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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 9, 2024

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When are we getting “chainsaw” laws?

Licensing requirements to operate a chainsaw vary from state to state. A NSW chainsaw license may not necessarily entitle the holder to operate a chainsaw in Victoria.

“Death note” laws?

Section 31 of the Crimes Act makes it an offence, punishable by a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, to intentionally or recklessly send or deliver a document threatening to kill or inflict serious bodily harm on any person.

(I understand it's an anime joke.)

Licensing requirements to operate a chainsaw vary from state to state. A NSW chainsaw license may not necessarily entitle the holder to operate a chainsaw in Victoria.

Not sure if this is a shitpost, but there’s no license required to operate a chainsaw. Some employers/industries require you pass a training course, but there’s no state or federal government licensing programs like there is for say, forklifts.

Complete shitpost in response to a shitpost comment.

It appears that Queensland at least requires anyone operating a chainsaw professionally to have a license, as a requirement of the (state-run and required) workers compensation program. Western Australia seems to require it only for forestry workers specifically.

But as far as I can tell it's not true that there are different licenses per state; there is a national "chainsaw ticket".

But as far as I can tell it's not true that there are different licenses per state; there is a national "chainsaw ticket".

Each state has different training courses, as education and training is run at a state level. However, the states try to standardise around a national framework.

Also, from what I can tell, there is no chainsaw “license” in any state or territory. There are only training course requirements in some states for certain industries. For chainsaws there’s various training courses ranging from basic handling and maintenance, to cutting fallen trees, to felling limbs, to felling entire trees. But these are all separate courses that can be taken either individually or as part of a larger training course for a higher certification or diploma.

The main difference between a license and a certification requirement is that without a certification, you’re unable to be hired in the relevant field, while without a license, you’re not legally allowed to perform the relevant task at all.

For example without a first aid certificate you might not be allowed to be hired as a life guard at a swimming centre. But without a forklift license you’re never legally permitted to operate a forklift even if it’s privately owned and on private property.