Twelfth (12th) Coal Fatality under Palaszczuk Government, After Grosvenor and North Goonyella. Letter sent to Minister Stewart
Sent to Minister Stewart, Premier Palaszczuk, Opposition Leader Crisafulli and forwarded to all other 89 State MP’s
To Resources Minister Scott Stewart;
RE; Twelfth (12th) Coal Fatality under Palaszczuk Government, After Grosvenor and North Goonyella
I had hoped I would have received a reply from my correspondence of the 23rd March 2022, subject title “What happens at Mines and RSHQ Not Ministers responsibility”, before the next Coal Mine Fatality
There have now been Twelve (12) fatalities in the States Coal Mines since the Palaszczuk ALP Government was elected in February 2015 of which the latest was Mr Gavin Feltwell at Anglo’s Moranbah North Mine on the 25th of March.
- Stephen Cave (Dawson Mine)
- Laurie Donovan (Blackwater Mine)
- Ian Hansen (Newlands)
- Daniel Springer (Goonyella Riverside)
- Allan Houston (Saraji)
- Bradley Hardwick (Moranbah North)
- David John Routledge (Middlemount Coal)
- Jack Gerdes (Baralaba)
- Brad Duxbury (Carborough Downs UG)
- Clark Peadon (Curragh)
- Graham Dawson (Crinum UG)
- Gavin Feltwell (Moranbah North UG)
The last Three (3) of these since you became Minister in November 2020.
These have occurred under your and your Governments watch.
This second fatality in 6 months is another Mastermyne contract worker.
In case that you are unaware, it is the RSHQ who have accepted Mastermyne as the Operators at both Crinum and now Cook Colliery.
RSHQ has also accepted whatever PHMP’s, SOP’s and other safety procedures were put in place to reopen Crinum Mine.
Mr Dawson was killed while recovering the drifts. Not one tonne of coal was mined until his death.
RSHQ has accepted the same sort of safety documentation at Cook Colliery obviously.
As well as the fatalities there was the methane explosion at Grosvenor Mine resulting in the grievous life-threatening burns to them.
Let me point out that the Grosvenor Mine development from pit bottom and longwall operations have all occurred since the Palaszczuk government was elected in 2015.
Every event that has occurred there was under your Governments watch.
Likewise, the out of control spontaneous combustion at North Goonyella in September 2018.
To refresh your memory the mine had to be emergency sealed, all the Production and Engineering workers retrenched (sacked) and the Mine put on care and maintenance and then put up for sale.
It remains for sale with no takers in amongst a coal boom.
Media Reports quote you saying this about the death of Mr Feltwell
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the death of the miner.
“I would like to express my sincere condolences to the man’s family, friends and colleagues. My thoughts are with them,” he said in a statement.
“Any death or serious injury on a Queensland mine site is unacceptable, and every worker should expect to come home to their families after every shift.
“That is why the Palaszczuk government has implemented the strongest suite of mine health and safety laws in the world.”
Minister Stewart, with all due respect that is the most nauseating, repeated, untrue piece of PR bullshit ever by a Queensland Resources Minister.
If that was true there would be Management at Grosvenor facing charges in the Law Courts of Queensland.
The exact opposite has happened.
In fact, your actions with
- Setting up RSHQ in the way you have
- Open Cut Examiners (OCE’s) and Mine Deputies (ERZC’s) being forced/coerced by Mining Companies into only being employed as Staff (You then granted a 12 month extension for the supposed difficulty with transitioning Contract Mine Managers, Ventilation Officers and Site Senior Executives to Full Time Employees of the Operator. This after the companies had got what they wanted with Staff OCE’s and ERZC’s)
- Industrial Manslaughter is demonstrably probably the worst, most retrograde, piece of Mining Legislation ever introduced in Queensland.
I would argue that your Legislation and RSHQ actions means Queensland has probably one of the most secretive, opaque and ineffectual set of Mining Legislation and Regulators in the English Speaking Coal producing world.
