Testimonials

20/08/2008 1:21:49 PM

Dear Andrea

I was at the Adelaide Young Workers’ Conference last month when you told us Daniel’s story and how such a great loss could have been easily prevented. I have been working for unions in the area of workers compensation and occupational health and safety for a number of years now and your story had a major impact on some of my views.

As a young person, I have always advocated that young people should not be treated any differently from older workers. You made me see how inexperience can lead to risk taking behaviour and that employers have to make an extra effort to train young members of staff or simply not put them on dangerous jobs in the first place.

I am so encouraged by your motivation to highlight the travesty of industrial death and put and end to it.

Daniel’s death, although totally unacceptable and a tragic loss to you and your family, was not in vain.

Please keep up the fight. Hopefully with groups like VOID and the union movement working together we can make the politicians and employers listen and create change.

Yours in solidarity

Juliana Virine

Industrial Officer

Queensland Council of Unions

Level 5, 16 Peel Street

South Brisbane QLD 4101

p: 07 3846 2468

f: 07 3844 4865

My name is Nicki Phillips, I am currently studying year 12 at Mannum Community College. Just two or so days ago I attended my VET induction day at the Murray Bridge TAFE in which you spoke at.

I watched in awe as you boldly stood there in front of a bunch of teenagers and through your tragedy, warned us of the dangers of workplace accidents.

Previously in the morning we watched a documentary about four young people who had had their lives ruined at work. It hadn’t yet set in what I was seeing. Having only started my first job the previous weekend I’d never really stopped to think about what is or isn’t dangerous around work.

After seeing the footage I suppose you could say I was too engrossed to stop and think, but when you took the microphone and began talking I was immediately mesmerised. I don’t know what it was, but I couldn’t take my ears off of what you were saying. It proved too much for one of my school mates, who had to leave half way through.

I’ve just spent the last two hours on the VOID website reading about workplace fatalities and the injustice behind the laws. It reminded me of a recent tragedy in my life. A close family friend was hit by a car out the front of his mum’s house, he was only twelve. The man driving the car seemed to just disappear from the minds of involved Police while their attention turned to the young child’s mother. She was being questioned because she shifted the car involved so that others around could attempt to save him.

The site and everything on it from families and friends to brochures and statistics is truly amazing. Your braveness and strength to give talks as tragic and saddening as yours and gave me motivation and courage to speak up at work about a few issues that weren’t safe. I thank you for that.

Daniel, whom I never had the privilege to meet along with his dreams that you so thoroughly spoke about and showed us, inspire me to aim high for my future and to be happy whilst doing it.

Thank You for being the woman you are, I’m sure Daniel is proud to have you as his Mum. Good luck in the future, I wish you well.

Nicki Phillips