1,000 signatures reached
To: The Premier of Tasmania - Will Hodgman
Justice for Workplace Deaths
1. The Tasmanian Government MUST ensure that ALL workers are covered by the Workers Compensation Act. Currently some workers have been deliberately and unfairly excluded.
2. The Tasmanian Government MUST introduce Industrial Manslaughter Laws for employers who have have failed in their duty of care, resulting in a fatality.
Why is this important?
At the age of 24, my wonderful son David was killed in a workplace accident in Tasmania. An accident that should never have happened.
I feel distressed just thinking about the early morning phone call from one of David's friends advising us that the boat he was working on had not come in at the expected time. We waited for news, hoping for a good outcome.
The next phone call destroyed our world.
When the boat that David was working on sunk, he swam for over five hours before dying of hypothermia.
I can't put into words how horrendous something like this is. We will never recover from the sudden and unbearable shock of losing a much loved family member. David was young, healthy and a hard worker. He had his whole life in front of him. He should not have been killed at work.
Workplace deaths break the hearts of those left behind.
This tragedy opened my eyes to the unjust, discriminatory and dangerous 1988 Workers Compensation Act. Some workers have been deliberately excluded!
They are disrespected when they are killed at work. They are denied any funeral / death compensation.
Basically, they are disposable workers. This is unacceptable. ALL workers MUST be included in the Workers Compensation Act.
Employers should be accountable if they have contributed to the death of a worker by failing in their duty of care.
Workers continue to lose their lives in Tasmania. Families continue to be shattered, and forever heartbroken.
The Tasmanian Government have ignored these issues for far too long. They MUST take action, and implement the legislative changes needed to protect workers.