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National Bulletin #1
The Fair Protection for Firefighters Legislation receives Royal Assent: an historic day for all Firefighters. Click to read (or right-click/Cmd-click to save to your computer: PDF download).
Australian Firefighter Protection Bill Receives Royal Assent
Australia Firefighter Protection Bill receives Royal Assent: read more in the 2012_ufua_national_bulletin_no.1. The United Firefighters Union of Australia National Office, on behalf of the National Executive and the National Committee of Management, is proud to announce that the Governor General has granted Royal Assent to the “Fair Protection for Firefighters” legislation. This means that the …
Read more “Australian Firefighter Protection Bill Receives Royal Assent”
Close call west of Geelong
Australia Vic: Close call west of Geelong. A volunteer fire fighter has told how he and his crew were forced to flee when their tanker went up in flames. Government budget cuts and penny pinching stand accused. “The truck is replaceable; the crew isn’t…” View the Ch.10 news report. Vic: Fire on the bay, the …
Independent Inquiry Demand
Australia Vic – Fiskville exposure roundup: Ryan may consider independent inquiry into Fiskville. Firefighters are threatening to close a Country Fire Authority (CFA) training facility west of Melbourne unless there is an independent inquiry into a suspected cancer cluster there.The United Firefighters Union has asked the coroner to conduct an investigation. Union urges firefighters to …
CFA rapped over Fiskville
CFA rapped over Fiskville inquiry THE CFA should be ashamed for refusing to investigate a link between the toxic chemicals used at its Fiskville training college and a suspected cancer cluster, alleged victims say. The investigation can look at “historical facts”, documents, current risks and origin of the chemicals, but not whether they are linked …
Fiskville fears over cancer cluster
Fiskville fears over cancer cluster Links to media stories about firefighter and residents’ exposure to carcinogenic chemicals used in training exercises at the CFA training centre in Fiskville, west of Bacchus Marsh in Victoria. Baillieu to call inquiry Premier Baillieu will order a full investigation of a suspected cancer cluster at Fiskville. And the United …
Victorian “there for you” campaign
Australia Vic: There for you Victoria’s Public Sector Unions launch the There For You campaign. Firefighters, nurses, teachers, child protection and disability workers, paramedics, scientists and hundreds of other professions tackle government cuts. Watch the campaign promo and the ABC News report. WA: Crackdown on bushfire arsonists A recent report by the Australian Institute of …
Easier Compensation
Easier compensation for firefighters with cancer Firefighters who develop cancer will be able to access workers compensation more easily, under new laws passed in the Senate. Under existing laws firefighters have to prove they were exposed to a particular chemical on the job and that it caused their cancer. A bill initiated by Australian Greens …
Senate passes Firefighter Protection Bill
Members are advised that the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill was unanimously passed in the Senate and will now become law. This is a watershed moment for the UFUA and all Australian firefighters. For the first time in Australian history, specific cancers have been recognised as occupational cancers for firefighters through presumptive legislation. More than …
London firefighter cuts complaint
UK: Union slams moves for £30 million giveaway to the Met police. The Government is demanding £65 million of austerity budget cuts in the London Fire Service while boosting the police budget by tens of millions. Australia NSW: ‘Firefighter’s worst nightmare’ Three dead after fire tears through nursing home: firefighters forced to search the rooms …
Firefighters battle heirarchy
Australia Qld: Firefighters take up mate’s battle with QFRS heirachy. A Queensland firefighter’s case before the state’s Industrial relations Commission is highlighting the issue of workers with epilepsy. WA: A dire bushfire season ahead: how will it be tackled? The United Firefighters Union WA Secretary Graeme Geer says the Union has called for …
Gobsmacked says WA chief
Australia WA: Training shocks chief . Fire services chief Wayne Gregson says he was “gobsmacked” at some of the inadequacies within the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and has flagged big changes in the way bushfires are fought in WA, including more training for firefighters. New head says criticism of FESA warranted. Qld: Firefighter dispute …
Firefighter Protection Bill passes the reps
Australia Firefighter Protection Bill passes the Reps The Melbourne Age reported that yesterday (Thursday), more than 60 firefighters gave a standing ovation in Parliament after a Greens bill giving firefighters easier access to workers’ compensation cleared a major hurdle. The Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011, was sent from the …
Firefighter solar safety investigation
Australia: Firefighter solar panel concerns to be investigated. The UFUA’s National Secretary, Peter Marshall said the risk posed by solar panels had been a growing concern in recent years. Now, the Australian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) has launched an investigation into the alternative energy source’s safety after Firefighter claims that homes fitted …
Secure jobs, a better future
Secure Jobs and a Better Future Australian unions have launched a major national campaign for secure Jobs and a better future for Australian workers. NSW retained firefighter Marina Findeis helped the ACTU at its Sydney launch of this critical mobilisation for job security and workplace rights. The Australian economy is performing well, yet the unemployment …
