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Energy giant fined $1.5m By TOM HAYES
ENERGY Australia has been fined over the death of Yallourn Power Station worker, Graeme Edwards, in 2018. The electricity giant pleaded guilty to three offences, resulting in fines totalling $1.5 million. Mr Edwards, 54, was a unit controller at the Yallourn Power Station, and was very experienced in his field, with around 30 years experience. Mr Edwards was performing routine maintenance when the short-circuit fault occurred, causing the fatal explosion. The explosion created high temperatures, igniting the clothes of Mr Edwards, burning 90 per cent of his body. Mr Edwards died the next day in the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Three years after Mr Edwards’ death, WorkSafe filed charges against his employer, Energy Australia. The following investigation discovered the first charge: a panel, which is used to protect operators from the arc flash, was not secured properly. During the investigation, other inconsistencies were found. They were the training in regard to the “racking” procedure, compared to the staff manual provided. The third and final charge was due to the fact Energy Australia failed to provide appropriate personal equipment for operators. Melbourne County Court Judge, John Carmody, said if the company didn’t plead guilty, they could have faced fines of up to $2.2 million.
Italian fever swept Mirboo North on Sunday, as more than 20,000 people flocked to enjoy the sights, sounds and of course, food, of the annual festa. MORE - PAGE 34
Cameron defends Valley
Darren Chester 7 Member for Gippsland pp
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Authorised by Darren Chester, The National Party of Australia, Level 13, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne.
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elected the first time he tries? Could it be that people can relate to my journey, and have trust in someone who is outside the political arena, or is it because I am a small business owner and family man who has endured all the ups and downs of day-to-day life just like them?” Mr Cameron said working as a plumber, clients answered the knock on the door, were happy to see him and say, ‘Come on in’. “It may be that I am unblocking their toilet or fixing their heater, but they are happy to let me in... after fixing their issue, it normally involves a cuppa, a biscuit or sometimes, depending on who it is, some hot scones. Then the conversation starts,” he said. “I get to hear first-hand about the cost of living these days: rates, power bills, water bills, gas bills, insurances, school fees - the list goes on. How getting into a doctor can take up to a week, the state of our crumbling country roads, whether I
will get an ambulance if I ring and how it takes three to six months to see a mental health specialist and even a dentist - all things that worry most mums and dads, old, middle-aged and young.” Mr Cameron said one of the other concerns he always heard was the disconnect between the city and the country. “We country people see all the money being spent on roads, tunnels and rail services for the city, and we are left with crumbling country roads that cost lives, a bridge that cannot be opened in Tyers, and our trains - well, they are called buses,” he said. “In our part of the world we supply and maintain Melbourne’s power, timber supplies, water, gas and, like other country areas, your food source.” However, Mr Cameron and the Latrobe Valley was under extreme pressure. Continued on page 10
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THE new Nationals Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, blasted the growing divide and inequality between town and country in his inaugural speech to state Parliament last week. A look at the map of Victoria’s political seats shows that, “you can see the wagons are starting to circle, as the country have had enough of the biased inner-city spend”, he said. He was referring to the success in regional Victoria of The Nationals and Liberals in the state election, where the Labor Party’s support was mainly limited to Melbourne and the regional cities of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. “The (Latrobe) Valley’s DNA is being tested at the moment.” Mr Cameron said while taking an interest in politics, he previously had little knowledge of the inner workings of the political arena. “Now, do not get me wrong; I care
about decisions made that affect myself, my family and the community where I live. Normally I am a 362-day-a-year shorts-wearing, hi-vis polo, work bootwalking plumber. Yep, I am a tradie,” he said. “The change to a suit, fresh shirts, a tie and shoes with laces is certainly taking a bit of getting used to. Home is about two hours from here. I have lived all my life and raised my family in the best place possible.” Close to the beach, snow and Melbourne, “I live in the Latrobe Valley”. “For those in here who do not get past the Pakenham border, we are just a little further down the road, so please come for a visit,” he quipped. “How does a plumber end up here? How does someone who finished Year 10 at school, who was an apprentice plumber for four years, who continued to work as a plumber up until two months ago, with no political training, get
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