Tasmania’s Labor Opposition and Victoria’s Labor Government have been accused of failing to act to protect workers. “They talk about supporting workers, but are unwilling to actually do anything,” Tasmanian Resources Minister Guy Barnett said. Source: Timberbiz
“If Labor really care about workers, they would have supported our Workplace Protection legislation, in the same way as other Labor Governments across Australia have moved to enact further protections.
“Labor could have chosen to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tasmanian farmers, miners, foresters, fishers and business people on this Bill,” he said.
“But once again, Labor demonstrated they are still too close to the Greens when they voted against it.”
Eight Bob Brown Foundation protesters were arrested after an early morning sit-in at McKays sawmill in Brighton with protestors locking themselves to machinery and entrance gates.
Mr Barnett said the incident highlighted the need for the latest version of the state government’s anti-protest laws.
And in Victoria Melina Bath, the Member for the Eastern Victoria Region, has highlighted what she describes as “treacherous actions by vigilante protesters”.
She told State Parliament this week that in East Gippsland protesters had installed metal star pickets along and into the access roads to a native timber coupe, “creating a highly hazardous situation”.
“If a car was to hit that, it could certainly damage the car but also potentially endanger life and cause serious injury to my constituents,” Ms Bath said.
“My constituents are incredibly frustrated that there seems to be no real attempt by government to stop these vigilante protesters really impeding and frustrating working operations.”
Mr Barnett said the Tasmanian Government made no apology for fighting to ensure that Tasmanians can go to work and run their business in a safe manner free from threats and disruption.
“Labor’s lacklustre debate in State Parliament today is nothing more than a weak attempt to rewrite history when they joined with the Greens and turned their back on Tasmanian businesses and workers,” he said.
“They talk about supporting workers but are unwilling to actually do anything.
“If Labor really care about workers, they would have supported our Workplace Protection legislation, in the same way as other Labor Governments across Australia have moved to enact further protections.”
Mr Barnett said Labor could have chosen to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tasmanian farmers, miners, foresters, fishers and business people on this Bill.
“But once again, Labor demonstrated they are still too close to the Greens when they voted against it,” he said.
The proposed laws were needed following an upsurge in business disruption caused by organised actions across the country.
Mr Barnett said that people should be able to safely earn a living without trespassers interfering with their work, threats being made in an effort to shut down their business, or roads being obstructed in order to stop their business operations.
The Government will bring on debate on the Bill in the Upper House as a priority.
