The first Coal Industry Event was a little more than a handful of people getting together over a drink to talk about an industry they believed deserved a stronger voice. Five years on, the fifth annual event brought together hundreds of people from mining companies, suppliers, industry organisations and all sides of politics to celebrate the contribution coal continues to make to Australia.
Mining Pro Chairman and event founder Grant Wechsel said nobody even wanted to sponsor the first event.
“The first year nobody would sponsor the event. We had 40 guests at a wine bar. We had wine and we talked about coal.
“The second year was still a very fledgling event. I think we even had drinks on the panel that year, so we were still getting there in terms of sophistication,” Grant laughed.
“By year three, we were starting to get some real momentum and talk about what was affecting the industry.”
Bowen Basin Mining Club and Hunter Valley Mining Club Director Jodie Currie remembers those early gatherings.
“Grant started it as a cocktail function. It was just a small little group of us from the coal industry.
“We called ourselves the coal true believers.
“We needed to have a bit of advocacy and get together regularly to talk about the positive side of things.
“Then it just grew and grew.”
As the event has grown, so has the industry’s confidence in speaking with a stronger, more united voice.
Coal Australia founder Nick Jorss believes that effort is beginning to make a difference.
“People are saying you need affordable energy, you need export industries, you need steel for building things that come from coal.
Don’t get me wrong, we’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re making a difference. We’re actually turning the dial.”
That growing confidence was also reflected in the political support on display. A panel featuring Federal Assistant Minister for Resources Anthony Chisholm, Queensland Resources Minister Dale Last, Senator Susan McDonald and Senator Pauline Hanson covered plenty of ground and, at times, the discussion became spirited. Despite differing views on policy, all four spoke in support of the coal industry and its importance to regional communities and the Australian economy.
Coal Australia Chairman Rob Bishop said that level of support demonstrated how much had changed.
“It’s another sign of where we’re coming to in this debate, that Labor, Liberal, Nationals, One Nation and others can see the importance that underpins coal mining.
“I think that highlights that there’s very much a consensus view that coal is critical not only for local communities and the states, but also for the whole country.
“It is a terrific recognition of where this sector has come.”
Grant said the success of the event belonged to everyone who had supported the industry along the way.
“Back when we started, it was very hard to get people to support coal, to speak up about coal.
“Five years later we’ve got all sides of politics happy to be here, we’ve got major corporations happy to be here, we’ve got sponsors happy to be here.
“I think everyone in the room should take some credit for that.”
