Isaac council allege Qld coal mines are risking lives

A regional council has made damning claims against the Qld resources sector as part of a new parliamentary inquiry into mine safety. Read what it said.

Isaac Mayor Anne Baker spoke at the first public hearing of the Inquiry into the Coal Mining Industry Safety held in Moranbah on Wednesday.Â

There are damning new claims Queensland mine authorities are failing to use their power to shut down production when the nearest hospital is “ill-equipped” to deal with emergencies.

The allegations were surfaced in a recently opened parliamentary inquiry seeking to determine whether the state’s coal mines were enacting any of the 65 recommendations handed down after a blast that seriously injured five workers in 2020 at Anglo’s Grosvenor mine.

Isaac Regional Council in a submission to the inquiry said there were “mounting concerns” mines in the Bowen Basin had “inadequate” emergency plans.

The council further said the region’s insufficient medical services were posing a “serious risk” to resource sector workers, drawing reference to the Anglo explosion.

“It is acknowledged that lives would have been lost if not for the coincidental presence of a visiting doctor at Moranbah Hospital,” its submission states.

“Historically, IRC elected members have been advised that site safety and health representatives have been called on to enact their power to suspend mining activities when the Moranbah Hospital has not been adequately staffed.”

Moranbah Hospital and Community Health Centre is ‘equipped’ to deal with coal mine emergencies, says Isaac Regional Council. Picture: Tara Miko

It added the poorly-equipped hospital combined with the mines’ reliance on labour hire and the “likelihood of a high potential incident” could be deadly.

The council said while it did not oppose labour hire, recognising “it (was) sometimes the only viable workforce solution”, the population of non-resident workers was ignored when it came to provisioning essential services.

The submission further stated in a region proud to produce $22.78bn in annual economic output, it also hosted a tragic memorial with 14 plaques “naming each (coal mine) worker since 1972 who went to work and never returned home”.

“A serious injury or fatality resonates with each and every member of our community,” it states.

“Residual grief lingers in our communities, and it is not uncommon to hear of residents contacting their loved ones on the hearing of the helicopter or the sighs of gratitude when those same loved ones are not on-shift.”

Isaac Mayor Anne Baker spoke at the first public hearing of the Inquiry into the Coal Mining Industry Safety held in Moranbah on Wednesday.