Bath Motion on Timber workers right to safe workplaces

458    MS BATH — To move —

That this House —

(1)    notes that —

(a)     everyone has a right to a safe workplace;

(b)    forestry harvest and haulage contractors and employees are frequently targeted by forest protestors heightening their risk to occupational health and safety;

(c)     occupational health and safety risks include financial pressure, physical danger and undue mental stress;

(2)    calls on the Andrews Labor Government to —

• recognise that forestry harvest and haulage contractors and their employees are at risk by the actions of forest protestors;
• implement responsive action by Victoria Police, authorised officers and Worksafe inspectors;
• provide attending authorities with the ability to immediately move on protestors; and

(d)    apply appropriate penalties that deter protestors from attending and disrupting logging coupes.