Government says no to WorkCover for firefighter with cancer

Week by week is how firefighter Scott Morrison lives now – his cancer is aggressive and he does not know his fate.

He fought off non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2002 and walked the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Great Walk to Bejing to raise money.

But Scott was then diagnosed again, this time with prostate and skin cancer.

“There are times there when I felt like taking my own life, the pain you go through from the treatment,” he said.

Scott believes 35 years in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, breathing in toxic fumes and smoke, is what has caused his illness.

When his career began there were far less protective measures for firefighters than there are now.

But he can’t get WorkCover.

“You have to use your own sick leave, your holiday pay, your long service to go through this and I don't think that's right,” he said.

His firefighting mates have had to donate their own leave to help out.

The 56-year-old is begging the state government to introduce presumptive legislation in line with South Australia, the ACT and Western Australia, which would make it far easier for firefighters with cancer to receive compensation.

The state government said it is still waiting for scientific proof that certain cancers are specifically caused on the job, despite preliminary advice specifically from Monash University, saying there is enough evidence to act now.

Such a move would be immensely helpful to the Morrison family, who struggle to even cover the cost of parking at the hospital.