We talk a lot about safety in this industry. Every single person reading this should be confident that they’ll be going home after a long shift. But as we all know it’s actions, not words, that make workplaces safe.
Regional Queenslanders rely on a strong and safe resources sector. Yet as I travel around our mining communities, safety continues to be one of the top issues raised with me at the coal face.
That’s why earlier this month I launched a comprehensive review into Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) to put the efficacy of the regulator under a microscope.
This review will examine if the organisation delivers the best safety outcomes for workers.
It will also consider if its structure and functions are the most effective.
Workers should have trust and confidence in the industry regulator. RSHQ was established almost five years ago, so now is the right time to do a stock take.
Professor Susan Johnston from the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute will lead the review and start in June. She will engage with industry, safety experts, government agencies and unions as part of the process.
At the end of that process, we’ll have a clear idea of whether we are delivering the best safety outcomes for workers in the resources industry, or what we need to change to make the safety regulator more effective.
Speaking of which, I have also appointed Ken Singer as Interim Commissioner for Recourses Safety and Health Queensland.
Ken Singer is highly respected and brings experienced, credible leadership to the role. He has almost four decades of experience in the mining sector, from underground coal mines to senior regulatory and safety leadership positions.
The role sat vacant for almost a year under the previous Labor Government. Then when they finally filled the role, their appointee resigned within weeks.
Labor’s chaotic approach was unfair to workers and put safety at risk.
The Commissioner has an important role to promote and protect safety and health in the resources sector, advise me as the Minister about safety and health matters, and monitor and review the performance of RSHQ.
So, getting this appointment right was one of my top priorities when we came into Government last year.
As I reviewed the many resumes that came across my desk, my mind was centred on making an appointment that would put safety, credibility, and trust back at the heart of our resources safety system.
We’ve gone through a thorough and diligent process to fill this role – and anyone who knows Ken would agree he’s the right man for the job.
Worker safety and public confidence in our regulatory framework is of paramount importance to me. We’ll continue doing the hard work to keep workers like you safe and ensure Queensland’s regulatory environment sets the benchmark.
Hon Dale Last MP
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Senator for QLD
