November 23, 2023
Locally owned and independent
The NR Times Rural News
RURAL NEWS 33
SafeWork inspectors targeting safety standards at oyster farms SafeWork NSW SafeWork NSW inspectors are visiting oyster farms in coastal area of NSW to ensure farmers are meeting their work healthy and safety obligations as they enter a busy time of the year. In 2023, SafeWork has increased work health and safety compliance to support itinerant workers, particularly
in the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors to ensure they are operating in safe working environments. Workers involved in the aquaculture industry are faced with a unique set of circumstances in their day-to-day activities, resulting in a broad range of hazards coming to the forefront including electrocution, crush related injuries, chemical exposure,
lacerations, drowning and skin cancer. Machinery and plant involved in oyster farming is susceptible to serious wear and tear due to the harsh UV conditions and saltwater these machines are exposed to. Inspectors will be ensuring machinery and equipment are in good working order, have attachments fitted correctly and have a seat
belt to protect operators. Eligible farmers are encouraged to access the SafeWork small business rebate or request a free advisory visit or workshop for practical support to help with farm safety. Further advice on staying safe in the aquacultural industry is available on the SafeWork website. Quotes to be attributed to Director
WHS Services Regional Tony Williams: “Farmers continue to be overly represented in serious workplace injuries and fatalities and SafeWork will always be committed to ensuring we do all we can to see these numbers fall. “When we think of farming, we often only mention landbased farming such as livestock or grain,
however those involved in the aquaculture industry continue to be faced with unique challenges every day and must not be forgotten. “Oyster farms employ a large number of itinerant workers and SafeWork inspectors will be ensuring these workers are properly trained, supervised and are operating in a safe environment.”
Farmers make 11th hour plea to maintain live sheep trade The Keep Farmers Farming campaign has landed in Perth this week, with advertising targeting marginal seats sharing farmers’ fears about a phase-out of live sheep exports. NFF President David Jochinke said with a decision imminent about the future of the trade, it was critical that voters in battleground seats like Swan, Tangney and Hasluck understood what a ban would mean for jobs and small farming communities in
WA. “This policy is already hurting and frustrating farmers. We’re already hearing accounts of farmers getting out of sheep because they don’t know what the future holds. “What we’re seeing now is only the beginning. Shut down this trade and the whole future of WA’s $650 million merino wool industry is dicey at best. “This isn’t just about the farmers. It’s the truck drivers, the livestock
agents, the local schools and sporting clubs that all depend on this trade.” Mr Jochinke said the Government’s policy was based on an outdated activist campaign and was due for a rethink. “This policy has nothing to do with animal welfare. It’s about Canberra trying to win back green votes on the East Coast at the expense of jobs and livelihoods in WA. “If it was about animal welfare, you’d keep the
trade going. Australia is the gold standard for live sheep exports. If we vacate the field, we just make way for competitors with no regulation. Those export markets have made it clear that’s what they’ll do,” Mr Jochinke said. Print, digital and outdoor ads running in Perth this week feature sheep and grain farmer Jamie Spence, from Borden in WA’s Great Southern. “A ban on live sheep to the Middle East
would be a backward step for animal welfare because Australia holds the highest standard of welfare when it comes to the export market,” Mr Spence said. He warned that pressures being felt on prices and continued backlogs in domestic processing could see producers like him quit the sheep industry if a ban was implemented. “We can’t sell sheep to the market for a good price - young ewes which might have been
$80 are now only getting $20,” he said. “We currently send a portion of our sheep to the live sheep trade and if it’s banned – with the current backlogs in the domestic market – we feel we might not be able to keep operating our current sheep program.” “The sheep industry in WA and Australia as a whole is an integral part of the economy. I urge the politicians in Canberra to rethink the decision,” he said.
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