NEGLIGENT MINE BOSSES FACE LIFE IN JAIL
MINING executives could face up to 20 years in jail with State Parliament passing new laws that carry criminal charges if Queensland workers die because of criminal negligence.
The move comes after a series of mine deaths in the state and the explosion that critically injured five mine workers in Moranbah on May 6.
Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the establishment of industrial manslaughter as an offence in mines and quarries was a key reform to protect the state’s 50,000 mine workers.
“This offence sends the clear message to employers and senior officers that the safety and health of their workers is paramount,” Dr Lynham said.
“In the past two years we’ve had eight workers die, and a gas explosion in an underground coal mine has put five miners in hospital.”
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said mining was important to North Queensland people.
“We have a lot of fly-in, flyout workers who actually live in Townsville,” he said.
“When I speak to the partners and families of those mine workers, they know that these tough safety laws will help bring their loved ones home.”
CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland president Stephen Smyth described the move as a “great achievement”.
The union had strongly advocated for the laws to be extended to the mining industry.
“Accountability for individuals in positions of authority is critical,” Mr Smyth said.
Dr Lynham said while mine safety was everyone’s responsibility, creating the industrial manslaughter offence would ensure senior company officers did all they could to create a safe mine site.
“These new sanctions bring the resources sector and its workers in line with every other workplace across the state – but with higher financial penalties,” he said.
The new laws also require people in critical statutory safety roles in coal mines to be mine operator employees, not contract workers.
The new laws were passed with a suite of new mine safety and health reforms including increased maximum penalties to $4 million and power for regulators to issue fines without going to court, better detection and prevention of black lung, $35 million to deliver reforms to improve the safety and health of mine workers, and the establishment of an independent resources health and safety authority.