Industrial Manslaughter Bill could see negligent mining bosses jailed for 20 years if a worker dies
After the seventh death at a Queensland mine or quarry in just 18 months, the first details of tough new laws to tackle the resources industry’s safety crisis have been revealed including jail for negligent bosses and multimillion-dollar fines for companies.
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MINING bosses face up to 20 years in jail if found responsible for the death of an employee under a massive shake-up for the resources sector.
The Courier-Mail can reveal for the first time details of the draft Industrial Manslaughter Bill, expected to be introduced next year, to tackle the mining industry’s safety crisis.
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Mining bosses could be thrown in jail for up to 20 years if found negligent while companies could be slugged with a maximum fine of $13.34 million.
It’s also understood there would be no time restrictions on when charges could be laid, however the amendments won’t be retrospective.
Ipswich man Brad Duxbury, 57, tragically died on Monday night while working underground at Carborough Downs mine in the Bowen Basin.
His death was the seventh fatality at a Queensland mine or quarry in just 18 months.
All operations at Carborough Downs have been suspended until further notice with the Queensland mines inspectorate now investigating.
No allegations of negligence have been made against any individual at Carborough Downs.
Friends of Mr Duxbury said he was a “proud” father who was reserved but “passionate”.
An avid athletics enthusiast Mr Duxbury devoted his spare time to the Ipswich and District Athletics Club.
Club president Vic Pascoe said his death had shocked the local athletics community.
“We were close friends, he was a proud dad of Alex who I coached in sprints for a number of years,” Mr Pascoe told The Courier-Mail.
“He was a very hard worker and put his all in whatever he did.
“Brad was a quiet and reserved man but followed my athletes with me all over Australia for Australian Championships, every capital city, (he was) so passionate about athletes doing well.”
Mines Minister Anthony Lynham offered his condolences yesterday.
LNP shadow mines spokesman Dale Last called for the Government to back the Opposition’s push for a parliamentary inquiry into the deaths.
“Surely the Palaszczuk Labor Government must put aside politics and get to the bottom of these incidents once and for all,” he said.
In the wake of the sixth death in July, Queensland’s embattled mining industry underwent safety resets on site which saw about 50,000 mines and quarry workers take part.
At the time, the Government said it was actively considering introducing industrial manslaughter to the sector.
It’s understood the State Government consulted stakeholders on the draft Bill, which would see industrial manslaughter introduced to several resources Acts including the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act and the Petroleum and Gas Act.
Submissions were due this past Monday.
In 2017, when the Government introduced industrial manslaughter to other sectors, it was determined it would not be introduced to the resources industry without consultation.
An exclusive The Courier-Mail/YouGov poll also revealed that 76 per cent of Queenslanders were in favour of extending the laws to the sector in September.
WORKPLACE DEATHS
NOVEMBER 25, 2019: Brad Duxbury, 57, died at the Carborough Downs Mine
JULY 7, 2019: Jack Gerdes was operating an articulated dump truck when he died after losing control of the vehicle at a quarry near Collinsville
JUNE 26, 2019: David Routledge was crushed to death at Middlemount Coal Mine when a wall collapsed on to his excavator
FEBRUARY 2, 2019: Bradley Hardwick died when two pieces of machinery collided underground at Anglo American’s Moranbah North Mine
DECEMBER 31, 2018: Allan Houston was fatally injured when his bulldozer overturned at BMA’s Saraji Open-Cut Coal Mine near Moranbah
NOVEMBER 15, 2018: A worker was fatally injured at a quarry when he became entangled in a conveyor belt at a site off the Peak Downs Highway at Wolfang, near Clermont
JULY 29, 2018: Adam Malone, 25, died at a quarry at Collinsville when he lost control of an articulated dump truck, which rolled over
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