A spokesperson for the Australian Worker's Union has accused Ballarat Gold Mine of unsafe work practices after one miner was killed and another critically injured in a rockfall at the mine on Wednesday, 13th March 2024.
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00:00 Two workers that were earlagging, which is a manual style of mining.
00:09 It's our understanding that they were working under unsupported ground and that ground gave way.
00:17 Trapping both miners and killing one.
00:24 This is absolutely devastating news.
00:29 It's devastating because yet we've lost another worker and no worker should be injured or die at work.
00:41 But it's even more devastating because this should have been avoided.
00:46 They should not have been doing that task in that mine.
00:50 We are going to be pushing very hard to make sure that the industrial manslaughter laws are used.
00:59 Since industrial manslaughter laws have come in, we've had 169 Victorians killed at work.
01:09 This year we've had 12 Victorians killed at work.
01:14 And in the time since these laws have come in, we've had one prosecution and no jail time.
01:20 This is not acceptable.
01:22 There is no point creating laws to protect workers if we don't use those laws.
01:28 Our members are angry.
01:31 Our organisers are angry.
01:35 We would like to thank the rescue service for the work that they did.
01:42 We want to make sure that we are putting the Victorian government on notice
01:52 to let them know that you create these laws, you make sure you use these laws.
01:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]