Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges the findings of the Queensland Parliament's recent report, Black lung, white lies , detailing 'catastrophic failings' in public administration, including the detection of coal workers pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung disease, in 21 coal workers since 2015;

(b) condemns the failings across government and industry identified in the report;

(c) urges all stakeholders to adopt the 68 recommendations of the report to avoid further diagnoses of Black Lung disease in the future;

(d) recognises the strong advocacy of the CFMEU in relation to Black Lung in Queensland;

(e) notes that occupational lung diseases are estimated to kill 3 000 Australians every year, extending far beyond asbestosis, mesothelioma and Black Lung disease, often originating in non-unionised workplaces, such as stone-cutting and nail salons;

(f) notes the serious concerns raised by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and Lung Foundation Australia with respect to the prevalence and management of occupationally-acquired lung disease, not only Black Lung, and the lack of a nationally coordinated system for reporting; and

(g) calls for the establishment of a national register for occupationally-acquired lung disease.