Fair Protection for Firefighters

On Thursday 15 September, the Committee’s report on the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Fair Protection for Firefighters) Bill 2011 [Provisions] was tabled in the Senate. 

The Bill was introduced into Parliament by Adam Bandt MP on 4 July 2011 and co-sponsored by Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou and Russell Broadbent MP.

The Bill recognises that fire-fighters are at greater risk of contracting certain cancers in their work and creates a rebuttable presumption that a fire-fighter who develops such cancers after a minimum period as a fire-fighter will be presumed to have contracted the cancer as a result of their work and the contraction of the disease will be compensable.

Submissions were received from 27 individuals and organisations and public hearings were held in Melbourne, Canberra and Perth. The committee also conducted a number of site visits in Melbourne, Geelong and Brisbane. 

The Committee recommended including multiple myeloma, primary site lung cancer in non-smokers, primary site prostate, ureter, colorectal and oesophageal cancers in the types of cancer listed by the proposed bill. 

The Committee also recommended changes to the Bill to maintain consistency with the existing Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act and to clarify potential loop holes with the definition of ‘qualifying period’. 

Firefighters are at greater risk of developing the following cancers compared to the general population:  

• Brain cancer;
• Bladder cancer;
• Kidney cancer;
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
• Leukaemia;
• Breast cancer; and
• Testicular cancer. 

Proposed changes to the law will ensure NSW firefighters and their families enjoy adequate recognition and protection.

A copy of this report can be found here

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Senator Matt Thistlethwaite
Senator for NSW