Safety Excellence Centre Launched

Safety is set to be taken to a new level after the launch of a new centre to provide and encourage excellence in workplace safety.

NSW Minister for Commerce, John Della Bosca, launched the centre at the University of Newcastle's Ourimbah campus.

"The WorkCover NSW Research Centre of Excellence will initiate and promote research and research training aimed at preventing and minimising workplace injury and disease," said Mr Della Bosca.

"WorkCover is empowered under NSW legislation to fund measures that prevent or minimise workplace injury and disease, and to ensure the availability of high quality education and training in injury prevention, management and rehabilitation," said the Minister.

"This new research centre has been established with funding of over $1.5 million over five years," he said.

"This is a tremendous fit between Australia's premier workplace safety authority, headquartered in Gosford and one of the State's leading universities, with a campus at Ourimbah.

"The centre's strategic research agenda will be overseen and endorsed by an interim management committee, which will include the senior executives of WorkCover NSW, University of Newcastle personnel and industry stakeholders.

"The post of director of the centre is expected to attract applicants at professorial level from the international and Australian research community," said Mr Della Bosca.

"Researchers, specialists and post-graduate students will be engaged to undertake the research centre's annual research program," he said.

Mr Della Bosca said the WorkCover NSW Research Centre of Excellence was a further example of the benefits to the Central Coast of WorkCover's relocation from Sydney.

"The centre will create quality employment opportunities on the Central Coast, inject funds into the region, and establish a reputation for innovation," said the Minister.

© 2002 UNIONSAFE
This site is sponsored by the Workcover Authority of NSW for Labor Council of NSW

[credits]
This page: http://unionsafe.net.au/news/10941809314054.html
Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:36 EST