Queensland firefighters will have faster access to compensation if they develop a work-related cancer but the union wants the laws to go further.
The state government is set to pass laws ensuring faster access to compensation if a firefighter is diagnosed with one of 22 diseases deemed work-related.
Previously, only 12 diseases including breast, prostate and brain cancers were recognised in the legislation.
The new list includes cervical and ovarian cancers to recognise the growing number of women in the service.
"The Miles government will always back our hardworking and courageous firies," Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace told parliament on Wednesday.
The laws include "presumptive compensation" meaning a worker doesn't have to prove that firefighting was the cause of their cancer when they make a claim.
The United Firefighters Union, which championed the change, welcomed the bill to protect workers in a cancer-causing occupation.
However, the union wants the bill to include uterine cancer in the list of recognised diseases, given the growing number of women in the industry.
“The body of scientific knowledge about firefighter cancer is moving rapidly, so much so that when the Queensland government embarked on this legislative change in 2023, uterine cancer had not yet been recognised by any Australian jurisdiction," its national secretary Greg McConville said on Thursday.
“With increasing numbers of women now involved in firefighting, there is a compelling body of evidence that uterine cancer is related to the very chemicals that firefighters are exposed to."
Ms Grace committed to pushing for uterine cancer to be included during the consideration of the bill.
The firefighting changes to the worker safety laws were also welcomed by the Liberal National Party.
"I do absolutely support the increase in the number of presumed diseases for workers compensation claims and thank them for their work in battling fires on the front line," Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie told parliament.
Other states and territories have similar laws to protect firefighters against work-related cancers, with Victoria and Tasmania already recognising uterine cancer.
South Australia has also flagged its intent to include uterine cancer in its laws.
Debate of the bill resumes on Thursday.
