Workers face five years gaol for doing their job under Rees power law

Dr Kaye said: “The Greens will be moving amendments to protect workers from imprisonment or fines for damage that occurs when carrying out instructions from their supervisors.

“The Energy Legislation Amendment (Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2009 increases criminal penalties to a maximum of five years gaol for damaging electricity infrastructure.

“Premier Nathan Rees has left workers following instructions and sub-contractors following the direction of supervising contractors exposed to criminal liability, including imprisonment and fines.

“The Greens want it to be clear that workers will not face gaol for simply following instructions.

“Employers should be made responsible for negligence, not the construction workers and backhoe operators doing the work under instructions.

“The Rudd government is hanging on to the draconian provisions of John Howard’s Australian Building Construction Commission.

“This makes it very difficult for workers to speak out against their employers for fear of being targeted.

“Building workers should not be made scapegoats for years of under-funding preventative maintenance.

“They should not have to pay for the Rees government’s failure to develop a modern intelligent electricity network that repairs itself and protects households from blackouts,” Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455