QC's death third on Vic farms over weekend

Leading barrister Ross Ray QC has died after his quad bike rolled over on his Victorian farm - the third farm death over the one weekend.

Prominent Melbourne QC William Ross Ray has died in a quad bike rollover in one of three farm deaths across Victoria over the weekend.

Mr Ray, commonly known as Ross, was already dead when officers arrived at his Hearns Road, Merrijig property on Sunday, police say.

The 65-year-old was a leader in the occupational health and safety legal field, was a former president of the Law Council of Australia and former chair of the Victorian Bar.

The barrister most recently acted as prosecutor for WorkSafe Victoria against the Essendon Football Club over its supplements program.

Victorian Bar president Paul Anastassiou informed members of Mr Ray's death in an obituary posted to the association's website, remembering him for his commitment to education and training within the legal profession.

Mr Ray was the last of three men to die on Victorian farms since Friday.

A Marnoo man, 49, died on Saturday and a 61-year-old Echuca dairy farmer died on Friday, both from getting caught in machinery towed by tractors.

WorkSafe is investigating all three deaths and executive director of health and safety, Marnie Williams, said farming was a high-risk industry, often involving the same tasks performed daily.

"Over time, complacency can creep in and that can prove deadly," she said.

Ms Williams said agriculture employed only three per cent of Victorian workers but accounted for almost 30 per cent of all workplace fatalities.

She urged farmers to make safety a priority.

DEADLY WEEKEND ON VICTORIAN FARMS:

* May 20: Dairy farmer, 61, dies after getting entangled under a feed mixer being towed behind his tractor on a property near Echuca.

* May 21: Man, 49, killed after getting caught in an air seeder towed behind his tractor on a Marnoo farm.

* May 22: Ross Ray QC killed when his quad biked overturned while riding up a hill on his Merrijig farm.

* 2016 agriculture workplace death toll to date: 7


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world