September 18, 2019
Redundancies are underway at Queensland’s New Acland mine as approval for an expansion for the mine continues to be delayed.
New Acland mineworker and CFMEU member Michael Hartin said workers were on a knife edge as the company begins laying off 150 workers due to a lack of certainty about the mine’s future.
Watch Michael Hartin on ABC news about the affect the approval delay is having on workers
The Union has been lobbying the Queensland Government over many months, raising the issue with ministers, departments and secured support for a resolution at the 2019 ALP conference to make the expansion a prescribed project.
This week, the Union has written to all Queensland ALP cabinet ministers, outlining mineworkers’ strong views about the importance of the project and the jobs it will provide.
“The Queensland Government has been sitting on its hands and refusing to provide certainty for the proposed New Acland Stage 3 expansion,” said District President Stephen Smyth.
“The workforce and the community need certainty. These are good, existing jobs that support families and add enormous value to the region.
“The Stage 3 proposal is a sensible one, providing for the best mine rehabilitation program in the state.
“The Queensland Government can act now by declaring it a prescribed project and working with stakeholders to ensure there are no job losses.”