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Politics
Luke Costin

NSW Labor to ban dangerous benchtops if it wins poll

Chris Minns has vowed to banned dangerous engineered stone benchtops if Labor wins the NSW election. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Dangerous engineered stone benchtops will be banned under a NSW Labor election pledge to address rising rates of asbestos-like lung disease.

Labor said it would aim for a national uniform ban by 2024 to outlaw manufactured stone with silica concentrations above 40 per cent.

The dust of silica, a common substance naturally found in sand, quartz and other stones, can cause pulmonary fibrosis years down the track, much like asbestos dust can.

Labor pointed to a Queensland study suggesting up to one in four stonemasons could have silicosis.

"Every day that goes by without reform is another day NSW workers lives are put at risk," leader Chris Minns said.

If elected at the NSW election on March 25, the party would create a licencing scheme, more health screening and get Safework NSW to inspect more workplaces including quarrying and tunnelling projects.

"There must be a complete ban on manufactured stone, coupled with urgent reform of Safework NSW now, which Labor will deliver," he said.

The construction union CFMEU said all governments must fast-track a national ban on manufactured stone with silica.

"Otherwise, politicians will have to explain to victims and their families why they're allowing the asbestos of our generation to kill more workers," incoming CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith said.

Mr Minns will campaign on the NSW South Coast alongside with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday.

The pair will visit Kiama, currently held by former Liberal turned independent MP Gareth Ward, before making an announcement on federal roads funding in the Shoalhaven region.

Dominic Perrottet's government is dissolving NSW parliament from Monday as the election draws near. (Flavio Brancaleone/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Meanwhile, Premier Dominic Perrottet will be back in western Sydney on Friday trumpeting his supply chain commissioner pledge announced a day earlier.

He says the new office's focus on trucking and ports will help drive down grocery prices.

It comes as his government hosed down claims on Thursday night that it had sought to shut down parliamentary committees early ahead of the NSW election.

Labor pounced on a government gazette notice stating the parliamentary session would be prorogued, or halted, on Monday.

Under the constitution, the lower house won't dissolve until next Friday.

MPs from Labor and the Greens were quick to criticise the move, saying it had "come out of left field" and was "unbelievable".

But the premier's office said Labor were "utterly incorrect" and pointed to the same practice occurring before the 2019 election.

The work of committees would not be hampered by the move and the caretaker period would not begin until next Friday, it said.

The government has attacked an upper house inquiry that is scrambling to serve a summons on Jean-Claude Perrottet, the younger brother of Premier Dominic Perrottet.

The inquiry is investigating alleged impropriety on the Hills Shire Council, and its work was due to cease at the beginning on parliament caretaker mode, on Friday, March 3.

The Liberal government under Barry O'Farrell legislated against governments proroguing before January 26, after former Labor premier Kristina Keneally shut down the parliament three months out from the 2011 election.

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