General Secretary – Grahame Kelly
Grahame Kelly grew up in Singleton in the NSW Hunter Valley. He started work in the coal mining industry at Warkworth in 1985, first as a trades assistant and then as a washery operator.
In 1996 he was elected Lodge Secretary at Warkworth and then in 2000 he was elected to the Northern District Board of Management. In 2003 he stepped into the role of District Vice President and in 2006 was elected District Secretary. In November 2017 he was elected General Secretary of the Division.
General President – Tony Maher
Tony Maher first started work in the resources industry in 1979 at Rio Tinto’s silver lead zinc mine in Broken Hill. Tony has been General President of the Mining and Energy Union since August 1998. Prior to that he held various positions in the MEU’s predecessor union, the Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Association (FEDFA).
Tony has been an organiser, industrial officer and campaigner, with many years experience running industrial cases in industrial tribunals on behalf of members. Tony leads the union’s involvement in the IndustriALL international trade union to which the MEU is affiliated. He is a member of the International Executive Committee and a Vice President of the Asia Pacific region.
Tony has been actively involved in issues around the impact of energy transition on coal jobs since 2006. He has represented Australian unions at several meetings of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and has been instrumental in developing an Australian model for supporting workers through energy transition.
General Vice President – Stephen Smyth
Stephen Smyth is a third-generation coal mineworker from Collinsville, Queensland. He joined the coal industry in 1988, working in both underground and open cut mines. Passionate about mine safety and conditions, Stephen has worked as a Deputy, Ventilation Officer, and Industry Safety and Health Representative.
In 2009, Stephen was elected President of the MEU Queensland District. He held that position until 2023, when he was elected to as General Vice President.
