Delays on black lung reform slammed by MP

Government under fire for failure to take action

From left, Jason Costigan, Jo-Ann Miller, and Julieanne Gilbert. Picture: Jonathan Reichard

BLACK LUNG:

Renegade MP Jo-Ann Miller has slammed her own government for dragging its feet on new laws to keep miners safe as men continue to die from black lung disease.

The Labor Member for Bundamba and Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Select Committee chair yesterday spoke in Parliament of her "bitter disappointment” in a lack of action to progress draft legislation that would create a new, independent Mine Safety and Health Authority to oversee the industry.

It followed a probing of the draft legislation by the Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources Committee, whose only recommendation was that the parliament note it had considered the legislation.

Ms Miller said there was a danger the lessons contained in the Black Lung, White Lies report would again be missed, as she juxtaposed the government urgency to respond to other issues.

Draft laws were drawn up by Ms Miller's committee following their long-running inquiry into the re-emergence of the potentially deadly condition, which found there had been a total systemic failure of every authority charged with keeping miners safe from the preventable disease.

"Men are dying of this disease ... the fact that other reports have been run through the Cabinet and the parliament very quickly and yet our committee took 90 days will be forever a stain on the government and the parliament.”

A spokeswoman for Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the recommendations were complex and still required additional analysis and consultation but the government supported all 68 recommendations.

Originally published as Delays on black lung reform slammed by MP