A parliamentary inquiry on mining safety has slipped into Mount Isa almost without notice.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The inquiry is into the Mines Legislation (Resources Safety) Amendment Bill 2018 and proposed to address matters identified for improvement in the resources safety and health regulatory framework to increase worker safety and health.
A public hearing was held in Mount Isa on April 18 however there was no advance publicity or advertisements saying it was on apart from a note buried in the committee section of Queensland Hansard.
As of the time of writing Hansard has not been updated with the outcome of the hearing though the only speaker listed was Australian Workers’ Union organiser Gavin Lawrence.
Mr Lawrence told the North West Star he was only alerted to the hearing at late notice and his points to the committee were about linking the bill to health and safety and having the ability to escalate issues if they don’t agree with the Mining Commissioner’s findings.
The North West Star has asked the committee why there was no advance publicity about its Mount Isa sitting but has not received an answer.
The North West Star only found out about the hearing after the Queensland Resources Council issued a statement on Friday welcoming the committee to visit mine operations as part of its inquiry into safety legislation for the sector.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the State Parliament’s Education, Employment and Small Business Committee had visited Mount Isa and Moranbah where the QRC was due to appear.
“I welcome the initiative of the all-party Parliamentary Committee to visit mining regions – Moranbah and Mount Isa (Wednesday, 18 April),” Mr Macfarlane said.
“The Committee will see first-hand the resources sector at work, and I welcome the Committee’s decision to visit the region.”
Mr Macfarlane said the safety of the men and women working in the resources sector was of fundamental importance to the QRC and its members.
The Bill’s purpose is to provide for greater transparency and accountability; improvements to safety and health management systems; and stronger enforcement and compliance powers by implementing amendments to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999 and Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999.