Risks of vital industry hit home hard

An unusual thing happened in Robbie Katter’s Mount Isa office last week. In what the Member for Traeger said was an uncharacteristic gesture, a female staff member said she wanted to go home a give her husband a hug. The husband was an underground worker coming off shift at Mount Isa Mines. It was Friday, the morning after two miners were found dead 125m underground at Dugald River, north-east of the city. It was Katter stripped bare. He told this to Industry Queensland after taping for the interview had stopped. His remorse for the deaths of 33-year-old Dylan Langridge from Bundaberg South and Trevor Davis, 36, from Pimpama east of Brisbane, reflected that of the outback city, Mr Katter said. Part of the reason for the reaction was the tension that was amplified as the community waited in hope for news of the miners as rescuers inched their way to the scene, he said. It seemed like an age between when the accident was reported on Wednesday morning, until the time the bodies were found on Thursday afternoon, he said. The prayers were offered as long as hope remained. The deaths drove home the risks faced by underground miners each day they entered the portal or cage to be delivered underground to the rock or coal face, Mr Katter said. “Without taking away from the grief of the families directly involved, those lives lost, I think at the same time, we need to pause and reflect that there's a lot of hardworking miners there that now have been made acutely aware of the risks of working in that industry. “And they'll still be going down holes tomorrow knowing that and producing a lot of wealth for Queensland. And I think it's a good time for a lot of us that aren't miners to pause and reflect and be grateful for the job they’re doing.” Related: Initial assessment of Dugald River fatalities released Mining has been the economic backbone of Queensland since before federation. So much so that Mount Isa Mines was voted the most significant business in the state in the Queensland 150-year celebration. Those living in the south-east corner needed to be reminded of where the wealth of the state was generated and the sacrifices made, Mr Katter said. “Because there's a lot of those sheds and office buildings are leased to people that are engineering firms or safety firms, or peripheral industries on the mining industry and consultancy offices,” he said. “And it's pretty hard to mix in Brisbane without knowing someone that's indirectly related to something that either supplies service or goods some way to mining industry in Queensland. “So, how do you remind people? That's very difficult, but it should be a lot easier than it is because it's such a critical part of our Queensland economy.” Mr Katter said he had been kept up to date by Resources Minister Scott Stewart and intended going on site to Dugald River with him to inspect the site at an appropriate time. IMAGE at top of page: Member for Traeger Robbie Katter pictured in Mount Isa. Below- the Dugald Ruiver operation.

Risks of vital industry hit home hard

Industry Queensland

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