September 21, 2022
Memorial days have been held in NSW and Queensland to remember and honour lives lost to mining.
Our Northern Mining & NSW Energy District’s 25th Memorial Service for lives lost in mining was held on 11 September 2022 at the newly restored Jim Comerford Memorial Wall.
As always, it was a very moving occasion. The family of Nigel Walker, who was killed last year on his way home from a night shift at Liddell Open Cut, were presented with a miners’ lamp to honour his memory.
Paterson MP Meryl Swanson stepped in as keynote speaker for Resources Minister Madeleine King, who could not attend due to duties associated with the passing of Queen Elizabeth. Speaking on the Minister’s behalf, she noted the importance of Australia’s resources industry to our communities and economy and reflected on the need to continuously improve worker safety.
Queensland’s annual Memorial Day Service was held on 19 September at the Redbank Miners Memorial near Ipswich. The event is held on the anniversary of the Mount Mulligan underground explosion in 1921, which killed 75 miners and devastated the town.
Queensland District President Stephen Smyth addressed the service, saying the union would continue to fight for justice for coal miners lost at work.
