It can’t see how the CMCH Act could have affected the job’s market. Remember the act does not impose any additional duties on employer’s. It only makes it easier to prosecute those that fail to carry out their existing duties. A lot of rubbish employers are complaining that “If it wasn’t for all these H&S regulations we’d be able to get the economy going again”. I don’t really believe that. I believe that good H&S management is good management, full stop. And good management in the long terms makes company’s more efficient and effective. Of course you can gain short term advantage by cutting corners but long term it does not add up.

Young people are less experienced (for everything not just H&S) so are less likely to be hired. Nevertheless I would not say that younger people are intrinsically less safe than older more experienced staff. We are recruiting young people including apprentices (probably because they are cheaper) and I have generally been impressed by them at induction. They ask questions and seem willing to take advice and to learn. It’s the old guys that have seen it all and are set in their ways that cause lot of the trouble.

Leaving youngsters/youth out of it for the moment, I was concerned with the hiring of a H&S person (specifically). The person who needs to carry the can for the employer, in terms of making sure they stay compliant/within the law, to avoid any kind of prosecution, on their employer's behalf, and whether that's having any bearing on who the employer hires in terms of xxx years/qualifications versus newly qualified/less experienced.