Tascot jobs under threat

By COURTNEY GREISBACHJune 24, 2010, 9:49 p.m.

TWO hundred jobs at the East Devonport Tascot carpet factory are at risk.

TWO hundred jobs at the East Devonport Tascot carpet factory are at risk after a decision by the Federal Government to alter the national standard for the installation of carpets in public buildings. Already passed through the Lower House and now sitting with the Senate, the new regulations would see all carpet installed in any public building, including apartments, not exceeding 6mm in pile height. The regulation would only be waived in free-standing residential buildings. Tascot chief executive officer Charles Szakiel said the change in regulations would mean an end for the East Devonport factory. "It would just blow our woven carpet out the window. "We couldn't participate in any public commercial market place ... we will be effectively wiped out." The change in the pile height is to ease the movement of wheelchairs over the surface. "There is no evidence to justify ... to support the fact that 6mm is a magic number that must be adhered to because all of a sudden it creates a problem for wheelchair access." Mr Szakiel said Tascot has carpet in use all over Australia, including Parliament House, and to date there had been no complaints. "Even in Canberra's Parliament House it is 7.5mm pile height and has underlay underneath. It is just nonsense, absolute nonsense." The new regulations would also not allow the use of underlay, something Mr Szakiel said would see the demise of some hotels and cinemas. "If you look at a five-star hotel or cinema and they have to use very, very thin carpet with no underlay, their clientele would basically be wiped." Mr Szakiel said he is amazed the regulations have been developed without consultation with the industry. Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck yesterday moved a motion in the Senate to disallow the regulations. "I understand the Government completely failed to consult with the carpet industry on this national standard change and since publishing the change it has been unable to provide the industry with any reason for adopting the 6mm height." Federal Member for Braddon Sid Sidebottom said the standards have been the subject of consultation for a decade, culminating in an inquiry by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs last year. "Neither Senator Colbeck nor the Carpet Institute of Australia nor Tascot Templeton Carpets Pty Ltd made a submission or gave evidence to that inquiry." Mr Sidebottom said companies have the opportunity to demonstrate compliance by showing that a wheelchair can move over carpet with an 8mm pile height as freely as it does over a 6mm pile height. Mr Sidebottom said he will work with Tascot to help demonstrate the ability of its carpets to satisfy the standard.

Link:
Tascot jobs under threat