Letter to the editor: Jackie Kelly not above law

Liberal MP Jackie Kelly has taken political spin into overdrive in an attempt to justify her husband's refusal to obey workplace safety laws and his violent attack on a union safety officer who exposed the breaches. ("Don't bully my spouse", Sun Herald 20/8/06)

While she makes no mention of her husband's unprovoked tirade of abusive language and his violent assault, she accuses the 64 year old union safety inspector of "bullying".

Ms Kelly also failed to explain why her family should be able to refuse to install scaffold or rectify a dozen safety breaches on the multi-million dollar mansion they are building, despite every other Australian builder being required to.

Jackie Kelly and her family are not above the law. While we the people pay her generous salary, she and her husband have an obligation to provide a safe workplace as required by law, and not to use violence, threats or public smears to avoid safety laws.

Jackie Kelly must learn that safety should always be a priority and that putting a workers' live at risk to save money is never acceptable.

Andrew Ferguson
CFMEU NSW Secretary
12 Railway St, Lidcombe NSW 2141
(02) 9749 0404 - 0412 511 994