The CFMEU has congratulated Tasmania’s Rockliff Government on its support for an engineered stone ban.
State Workplace Health and Safety Minister Madeleine Ogilvie has joined the CFMEU in calling for the prohibition of engineered stone to save Tasmanian workers’ lives.
Governments in Queensland, NSW, SA and ACT have also backed a ban ahead of a meeting of federal, state and territory ministers next month.
Major retailers Bunnings and IKEA this week announced all engineered stone products would be phased out of their product line-ups.
CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith said this week was a momentous point in the Stop The Killer Stone campaign.
“Engineered stone’s days of killing Australian workers are quickly running out,” he said.
“This week has been the death knell for killer stone.
“We congratulate the Tasmanian government on backing the CFMEU’s call for an engineered stone ban.
“The CFMEU is confident there is now unstoppable momentum behind a ban on the use, importation and manufacture of this deadly product.
“However, our union will not take a single step back from this campaign until the ban is in place nationwide.
“It’s time for the Albanese Government to show national leadership and fully commit to an import ban, as well as changing model work health and safety laws.
“Labor governments in Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory shouldn’t wait another second to throw their support behind a ban.
“A ban on engineered stone should be well and truly a foregone conclusion before work health and safety ministers meet next month.”
