Safety first for Queensland mines

Moura: Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said today that the Bligh Government had taken a number of significant steps to improve safety and health services in the mining industry.

Speaking at a regional community forum in Moura, Minister Wilson said more unannounced safety audits were being carried out at targeted mines around Queensland, following on from a successful series of safety audits undertaken out last year.

“Ten audits were conducted and where faults were found, mining companies were told to fix them,” Mr Wilson said.

“Some of the findings from those audits hang a lantern on serious safety concerns. That’s exactly what they were intended to do,” Mr Wilson said.

Minister Wilson also said the Mines Inspectorate had been revitalised to reflect a new modern era of mining.

“We launched a national recruitment drive to attract the brightest and the best. As a result, we’ve recruited ten new inspectors and more are on the way,” he said.

Minister Wilson said the safety and health of men and women who work in Queensland’s mines would be strengthened through a new industry safety and health levy.

“The levy will help boost the services provided by the state’s mine safety watchdog – the Mines Inspectorate.

“The Inspectorate provides vital safety and health services that help save lives and nothing is more important than that.

“We’re asking for $26 million from an industry that was worth $26 billion to Queensland in 2006/2007. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for vital safety and health services.

“We have the best mine safety legislation in Australia and it must continue to be enforced mine by mine, employer by employer, worker by worker. That’s where the Mines Inspectorate steps in.

“This new levy will fund seven new specialist mines inspectors, two investigators, five scientific research staff, an occupational hygienist, a statistician and a manager of health surveillance,” he said.

Media inquiries: Ellen McIntyre 3225 1819