WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980
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MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE UNOFFICIALS HAD ALSO CONSIDERED THE QUESTION OF POSSIBLE ABUSE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
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GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, HAS NOW AGREED THAT, AS A SAFEGUARD, NEW SUBSECTION WOULD BE ADDED TO THE EFFECT THAT NO PROSECUTION IN RESPECT OF FAKE DRUGS SHOULD BE INSTITUTED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE BILL WAS PASSED AT ITS THIRD READING.
PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION SCHEME
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DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION SCHEME WERE OUTLINED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J. N. HENDERSON, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN HE MOVED THE SECOND READING OF THE PNEUMOCONÌOS IS (COMPENSATION) BILL 1980.
THE MAIN EFFECT OF THE BILL, MR HENDERSON EXPLAINED, WAS TO REPEAL THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) ORDINANCE 1978 AND TO INTRODUCE A COMPENSATION SCHEME OUTSIDE THE FRAMEWORK OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.
THE BILL, HE ADDED, ESTABLISHED A FUND FINANCED BY A LEVY ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY INDUSTRIES WHICH TOGETHER ACCOUNTED FOR OVER 95 PER CENT OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS CASES.
THE TYPES OF BENEFIT AND THE LEVELS OF COMPENSATION PROVIDED IN THE BILL WOULD BE THE SAME AS THOSE UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, WHICH WERE BEING REVISED BY THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980. THEY WOULD BE ADJUSTED TO EQUATE WITH ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THE ORDINANCE IN FUTURE.
THE BILL PROVIDED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PNEUMOCONIOS IS MEDICAL BOARD AND PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION FUND BOARD TO COLLECT THE LEVY AND TO ADMINISTER THE FUND,
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.