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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 12 Hansard (24 November) . . Page.. 3589 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

Now, Mr Speaker, it was stated earlier - I do not recall who said it but I think it might have been Mr Stanhope - that the implosion process was fraught with risk. The coroner actually says that that is not true. He said:

Mr Quinlan, again, in all his criticisms, in all the words he said, clearly used the parts of the report that support his case. We can all selectively quote, but we are willing to say that the report taken in its entirety says that there is work to be done. The coroner has clearly laid the blame where he felt that blame should be. Mr Speaker, this is a mentality we see a lot in the Labor Party. It is a mentality that says you have to attack on personality when you have no substance for what you yourself do.

Mr Speaker, what have we done? Before the implosion we got on with reforming WorkCover. Now that we have the coroner's report we will continue. We will continue that, Mr Speaker, by ensuring that staff training is a priority. In the past two years WorkCover has ensured that all staff undergo induction training and that all staff have individual development plans related to work requirements and to their career progress. (Extension of time granted) In particular, training has included explosives training. We now have five staff qualified as shotfirers and another five staff are studying. All OH&S inspectors are now trained in asbestos safety.

Staff have received training in Safety Map, a methodology of risk analysis and audit within organisations. Six inspectors are now trained in mediation. All inspectors have training providing an overview of dangerous goods, while all the OH&S and dangerous goods inspectors have been trained in hazardous chemicals management. Some staff now have tertiary training in law, OH&S and safety science, while all staff have been trained in occupational protection behaviour. Yet again, the Government is getting on with the job, which includes addressing the concerns of the coroner, and we will make sure that that happens.

Equally as important, Mr Speaker, there has been significant legislative reform. The review has addressed some serious deficiencies in the legislation, and what we have done and will continue to do is modernise antiquated legislation. This legislation did not become antiquated overnight. It did not happen in our term. It did not even happen in the terms of the previous Government. Much of the legislation dates from the turn of the century. The point is, Mr Speaker, that we are now addressing that problem.

This has included the introduction of the new regulations for the use of explosives under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1989 as a consequential amendment arising from the repeal of the Scaffolding and Lifts Act 1912 to 1948. Although these were gazetted on 1 October 1999, clearly some members were not aware of the process that

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