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Issue No. 155 | 04 October 2002 |
Wrong Way, Go Back
Interview: The Wet One Bad Boss: Like A Bastard Unions: Demolition Derby Corporate: The Bush Doctrine Politics: American Jihad Health: Secret Country Review: Walking On Water Culture: TCF Poetry: The UQ Stonewall
Corrigan Fires Shot in Rail Showdown Fight Begins For Long Weekends Experts to Arrest Drug Test Outbreak Jobs Auction Hitting Bank Workers NSW Screws Down Lid on Funeral Scams Hilton Strike Break Plans in Tatters Detention Centre Workers Demand Safety Search Religious Teachers Win Legal Coverage Pressure Builds on Parking Sting US Docks Lockout Hits Sea Trade
The Soapbox Postcard Month In Review The Locker Room Bosswatch Wobbly
Shame on Murray Use or Abuse of Long Term Casuals Speaking in Tongues Casual Days
Labor Council of NSW |
News NSW Screws Down Lid on Funeral Scams
Health Minister Craig Knowles' decision has been welcomed by the Funeral Industry Council, headed by Labor Council assistant secretary Mark Lennon, the Funeral Workers Union and peak industry bodies. Just this week, those organisations approached the Government with evidence of a St Mary's operator who had forged 60 death certificates, presumably to save fees that would normally be paid to a doctor. The man at the centre of the scam has now opened a funeral director's business, on his own account, at Penrith. "NSW already has the toughest funeral industry regulations in Australia and we will strengthen them by giving the Director General of NSW Health the power to throw out of the industry any funeral director who repeatedly breaches the Public Health Act," Knowles said. "On top of those powers, NSW Health has reached agreement with the Funeral Industry Council to develop an accreditation scheme for funeral directors." Accreditation of directors and key workers is seen by the union, and Labor Council as a key health and safety issue for workers and quality guarantee for customers. Lennon greeted the tougher regime as "a signficant step in the right direction". Included in a raft of new NSW regulations are provisions for: - minimum vocational standards for anyone embalming bodies - invasive body preparation on bodies with List A diseases to be restricted to those having completed approved training in mortuary practice, infection control and occupational health and safety - mortuary operators to maintain detailed registers of every body handled - mortuary and crematoria operators to disclose full details of their businesses on the public record - authorised officers to enter and inspect facilities and vehicles - tougher penalties for offences Government will also set up an 1800 number to encourage members of the public to report breached of Public Health regulations.
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