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18/09/09Queensland miners remembered
The lives of more than 1450 miners who made the ultimate sacrifice in the development of their industry will be commemorated in Brisbane tomorrow. Premier Anna Bligh said the second annual Miners Memorial Day would be a fitting tribute to those who died in mining tragedies across three different centuries in Queensland. "Seventy-five miners - fathers, husbands, brothers and sons - lost their lives in a coal dust explosion at Mount Mulligan in far north Queensland on this day - the worst mining disaster in Queensland's history," Ms Bligh said. "Today, miners, Queensland's Mining Union - the CFMEU - its members and industry join with general public to remember all those miners who lost their lives working to help open up our vast state through exploration and mining. "Today, our mines are safer but we - the mining family - are striving higher to our collective goal of 'Zero Harm'. "The CFMEU plays a leading role in delivering this goal and achieving safe workplaces. "That is why my Minister Stephen Robertson - who is currently on a Trade Mission - created the position of an independent Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health - an Australian first. "My Government is also introducing proximity detection and collision avoidance technology to vehicles used on mine sites to reduce the number of incidents involving vehicles and workers." The Premier said Queensland must never the forget the lessons of the State's tragic mining events. Ms Bligh said it was fitting to reveal today the three artists who have been shortlisted as designers for the Brisbane-based Miners Memorial Monument. The shortlisted artists - Rhyl Hinwood, Scott Maxwell and Christopher Trotter - are all highly experienced in public artwork with several of their pieces prominently featured in Brisbane. "This public artwork will be a lasting monument to commemorate those miners who died in mining tragedies in this state," Ms Bligh said. "Today we are able to reflect on what can happen if we are not vigilant about protecting the safety and health of mine workers. "Nothing is more important than that." Minister for Education and Training Geoff Wilson, who attended the first Miners Memorial Day last year as the then Minister for Mines and Energy, will pay his respects at the ceremony. "It is fitting we remember pay tribute to the miners who died in the Collinsville, Box Flat, Kianga, Moura and other tragedies," Mr Wilson said. "Today, Queensland has the best mine safety legislation in the country and one of the best mine safety records in the world, but the Bligh Government is not resting on its hands. "The state's mining family - the workers, their families, the employers, unions and government - must feel confident they can go to work and return home safely at the end of a shift. "That is a fundamental right of every worker and today is an important reminder of the why the Bligh Government continues to work hard to ensure the highest safety standards for the industry," he said. Media contact: Premier's Office 07 3224 4500
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