Curragh mine death: All charges discontinued in Donald Rabbitt case

A heartbroken father is furious after final charges stemming from his son’s death at a Qld mine site were dropped. Now, he wants the Coroner to investigate.

Coronado Global Resources Curragh coal mine in Queensland. Picture: Supplied by Coronado Global Resources.

A grieving father is outraged on learning the remaining charges stemming from his son’s horror death at a Queensland mine site have been dropped.

Robin Rabbitt said his next step was to call for a coronial investigation in his search for answers, after being left in limbo for more than four and a half years and 22 court appearances.

“You feel like you’ve absolutely failed your child and you feel like his death happened again,” Mr Rabbitt said.

His son Donald Rabbitt, affectionately known as Donnie, was fatally injured on January 12, 2020 at Curragh mine, near Blackwater, when the 4.5 tonne tyre he had been changing fell on him, crushing him underneath.

He was found trapped beneath the heavy equipment about 4.15pm.

Donald Rabbitt was fatally injured on January 12, 2020 at Curragh mine, near Blackwater, when the 4.5 tonne tyre he had been changing fell on him, crushing him underneath.

The 33-year-old had been working alone at the time, a fact that still haunted his dad

It sparked a major investigation and in mid 2021 charges for failing to discharge health and safety obligations were laid against a site senior executive, mine operator Coronado Curragh Pty Ltd and contractor Thiess Pty Ltd.

Then on November 21, 2021, less than two years after Donnie’s death another worker – 54-year-old Cleak Peadon – was fatally crushed by a dragline at the same mine.

Donald Rabbitt, 33 and Clark Peadon, 54, were both killed at Curragh mine about 22 months apart in January 2020 and November 2021 respectively.

The tragedy rocked the miner’s family who were still desperately seeking information and accountability into his death, but nothing was forthcoming and the wait stretched from months into years.

Mr Rabbitt said in November 2023 he was told the charge against the site senior executive had been dropped.

Then in July 2024 the charge against Coronado was also dropped because there were not reasonable prospects of success at trial.

“I have no faith in the whole legal process or the prosecution into my son’s death and I understand why lives are lost in the mining industry,” Mr Rabbitt said.

“There’s no accountability.”

Robin Rabbitt visits his son's grave whenever he’s in Goondiwindi.

Then, on Thursday Mr Rabbitt received the final nail in the coffin relating to his son’s court case after he learned Work Health and Safety prosecutors were dropping the case against Thiess.

“The case and evidence were continuously and carefully reviewed against the Director’s Guidelines published by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” an Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor spokesperson said in response to questions by this publication.

“Following the continuous assessment noted above, a decision was made by the OWHSP to discontinue the case.”

Just hours receiving a phone call that the charges would be dropped, Mr Rabbitt learned there had been another mine death at Byerwen.

BEST FRIENDS: Robin Rabbitt with a young Donald Rabbitt. Picture: supplied

“It’s heartbreaking,” Mr Rabbitt said, adding the whole family was “that pissed off with it all”.

“We just cannot believe it.

“It (the case) was adjourned 22 times.

“It’s a process designed in favour of the mining industry, it’s not designed for the safety of its workers.”

Mr Rabbitt said he had already applied for his son’s autopsy results and started the process to apply for a coronial investigation into his death.

“If I’m not granted that, the questions I’ve been asking … will never be answered,” he said.

“And they’re simple questions like ‘why was he on his own, had he been trained … had he been taking safety breaks?’.
“And none of them have been answered.”

Originally published as Curragh mine death: All charges discontinued in Donald Rabbitt case