100 signatures reached
To: Gladys Berejiklian, Premier of New South Wales
Make Industrial Manslaughter a Crime in New South Wales
NSW Young Labor calls on Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the NSW Government to ensure that NSW workers are protected at work by introducing industrial manslaughter as a criminal offence under the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).
Why is this important?
Everyone deserves the right to be safe at work.
Every worker deserves the right to get home safely to their family at the end of the day.
According to Safe Work Australia, 63 workers have died at work in 2020.
From 2014 to 2018, there was an average of 56 workplace deaths in New South Wales per year.
Clocking on at work should never be a death sentence.
Most workplace deaths are easily preventable making these deaths even more tragic. Current laws in NSW allow employers to only get fined for the deaths of workers, even when they have been found to be negligent. By introducing industrial manslaughter as a criminal offence in NSW punishable by imprisonment, employers will be forced to take work health and safety seriously and avoid any more easily preventable workplace deaths.
Victoria, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland have already introduced industrial manslaughter laws and these laws have helped to ensure that workers are better protected whilst at work.
It’s time for New South Wales to do the same.
NSW Young Labor wants all workers in New South Wales to be safe and protected at work.
No one should go to work and not come home.
(Banner image via Depositphotos)