Jeremy Rockliff

Premier of Tasmania



17 September 2021

Guy Barnett, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Improving safety in the shearing shed

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to supporting farming communities, addressing local farming issues and improving farm safety.

A new series of safety information sessions are being held across rural Tasmania to raise awareness of shearing shed and shearing worker safety issues.

Shearers are a skilled labour force and their work includes a number of physical risks such as back, arm and knee pain, cuts and lacerations, and falls and slips.

The session aims to provide practical guidance and education about issues affecting the wool industry, including improved shed safety and design.

Working with industry to provide training and education on farm safety issues is an investment in the safety of the farmers, the workers and the industry.

This is why the Tasmanian Government is extending its support by introducing a $2 million Primary Producer Safety Rebate Scheme from 1 October 2021 which will provide cash-back rebates of $5,000 for farmers that implement safety measures that help reduce injury and deaths in farming.

I was pleased to attend the Shearing Shed and Shearer Safety Awareness Session at Campbell Town today. The safety sessions are a joint initiative of Primary Employers Tasmania and Safe Farming Tasmania and have been developed in consultation with key stakeholders including woolgrowers and wool growing sector leaders.

Sessions will run throughout September and October.

Further information on the sessions and the Safety Rebate Scheme is available at Safe Farming Tasmania (worksafe.tas.gov.au)

Our sheep and wool industries continue to perform well and are an important part of the plan to grow the value of Tasmania’s agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.



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