Mine Minister Stewart Reply “Establish an industry Task Group to review the recommendations from the 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report and assess the implementation and effectiveness of the recommendations from the report and their application to underground coal mines today.
Dear Minister Stewart;
Firstly thank you for finally replying to my correspondence of the 8th of February 2021.
1990 Coal Mine Explosion Report Request
Mine Explosion Report 1990 REPORT-5 (1)
I shall forward your correspondence to the Grosvenor Mines Inquiry.
I have provided extensive material including material and correspondence regarding 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report and multiple other matters/issues to the Inquiry.
Almost inevitably I am informed that the material falls outside the terms of reference.
For example this email from the 18th of August 2020
The Board is grateful to you for the information you have forwarded.
However, as you would appreciate, the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry must be adhered to. Much of the material you have provided falls outside the Terms of Reference. The material which does fall within the scope of the Inquiry has been taken into account.
You will recall that the Inquiry team has made repeated efforts to have you provide a statement which addresses relevantly the Terms of Reference, and only the Terms of Reference. The statement you have provided, including the most recent version on Sunday 16 August, does not comply.
The fact is that in the absence of such a statement, the Board cannot call you as a witness.
Nonetheless, the Board thanks you for your time and effort in providing information and materials
Hopefully your correspondence will cause the Inquiry to seriously look at the material I have provided them that they have previously stated falls outside the terms of reference
Secondly your reply does not deal with the 30 year concealment by the then Labor Government of the 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report at all.
I requested
Given the valuable and unactioned recommendations included in the report and the recent mine explosions in New Zealand (2010), NSW (2011) and Queensland 2018 and 2020, I believe it would be of extreme value to establish an industry Task Group to review the recommendations from the 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report and assess the implementation and effectiveness of the recommendations from the report and their application to underground coal mines today.
I am proposing that a meeting be convened that includes representatives of the Queensland Resources Council, Resources Safety Health Qld, SIMTARS, Current Ministerial Board of Inquiry, Mineworkers, Survivors and next of kin from Moura.
Logically this should occur in the last 2 weeks of February well before the Grosvenor Mine Ministerial Board of Inquiry recommences in March 2021.
Without repeating an extensive history the Report was taken to Cabinet by Minister Vaughan in 1990 and has remained under Cabinet-in- Confidence for 30 years.
Indeed its very existence was hidden.
It was only copies emerging after the 30 year confidentiality expired that confirmed its existence and content.
There are 2 versions, these being the original report and the edited and altered version taken to Cabinet in 1990.
I am possession of both versions.
I have personally searched and contacted the following
- the State Archives, (Cabinet Minute exists but not the edited Report)
- the State Parliamentary Library, (No records at all)
- contacted SIMTARS, (Cannot find the report even though Professor David Cliff affirms he read the edited Government report in the 1990’s)
- contacted the Mines Department (now RSHQ)
- and the Queensland Resource’s Council (QRC) about whether they can locate anything in their records.
RSHQ have assigned a case officer and I have not had any correspondence since an email of the 3rd of February 2021 where I was informed
Short answer is I haven’t had any luck locating the document but there are a few other enquiries that I’m making.
The QRC responded with this on the 22nd January 2021 and despite several follow up emails, all I have received back are “read receipts”
Dear Stuart
We confirm that we are in receipt of your email and will respond in due course.
Kind regards.
Minister despite your words, the issue I have raised with you has not been addressed at all.
The Goss Labor Government took the decision to bury the Ministerial Version and the original 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report under the 30 year Cabinet in Confidence Laws.
The Goss Government also made the decision to get the Authors of the report to sign strict 30 Confidentiality Agreements that also expired in 2020.
The Mines Inspectorate (RSHQ) have repeatedly completely ignored me and even now the specially appointed Case Officer are again silent, after saying they have been unsuccessful in locating anything.
Mr Daniel Collins, who you referred me to if I have any questions, is the Case Officer who has been unable to find any records in the Mines Department Records.
The Queensland Resources Council has been silent except for read receipts of several follow up emails.
I am sorry but your bland general assurances that the Grosvenor Inquiry will examine everything relevant mean nothing to me.
Something as important as the 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report, can and has been deliberately and successfully concealed for 30 years due to decisions of it seems the Minister of the time (Ken Vaughan) and associated public servants.
From my point of view, unless matters are raised in Public Hearings of the Grosvenor Inquiry, then anything that falls outside of the what they interpret the Terms of Reference; will be deliberately ignored.
Maybe you should immediately as Minister responsible, communicate directly with the Inquiry about material that falls outside the Terms of Reference, in particular the time frames
Thank you for your time.
Yours in Safety
Stuart Vaccaneo
I refer to your email and letter dated 8 February 2021 to the Honourable Scott Stewart MP, Minister for Resources, proposing the establishment of an industry task group to review the recommendations from a 1990 Coal Mine Explosion Research Report; and assess the implementation and effectiveness of the recommendations from the report and their application to underground coal mines today. The Minister has asked me to respond on his behalf.
The coal mining board of inquiry established by former Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Dr Anthony Lynham on 22 May 2020, is inquiring into, and will make findings and recommendations to industry and other parties about, methane hazards and explosion risks relevant to underground coal mining in Queensland.
The board may have regard to a broad range of evidence including information about past events, reviews and inquiries — including the matters you reference in your letter — enabling a comprehensive, cohesive assessment of relevant issues, to make recommendations that can be applied in the contemporary context.
I am aware the board has, as part of this assessment, referred to relevant past incidents and inquiries in its proceedings and in the reports it has issued to date. I am aware too, that you have also made submissions to the board about these and other issues.
Once the board, having considered all evidence it considers relevant to the risks and hazards relevant to its inquiry, issues its final report and recommendations, it is imperative that industry and all other relevant stakeholders give their undivided attention to those recommendations, and implement any improvements they identify, to avoid future unwanted and devastating incidents impacting mine workers’ safety.
The Minister supports and encourages collaboration between stakeholders to progress this important work and has already requested that industry develop and share its plans for actioning those recommendations the board has made to date.
If you have any questions, Mr Daniel Collins, Senior Project Officer, Resources Safety and Health Queensland will be pleased to assist you and can be contacted on 3330 4252.
Yours sincerely
Minister Reply Coal Mine Explosion
