The Opposition, with support from the crossbench, successfully suspended standing orders in the Legislative Council today to secure the passage of the Workers Compensation Amendment (Firefighters’ Diseases) Bill 2025 through that House. The Bill will now proceed to the Legislative Assembly.
The Bill adds an additional nine cancers, including three cancers of the female reproductive system, to the list of presumptive firefighters’ diseases in Schedule 4 of the Workers Compensation Act 1987. This means firefighters who have served for the relevant qualifying period of five to fifteen years do not have to prove that they contracted the cancer as a result of their employment or volunteer service as a firefighter.
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Damien Tudehope said the Minns Labor Government made an election commitment to address this issue as a priority.
“Instead, it has delayed any action while pretending to be working on it, but the Opposition and the crossbench united to support our firefighters by passing this legislation as a priority,” Mr Tudehope said.
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Gurmesh Singh said Parliament must back in our firefighters ahead of the upcoming fire season.
“Firefighters need the presumptive cancer legislation to protect them against the added stress of having to prove their cancer is work related,” Mr Singh said.
“I urge all members of the Legislative Assembly to support the speedy passage of this legislation.”