❓ Hon Martin Aldridge questions the estimated costs of adding specific diseases to the list providing protections for firefighters and the exclusion of DFES communications officers from PTSD presumptive protection. The Minister's response indicates no costing was undertaken for the disease additions, and an amendment is planned for DFES officers.
AnsweredQoN 431Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FIREFIGHTERS —
PRESCRIBED DISEASES
431. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Industrial Relations:
I refer to the Workers Compensation
and Injury Management Amendment Regulations 2023.
(1) What is the
estimated cost of adding ''primary site melanoma'' and ''malignant
mesothelioma'' to the list of specified diseases that provide added
protections to career and volunteer firefighters?
(2) What is the
estimated cost of adding ''post-traumatic stress disorder'' to
the prescribed diseases that provide additional protection to only career
firefighters?
(3) Why have
Department of Fire and Emergency Services communications systems officers been
excluded from the PTSD presumptive protection when their equivalent in the
ambulance service have been protected since 1 February 2022?
PRESCRIBED DISEASES
431. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Industrial Relations:
I refer to the Workers Compensation
and Injury Management Amendment Regulations 2023.
(1) What is the
estimated cost of adding ''primary site melanoma'' and ''malignant
mesothelioma'' to the list of specified diseases that provide added
protections to career and volunteer firefighters?
(2) What is the
estimated cost of adding ''post-traumatic stress disorder'' to
the prescribed diseases that provide additional protection to only career
firefighters?
(3) Why have
Department of Fire and Emergency Services communications systems officers been
excluded from the PTSD presumptive protection when their equivalent in the
ambulance service have been protected since 1 February 2022?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister
for Industrial Relations.
(1) No costing
was undertaken. The change was made on the basis of the independent scientific
review on presumptive firefighter cancers by Dr Lin Fritschi of Curtin
University.
(2) No costing
was undertaken. The change was made on the basis that firefighters are exposed
to similar traumatic events as ambulance workers and therefore are placed on
the same footing.
(3) The government has determined that it will
progress a farther amendment to extend the PTSD presumption to relevant
DFES officers equivalent to ambulance emergency communications officers.
of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister
for Industrial Relations.
(1) No costing
was undertaken. The change was made on the basis of the independent scientific
review on presumptive firefighter cancers by Dr Lin Fritschi of Curtin
University.
(2) No costing
was undertaken. The change was made on the basis that firefighters are exposed
to similar traumatic events as ambulance workers and therefore are placed on
the same footing.
(3) The government has determined that it will
progress a farther amendment to extend the PTSD presumption to relevant
DFES officers equivalent to ambulance emergency communications officers.
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