Government News Index
MP pleads guilty after death
AAP
13mar02
NATIONAL Party MP John Cobb has pleaded guilty to workplace safety breaches following the death of a 17-year-old farmhand on his NSW property.
Mr Cobb, a former president of the NSW Farmers Federation, today appeared in the Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court in Sydney.
WorkCover NSW had sought occupational health and safety charges against Mr Cobb following the death of farmhand Kenneth James Johnson.
Mr Johnson died on July 10, 2000, after over-inflating a tyre on some farming equipment at Mr Cobb's Currawalla Homestead near Condobolin in the state's central west.
In an agreed statement of facts the court heard Mr Johnson was attempting to properly fit a tyre to a rim and uttered the words, "it'll be right, I'll put some more (air) in if it doesn't blow my head off" moments before the tyre tube exploded.
Mr Johnson died after he was struck in the head with the tyre rim and thrown four metres, the statement said.
The force of the tyre blowout crushed almost every bone in Mr Johnson's skull.
The court was told Mr Cobb was away from the property at the time of the incident and was not aware of the manufacturer's guidelines, in particular the use of safety cages or restraining devices, for installing tyres.
Mr Cobb's barrister Robert Reitano told the court Mr Cobb had installed all the necessary safe working systems since the incident.
Mr Reitano said the 51-year-old, who was elected to the federal seat of Parkes in last year's election, had remained firm friends with Mr Johnson's family despite the incident.
"The Johnsons remain personal friends - there has been no acrimony between them," he said.
Mr Cobb, a father of seven daughters, pleaded guilty to occupational health and safety breaches and failing to ensure the health and welfare of his employees.
Chief industrial magistrate George Miller reserved a decision on sentencing.
Mr Cobb faces a maximum fine of $55,000.