❓ Hon Bill Stretch raises concerns about potential WA legislation mirroring a Victorian bill that would restrict child employment on farms. Hon Kim Chance assures that WA has no such plans but emphasizes the importance of farm safety for children, even if it means considering strict measures.
AnsweredQoN 1375Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The minister has only recently been made aware of Victorian legislation called the Child Employment Bill, which is designed to control the employment of underage children on farms. The Bill would virtually preclude grandparents from employing grandchildren to help them with chores on the farm unless the children are registered with a work permit and the grandfather has passed a police clearance. (1) Will the minister ensure that such legislation is not put on the books, which would affect Western Australian agriculture? (2) If such legislation is proposed, will he use every effort to modify it to at least be workable within the agriculture industry? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(1) Will the minister ensure that such legislation is not put on the books, which would affect Western Australian agriculture? (2) If such legislation is proposed, will he use every effort to modify it to at least be workable within the agriculture industry? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(2) If such legislation is proposed, will he use every effort to modify it to at least be workable within the agriculture industry? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(1) Will the minister ensure that such legislation is not put on the books, which would affect Western Australian agriculture? (2) If such legislation is proposed, will he use every effort to modify it to at least be workable within the agriculture industry? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(2) If such legislation is proposed, will he use every effort to modify it to at least be workable within the agriculture industry? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for providing me with a copy of the article to which he refers. The article is from the Mallee Ag. News , which is a supplement to the Times Ensign and the North West Express and was published on Thursday, 4 September 2003 and distributed throughout the north west of Victoria. I have just had a chance to read the article and I will put the member’s mind at rest. I am not aware that the Western Australian Government has any plans to introduce a Bill with the same effect as is apparently planned in Victoria. Now that the matter has been raised, it gives me an opportunity to express my concern about children who work on farms. It is a tragedy that every year, particularly during school holidays, when children go to work on farms, some do not come back from the experience and others come back mutilated and badly injured. Nobody wants that to happen, least of all the farm employers. I would be prepared to pay the price if the adoption of legislation as apparently crazy as this is the cost of ensuring that this tragedy, which happens every school holidays, does not happen again. I hate to see it happen. Predictably, it happens every year. I know the two issues are only marginally related; however, I urge honourable members, particularly those who have regular contact with farmers and farm organisations, to keep drumming into them that farm safety is extremely important and when children are concerned, farm safety is even more important. Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
Although I am sure the Gallop Government would not contemplate introducing legislation of this kind, from my point of view - not speaking for the Gallop Government - if I had to introduce legislation like that to prevent just one child from being killed in a farm accident, I would do it.
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