry and stringent training, regulations etc, but that’s not a politicians responsibility, not govt Ministers to implement! Perhaps the Coroner should’ve been more vocal, active etc??
It’s been proven, that when Unions are encouraged to educate their members in OH&S, injuries and deaths in the workplace decrease. Howard changed all of that! This has as much to do with his almost 12 yrs influence than anything else. He actively targeted strong Unions like the CFMEU!He believed, that employers had the right to operate their businesses 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week! That’s the environment he helped create! Sickening mob of hypocrites now!