Tony Abbott was Minister for Health in 2005 when 1,790 people died at work for the year and 39,510 people were fully incapacitated on his watch. I did not hear him rise up and mourn the death of workers on the job then, no tears then. People feel the need to defend him. It is as if politics is like football where you stick by your team right or wrong.
If we suffered 34 killed in Afghanistan and 780 fully incapacitated each week, it would be a national tragedy.
The dollar cost to Australia 2005 workplace losses was $Billion 57.5.
The data came from the Australian Safety and Compensation Council National Survey, Costs of Workplace Injury and Illness: reviewing the estimation methodology and estimates of the level and distribution of costs, Report by Access Economics P/L.
Mr Abbott and Hockey now cry crocodile tears over 4 people whose names they have already forgotten. Perhaps a journo should ask them who Mitchell Sweeney is? They use the recent tragedies of 4 deaths at work for their political purposes, without a thought for the hurt they do to the surviving families”.

The figures quoted came from a 5 year survey where the next data will be available 2011.
My point is that I did not hear any sobbing and gnashing of teeth coming out of Abbott’s Office when 16 electricians died in roof spaces in 2005. Let alone 1,790 of his fellow countrymen died at work.
Oh and by the way 1,030 permanently disabled that year were Tasmanian. 30 Tasmanians' Died and the cost to this state 1n $ losses was 1.6 Billion Dollars in 2005-200

Isn't being two faced and getting away with it what a successful minister does. the overall lies and deceptions of both sides of politics in the run up to and running of the election was appalling. The Liberal party used many misconceptions as justification to remove the government, was this not good politics. It was the failure of the government to sell its side of the story that cost them.
Though this maybe the reality of modern politics i must say that the incompetence of the Australian media and in particular the lack of objectivity from the media particularly the Murdoch press and the Sydney shock jocks cost many voters the opportunity to understand what was really going on in a lot of these situations.
I agree totally that the use of the deaths of 4 people to condemn a government when very little was made of where the real responsibilities lay in the issue was devoid of moral responsibility and lowered my view of the coalition even more than the governments incompetent handling of the scheme. An ignorant public fired up by a biased media drove the mis truths to a point where no one questions them. Well it is time Mr Abbott take full moral responsibility for every person that died or was injured while he was Health minister. Not a pretty sight is it.

With all due respect, I checked your source and I'm afraid your numbers are not borne out by that source.

It says that the total number of workplace fatalities was 393, not your figure of 1,790.

It says the total number of fully-incapacitated was 22,100 not the 39,510 you claim.

How did you derive your figures?

Please note,I'm not interested in the political discussion, just the figures. Overegging the pudding doesn't make it better.

well that's nothing compared to those [incl me] he was prepared to "let go" from chook flu

see my utube from back then

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gLcmbhII-o

like 50,000 dead ain't too bad he says coz it's only 1 in 5000

DD,
Very dramatic video. Not sure i agree with the tactic. Problem is human nature is to remember the good and not the bad. Mr Abbott has been responsible for some terrible health decisions and is one of the main reasons we got rid of the lib's in the first place.
Pity we don't remember that now

The Link below will give you the data on page 35. The survey covers injury, workplace caused disease and illness. The Data you may be using only looks at direct accident on site, no Asbestos, chemical, viral etc incidents.
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/EAD5247E-98E7-4750-A35E-A6BC9B1E7781/0/CostsofWorkRelatedInjuryAndDisease_Mar2009.pdf

The costs are explained in detail and are indeed shocking. That is probably why politicians on all sides, federal and state studiously ignore them in their race to the bottom to win industry investment And jobs, jobs, jobs to their patch.
And "damn the consequences, full steam ahead"!