David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I joined a number of members of the Senate and lower house crossbench calling on Minister Burke and state and territory ministers to ban the import and sale of engineered stone. Safe Work Australia provided their decision regulation impact statement to these ministers in August. The ministers then met in October. We haven't seen this implemented. We've seen moves flagged in the ACT, New South Wales and South Australia but no concrete action.

We need Minister Burke and state and territory ministers to step up to save lives. The evidence is clear: Safe Work Australia were clear this needs to be banned, and I call on the ministers to act for the workers out there who need this protection. We shouldn't have to rely on the crossbench to push the government to act on this. Evidence is clear, Safe Work Australia were unequivocal in their evidence that this needs to be banned. We need this now, and it's time for the Labor government to act on this. I would urge them to lead, at a federal level, with an import ban and work with state and territory ministers to ensure that there are regulations and laws at a state and territory level to protect stonemasons and tradies who are currently working with engineered stone.