In fact, if you have ethical standards you should probably resign so someone who might understand something more than you about Mining can take your place.
Let me put it in terms you may understand from being a High School Teacher and/or Principal.
Would confirmed complaints and reports of systematic abuse, discrimination and indecent dealings of schoolchildren by staff at any Queensland Schools not warrant open and public investigation?
Would not the Minister demand that a thorough and independent investigation of the Education Department take place; if it was shown that the Department was well aware of the events over many years, carried out by the same group of teachers?
In case it has escaped your notice, the rate of fatalities and grievous bodily injury in Queensland Coal Mines has increased under your Government.
RSHQ will no doubt keep up its public silence except for its standard press release regarding Mr Feltwell and maybe a short 2 page Safety Alert.
RSHQ is quoted in the Media
Resources Safety and Health Queensland confirmed it was investigating.
“Mine inspectors are attending the site today, where mining operations have been suspended, to commence an investigation into the incident,” a spokesperson said.
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased worker.
“RSHQ’s vision is zero serious harm; work-related deaths are unacceptable
Anglo has already trotted out its nauseatingly often repeated dribble
- We are deeply saddened by the loss of a contractor at one of our operations (meaning it wasn’t us it was a contractor)
- We will work with the QMI to identify the causes of this accident
- We are committed to supporting the family or the deceased worker and the Moranbah North workforce as they come to terms with this tragedy.
- We are committed to a safe and healthy environment for all who work at Anglo
- We will learn from this tragedy
One thing Anglo have been successful as in Tyler Mitchelson’s press Release.
ANGLO have succeeded in one of Mitchelson’s stated aims.
That being “ensuring we are always maintaining chronic unease”
I am sure very Anglo production and engineering employee, permanent and contract, feels chronic unease every time they drive to work
Mastermyne seems to be relatively silent at this point.
Never fear you as the Minister are very concerned, but RSHQ has started its Investigation.
This man’s loss is “unacceptable” but will never be forgotten
Sorry, but your Governments and RSHQ’s past actions prove Yes Mr Feltwell will be forgotten.
There will be a secret RSHQ Investigation that is never published.
The excuse that it’s still under Investigation and there is up to 3 years to initiate legal action will be trotted out at some point.
Legal action that traditionally never sees one day of public evidence.
Or as usual no prosecution and RSHQ may ask Coroner to Investigate after 3 year prosecution window closes.
In closing Minister, I urge you to stir yourself into action in the Ministerial Office.
1 Immediate introduction of a Mining Warden Inquiry for each and every mining fatality.
2) Readoption of the comprehensive Compliance Policy signed off by then Minister Geoff Wilson in place of that signed off by now CEO Stone
3) Queensland Ombudsman be invited by the Minister to conduct a comprehensive public review of RSHQ.
4) Recommend to the Governor in Council, the removal of the CEO of RSHQ and the Commissioner of Mine Safety as lowed under Section 19 and Section 54 of the Resources Safety and Health Queensland Act 2020
5) Removal of current Chief Inspector of Coal Mines
6) Establish a Royal Commission to investigate the RSHQ and its effectiveness over at least the last 7 years. If not
7) Establish a Parliamentary Committee to investigate the RSHQ and its effectiveness over at least the last 7 years.
8) Your Resignation as Minister
Yours in Safety
Stuart Vaccaneo
19 Removal by Governor in Council
19 Removal by Governor in Council
The Governor in Council may, on the Minister’s recommendation, remove the CEO from office if the Minister is satisfied the CEO—
(c) has neglected the CEO’s duties or performed the CEO’s functions incompetently
54 Removal by Governor in Council
The Governor in Council may, on the Minister’s recommendation, remove the commissioner from office if the Minister is satisfied the commissioner—
(c) has neglected the commissioner’s duties or performed the commissioner’s functions incompetently.
