Premier Steven Miles commits to coal ‘for decades’, rules out royalty change

Despite committing to steelmaking coal for ‘decades and decades’ to come, the Miles government was not as keen to commit to 10% of royalties being spent on the regions they came from, including to fix up shocking and deadly roads.

Joshua Hart (on microphone) asks Premier Steven Miles whether the government will commit to 10 per cent of mining royalties being spent on roads in the regions they were generated in, at Mackay Community Cabinet Town Hall. Picture: Michaela Harlow

• Editor’s view: Actions louder than words

The state Labor government has declared the coal industry will be a constant in the Queensland economy for decades, despite a pledge to replace the energy source with renewables.

Steven Miles’ visit to the central Queensland mining city of Mackay came less than two months after his government introduced laws to legislate an emissions reduction target of 75 per cent by 2035.

Since ascending to state leader, Mr Miles has reinforced the government’s commitment to end its reliance on coal-fired power by 2035 by replacing the state’s energy grid with renewable sources.

But despite the shift away from coal as an energy source, Mr Miles assured miners during a town-hall meeting in Mackay this week there would be a need for metallurgical coal to support steel production.

Mr Miles, along with other Cabinet members including Resources Minister Scott Stewart, was quizzed by Peter Freeleagus, former mayor of the Clermont-based Belyando Shire Council in the heart of coal mining country.

“What is the commitment to the coal mining industry from the Queensland Labor government going forward?” Mr Freeleagus said.

“Are we going to be here? Are we not going to be here?

“We were appreciated when Covid was on, we all know that. But when Covid is finished we seem to be demonised.”

Premier Steven Miles at the Mackay meeting. Picture: Michaela Harlow

Mr Miles was quick to draw the distinction between coking coal (used for producing steel) and thermal coal (burned for electricity) before making any commitment.

“We do know that as a state, we have a plan to reduce our reliance on thermal coal for power generation, and so that will change the industry, and it will change all industries,” he said.

“But I think what’s important is that we have a very staged and carefully managed plan to do that, so that we don’t experience shocks either for the workforce or for the industries that rely on that power.”

Mr Stewart went further, promising that steelmaking coal would be needed for “decades and decades” to come.

“We have the best in the world, and that’s why countries all over the place still want our steelmaking coal,” he said.

“So your kids will have jobs in the coal industry.”

Joshua Hart, a Mackay marriage celebrant who returned home from Western Australia, asked Mr Miles about the condition of the region’s roads, claiming WA legislated that 10 per cent of mining royalties was allocated to the regions the wealth was created in.

When asked if such a scheme could be created in Queensland, Mr Miles avoided the direct query and insisted the state’s vast road network services one of the biggest total areas compared to population in the world.

“I can assure you though that we are investing back into this region, the royalties that we receive and much more,” Mr Miles said.