National Dust Disease Taskforce consultation registration

Overview

Background

On 26 July 2019 the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer announced the establishment of a National Dust Disease Taskforce to develop advice on a national approach to the prevention, early identification, control and management of dust diseases in Australia. The Terms of Reference, provided below under Related Documents, set out the approach for the Taskforce and the scope of their review.

These actions are in response to the emerging trend of new cases of the occupational disease, accelerated silicosis, occurring in Australia.

Why we are consulting

Through open consultation, the Taskforce seeks to understand the underlying issues to this trend, how to mitigate the exposure risks and prevent accelerated silicosis in at-risk people.  To do this, during 2019 the Taskforce is providing a range of opportunities for consultation. This includes workshops and webinars and a written submission process. 

It is anticipated that further consultation will be required in 2020 to build on the learnings of the first phase of consultation, along with other information the Taskforce has considered.

How can I contribute?

Forums and webinars

The Taskforce will be undertaking consultation forums and webinars by the end of 2019. Dates have been set for forums in capital cities as well as regional Queensland and regional Victoria. You can register your interest for a forum by clicking on the button below. If you have already registered your interest, you will be contacted directly with the scheduled date and you do not need to register again.

Please note that registering does not guarantee attendance. 

Information on webinars will be provided at a later date.

Open Consultation for written submissions

A Consultation Paper is provided below under Related Documents to initiate open consultation with stakeholders. The Paper provides important background and context information to start the conversation with stakeholders about dust diseases, in particular, the emergence of new cases of accelerated silicosis.

You can provide a written submission to the Taskforce, as outlined in the Consultation Paper, available at https://consultations.health.gov.au/ohp-regulatory-policy-branch/national-dust-disease-taskforce.

Stay informed

Information about the Taskforce and regular updates about consultation opportunities are available on the National Dust Disease Taskforce webpage, at www.health.gov.au/dust.