NSW Labor to ban dangerous benchtops if it wins poll

Luke Costin | February 24, 2023

Dangerous engineered stone benchtops will be banned under a NSW Labor election pledge to address rising rates of asbestosis-like lung disease.

Labor said it would aim for a national uniform ban by 2024 to outlaw manufactured stone with silica concentrations above 40 per cent.

The dust of silica, a common substance naturally found in sand, quartz and other stones, can cause pulmonary fibrosis years down the track, much like asbestos dust can.

Labor pointed to a Queensland study suggesting up to one in four stonemasons could have silicosis.

“Every day that goes by without reform is another day NSW workers’ lives are put at risk,” leader Chris Minns said on Friday.

If elected at the NSW election on March 25, the party would create a licensing scheme, more health screening and have Safework NSW inspect more workplaces including quarrying and tunnelling projects.

“There must be a complete ban on manufactured stone, coupled with urgent reform of Safework NSW now, which Labor will deliver,” he said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet was open to a ban but said national cabinet was the appropriate forum to sort it out.

“We don’t control borders and it’s important we work together on this nationally,” he told reporters on Friday.

The construction union said all governments must fast-track a national ban on manufactured stone with silica.

“Otherwise, politicians will have to explain to victims and their families why they’re allowing the asbestos of our generation to kill more workers,” incoming CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said.

Mr Minns will campaign on the NSW South Coast alongside with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday.

The pair will visit Kiama, currently held by former Liberal turned independent MP Gareth Ward, before making an announcement on federal roads funding in the Shoalhaven region.

While Mr Perrottet has insisted the Liberals will win the seat off Ward, no candidate has been selected. Nominations close on March 8.

Questions about the candidate nomination and whether Liberals would preference Mr Ward over Labor were matters for the party, not him, the premier said.

He headed back to western Sydney on Friday to stand with the fresh produce industry to trumpet his promised creation of a supply chain commissioner to press down supermarket prices.

“Being able to talk about transport costs, electricity, employment, workforce labour force, bringing the youth in, and … how to reduce the cost of trade and being able to pass those savings on from grower to plate is fantastic,” Freshmark chief executive Meegan George said.

Meanwhile, the Liberal premier pounced on comments by his opposite number that consumers would have to wait six or seven years for energy bill relief under his government.

“That’s what happens when you have Labor and you don’t have a long term economic plan,” he said.

While Liberals would dish out $250 to households in July, Labor will set up a $1 billion body to invest in renewable energy storage.

“I’ll be honest, the benefits of this policy will be felt six or seven years down the line,” Mr Minns told Sky News on Friday.

“Part of the reason power prices are spiking now is the work wasn’t done five years ago.”

It comes as the Perrottet government hosed down claims on Thursday night that it had sought to shut down parliamentary committees early ahead of the NSW election.

Labor pounced on a government gazette notice stating the parliamentary session would be prorogued, or halted, on Monday.

Under the constitution, the lower house won’t dissolve until next Friday.

But the premier’s office said Labor were “utterly incorrect” and pointed to the same practice occurring before the 2019 election.