About
The National Dust Disease Taskforce (the Taskforce) was established in 2019 to develop a national approach to the prevention, early identification, control, and management of occupational dust diseases in Australia.
Read the Taskforce’s Terms of Reference.
The members of the Taskforce were:
- Professor Paul Kelly (Chair until April 2021)
- Ms Tania Rishniw (Chair from April 2021)
- Ms Sophie Dwyer (Deputy Chair)
- Ms Clare Amies
- Ms Michelle Baxter
- Professor Fraser Brims
- Dr Graeme Edwards
- Dr Ryan Hoy
- Professor Christine Jenkins
- Dr Richard Slaughter
All of Governments’ Response to the Final Report of the National Dust Disease Taskforce
The All of Governments’ Response to the Final Report of the National Dust Disease Taskforce (Response) was released on 4 April 2022. The Response provides a strong commitment from the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to reducing incidence of silicosis and other dust diseases among workers, and increase the quality of life for people affected and their families.
The full Response can be accessed via the Occupational Dust Disease web page here.
Consultation Processes
The Taskforce ran 3 rounds of consultations. More information on the consultation processes and publicly available submissions, can be located on here.
Communiques
The Taskforce published communiques after each meeting. All Communiques can be accessed here.
National Dust Disease Taskforce Interim Advice
The Taskforce provided its Interim Advice to the Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care at the end of 2019. Read the Interim Advice:
National Dust Disease Taskforce Final Report
The Taskforce completed its independent review and presented its Final Report to the Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care in June 2021.
The Report contains seven recommendations that support a range of regulatory and non-regulatory actions designed to have an impact in the short to medium-term on improving worker health and safety. The Taskforce focused its review on accelerated silicosis and engineered stone but recognised the need for broader actions on dust diseases.
Key Documents
Contact information
If you would like further information or have any questions about the Taskforce’s work, you can contact the Department of Health by email - National Dust Disease Taskforce Secretariat