UFUA All Member Alert: act now to support the Firefighter Protection Bill
UFUA All Member Alert: act now to support the Firefighter Protection Bill The legislation has been presented to Federal Parliament, the Senate has completed its inquiry and now the Fair Protection For Firefighters Bill (Occupational Cancer For Firefighters) is making its way through the House of Representatives and the Senate. With only about two weeks …
Read more “UFUA All Member Alert: act now to support the Firefighter Protection Bill”
Coalition MPs won’t oppose bill
Coalition MPs won’t oppose Protection Bill In response to the thousands of letters that have been sent to politicians through the protectyourfirefighters.com website, opposition Coalition politicians have said they will not be opposing the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill. Numbers of Coalition Members of Parliament and Senators have emailed responses back to firefighters and UFUA Union …
Firefighter Protection Bill now to include additional cancers
After many months of hard work by the National Executive and the National Office, Australia’s House of Representatives have now unanimously agreed to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011. Most importantly the Bill was also amended to include additional cancers which are as follows:multiple myeloma, primary site prostate, ureter, …
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Senate Inquiry Reports
Senate inquiry reports: UFUA National Bulletin The Senate Standing Committee which has been investigating the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill has released its report and recommends presumptive legislation be passed to compensate Firefighters with occupational cancer and to extend the coverage to 14 cancers. This will bring Australian Commonwealth legislation in line with contemporary scientific …
Senate Inquiry Report
The Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011. Read the Senate Inquiry report. Read the report.
New Head of WA Fire Authority
Australia National: Senate inquiry reports The Senate Standing Committee which has been investigating the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill has released its report and recommends presumptive legislation be passed to compensate Firefighters with occupational cancer and to extend the coverage to 14 cancers. WA: New head of fire authority appointed An Assistant Police Commissioner has …
Senate Inquiry Wraps Up
Presumptive legislation inquiry wraps up The historic firefighter presumptive national legislation inquiry has completed its hearings with senators trying hot fire training in Brisbane before hearing of firies’ and their families experiences with cancer at the final hearing in Perth. Step closer The UFUA campaign for legislation to recognise cancers as occupational diseases for firefighters …
Inquiry Senators in Queensland
Inquiry Senators in Queensland Members of the Senate Committee inquiring into the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill walked through smoke in Brisbane yesterday. Senators Marshall, Wright, Boyce, plus advisor Clancy Dobbin, visited the Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy facility, where they donned structural PPE, took part in a lightning-fast BA training course and were led …
Senate Firefighter Bill Update
Senate Firefighter Bill inquiry update The Senate Inquiry into the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill continued this week with the ACT Government and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations making submissions. The Bill proposes to amend the federal Comcare legislation to recognise non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, brain, bladder, kidney, testicular and breast cancer are …
Firefighters’ Canberra Cavalcade
Firefighter cavalcade to Canberra The UFUA is sending a delegation of firefighters from around Australia to witness federal politicians vote on the Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill next week. The Bill, which if enacted will ensure firefighters with occupational cancer can access medical assistance and compensation, is scheduled to be voted on in the House of …
Senators’ Birds Eye View of Geelong
Birds-eye view for senators On August 11, Senators Gavin Marshall (Victoria) and Chris Back (Western Australia) visited Geelong Fire Station as part of the investigation into the ‘Fair Protection for Firefighters’ Bill. A Senate standing committee is currently inquiring into this Bill which proposes presumptive legislation; i.e. if a firefighter is diagnosed with one of …
Senate Inquiry Underway
Senate inquiry underway The UFUA bid to have cancers recognised as occupational diseases for firefighters is a step closer with the commencement of the Senate Standing Inquiry into the ‘Fair Protection for Firefighters Bill’. The Bill proposes a presumptive legislation approach, so that if a firefighter is diagnosed with one of the listed cancers, and …
Aviation hosts inquiry senators
Aviation firefighters host Inquiry senators As part of the investigation into the Senate ‘Fair Protection for Firefighters’ Bill, members of the Senate Standing Committee on the Bill were keen to get a better understanding of the role of firefighters. On August 9, after hearing submissions in Melbourne, the Committee visited the Melbourne Airport Fire Station …
Senate inquiry into firefighters cancer bill
A Senate Standing Committee is inquiring into ‘Fair Protection for Firefighters’ Bill. It will examine the Bill and the basis for the proposal to recognise leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, brain, bladder, kidney, testicular and breast cancers as occupation diseases for firefighters. View the submissions made to the Inquiry. The Senate Committee will sit for four days …