
Issue No 33		01 October 1999

News

Clean Air Policy Up In Smoke

The state government has been asked to delay the release of a hospitality industry passive smoking policy developed by the private sector because health and safety experts say it is inadequate.

The policy was to have been based on regulations developed by a private body, Australian Standards, who set technical standards for household appliance. Federal cuts to Worksafe Australia mean there is no longer a public agency to develop such standards.

Both the NSW WorkCover Authority and the federal directors of Environmental Health voted against the standard when it was considered by a review committee. But representatives of employer and industry groups over-ruled them.

They say the Standard is inadequate because it is not based on health criteria and that evidence on the impact of passive smoking has not been taken into account.

Under the disputed Standard, hotel, restaurants and casinos would be able allow smoking in enclosed area, provided there was a minimum level of ventilation.

The Labor Council has called on the NSW Health Minister to put the new regulations on hold until the Standard is reviewed. It wants the matter referred to the Occupational Health and Safety Council, a state body comprising unions, employers and government representatives.

Labor Council safety watchdog Mary Yaager says the problems over the passive smoking policy highlight the pitfalls of allowing the private sector to set minimum occupational health and safety standards.

"It's regrettable that a well-intentioned government policy must be put on hold, but it's an important to get right," Yaager says.

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Issue 33 contents

Interview: The Boys
Labor Party heavyweights Eric Roozendaal and Damian O'Connor will lock horns this weekend. They fire their first shots.

Economics: Reasons to Be Cheerful
Can we change the way we look at the economy to better reflect community happiness and well-being?

Unions: Breaking the Wave
ACTU President's submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Workplace Relations Act.

International: The Wisdom of Solomon
A disturbing case from the Pacific where corporate lawyers are playing a deadly game.

History: Groundhog Day
Ghosts of Conferences past: some strangely familiar debates and decisions from previous state ALP conferences

Legal: Bad, Bad Things
Some of Australia's leading industrial lawyers argue that the Workplace Relations Act breaches basic international obligations.

Review: Tailing Out
As the BHP steelworks close in Newcastle a special book chronicles the stories of working live that have just become history.

Satire: Police Cut-Backs Lead To Drop In Organised Crime
An audit of the NSW Police has revealed that they have been seriously cutting back their operating budgets to ensure that they will be able to afford the increased security costs of the Olympics.

Work/Time/Life: It's Official: Aussies Work Harder
Australians continue to work long hours in contrast to a world-wide trend in industrialised countries that has seen hours at work remaining steady or declining in recent years.

» Station Cuts Derailed - But More Hits for the Scull

» Social Audit Backed by Community Groups

» Unions Take Common Priorities to State Conference

» Simmering Discontent Hits Boiling Point

» Public Sector Job Numbers Rubbery

» Timor Protest to be Dumped in Reith Wave

» Big Lunch Break for Stress-Free Day

» Arch Apologises for Youth Wage Debacle

» Clean Air Policy Up In Smoke

» Child Carers Stretched to the Limit

» Building Workers Won�t Settle for Half Pay

» Life, Art and Politics