The second round of National Mine Safety Framework (NMSF) Public Consultations will commence tomorrow with the first of four public workshops across Australia to be held in Perth.
The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, said: "The aim of the NMSF is to make our mines a safer place to work through the development of a consistent national regulatory framework.
"Public consultations are the most effective way of obtaining input from the main beneficiaries of the NMSF and I expect contributions from stakeholders across the sector. Industry will benefit from reduced compliance costs through safety harmonisation. Employees will also benefit from increased mobility."
The NMSF Steering Group is seeking public comment on the final four strategies of the NMSF: competency support, compliance support, a consistently applied enforcement protocol and a strategic approach to research.
The Steering Group is chaired by the Hon Clive Brown and is comprised of representatives of the workforce, industry and government.
The Framework is a Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources (MCMPR) initiative aimed at improving consistency in mine health and safety legislation across Australia. The NMSF Steering Group will be giving final recommendations on the Framework to the MCMPR in October, which will in turn report to COAG in December.
The NMSF Steering Group will be consulting with stakeholders at upcoming workshops being held in:
- Perth: 23 July 2008
- Sydney: 24 July 2008
- Hobart: 28 July 2008
- Brisbane: 30 July 2008.
"The Framework is at a vital stage and stakeholder input is more important than ever.Further information on these strategies and the NMSF can be found at www.ret.gov.au/minesafety and submissions will be accepted until 4 August 2008," Minister Ferguson said. "I encourage those with an interest in mine safety to make their voice heard either at the workshops or online".
For further information about the NMSF workshops, contact the National Mine Safety Framework Secretariat on 02 6213 7244 or email nmsf.secretariat@ret.gov.au.