AREEA senior workplace policy adviser Lisa MatthewsAREEA’s Senior Workplace Policy Adviser and convenor of AREEA’s Health and Safety Environment Advisory Group, Lisa Matthews (pictured), has been nominated as Australia’s representative to a major International Labour Organisation (ILO) regional workshop on occupational health and safety in mining.

Taking place on 16-18 December 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia, the tripartite event brings together senior representatives from employer organisations, trade unions, and governments (often the safety regulator) from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

The invited countries encompass most of the key mining exporters in the region, and also countries in which AREEA member companies have significant investments, joint ventures and international operations.

“It is a significant recognition of AREEA’s important national and international standing to have been invited to participate in this regional dialogue, and in turn a recognition of Lisa’s expertise and work with OHS experts from across AREEA’s membership,” says AREEA executive director, policy & public affairs, Scott Barklamb.

“Opportunities for regional exchange also strengthen AREEA’s work with members, and Lisa will provide feedback on the meeting and its conclusions to interested AREEA members, including those with operations and interests in the participating countries outside Australia.”

AREEA welcomes any recent and relevant feedback from members on their experiences in:

• Working under the Australian OHS framework.
• Seeking to implement standard safe work practices across operations in different countries.
• Managing the safe conduct of work in operations in China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar or Vietnam.

More broadly, AREEA has significant international resources and networks which may be relevant to members.

AREEA policy staff have significant international experience, including working with the UN, G20, EU, International Labour Organisation, International Organisation of Employers, the OECD, World Bank and IMF, and bilateral work with key trading partners across the Asian region and globally.

As a growing number of AREEA members expand their international operations and investments, not only in Asia, but also in other regions, they face unique challenges and opportunities, including interacting with both national regulation and red tape, and multilateral laws and practices, including many initiatives advanced by the UN.

The AREEA policy team would be pleased to discuss any assistance or research we can provide to members in their international operations, and intend during 2015 to explore in particular the employment, migration, and taxation challenges of employing in non-Australian jurisdictions.

For further information please contact Lisa Matthews or Scott Barklamb via [email protected] or call 1800 627 771.