Gas heaters !

The death of two young boys in Victoria raises urgent questions about the safety of gas heaters - particularly so because there are concerns about unflued gas heaters throughout this state's school system.

So far little tangible evidence of these deaths have been forthcoming. The public has a right to know - in fact a need to know if the heater in question was unflued - and the circumstances that led to death.

It has been suggested that carbon monoxide poisoning was the likely cause of death and that the young age of the boys made them more vulnerable than their mother - who survived the accident.

We have started the winter season and huge numbers of Australians will turn on unflued gas heaters in the next few months to warm their homes. It is essential that they be informed of any risk - and advised on what steps to take to reduce that risk.

The education department claims unflued gas heaters in schools are safe - provided that certain rules apply. What we need to know is precisely what those rules are ?

This has been a tragic event causing death and the only sensible outcome is to bring unflued gas heaters into public focus and explain what risks they pose - in plain language that the ordinary person can understand.

Anything less is unacceptable !