The Rockliff Liberal Government greatly appreciates the work of Tasmania’s paid and volunteer fire-fighters who provide a crucial service for the community, sometimes at considerable risk to their own health and safety.
Attorney-General and Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs, Elise Archer, today tabled a Bill to extend the list of presumptive cancers for fire-fighters.
The Attorney-General said a healthy fire-fighting workforce is critical to the safety of Tasmanians.
“The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill 2023 amends the schedule of diseases to which employment as a fire-fighter is presumed to have contributed to a substantial degree,” the Attorney-General said.
The Bill will expand the list of diseases in the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to include:
- primary site cervical cancer;
- primary site ovarian cancer;
- primary site penile cancer;
- primary site thyroid cancer;
- primary site pancreatic cancer;
- primary site skin cancer;
- primary site lung cancer;
- primary site uterine cancer; and
- malignant mesothelioma.
“This legislative change recognises the connection between an elevated risk of these cancers for fire-fighters, and provides a pathway to support through workers compensation,” the Attorney-General said.
“I am particularly pleased that these amendments address the current lack of coverage for female-specific cancers, providing equality and recognising that fire-fighting is a viable career for women. The health of our female fire-fighters is valued just as much as their male colleagues.
“The Bill tabled today is further evidence of our Government’s commitment to maintaining an effective workers compensation scheme that recognises the risks of our first responders, and I look forward to Parliament’s consideration of the Bill.”
