House debates

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Adjournment

Mine Emergency Response Competition

7:54 pm

Photo of Tony CrookTony Crook (O'Connor, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise tonight to advise the House of a recent Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA Eastern Regional Council Underground Mine Emergency Response Competition. The competition was held from 5 June to 7 June this year at the famous Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mt Charlotte Gold Mine, managed by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine who also operate the famous super pit. Some 13 mine rescue teams competed. They were: Agnew Gold Mine, Barrick Kanowna, Cosmos Operations, KCGM, La Mancha Resources, Leinster Operation, MMG Golden Grove, Newmont Jundee, St Ives, Sunrise Dam Gold Mine, two teams from Yilgarn One and Yilgarn Two representing Barrick, and Kambalda Mutual Aid, which is a team made up of three companies—Silver Lake Resources, Lightning Nickel and Mincor North.

The skills that the teams were tested on included search and rescue, firefighting, first aid, rope rescue, the use of breathing apparatus, theory and team skills and team safety. I can assure the House that there was plenty of team spirit at the awards dinner held at the Australian Prospectors and Miners Hall of Fame at the conclusion of the event. Having well-trained and well-drilled mines rescue and safety teams and procedures is critical in today’s mining industry. I applaud all the people who partake in these activities and all the mining companies that commit so strongly to this initiative.

The importance of having well-trained and resourced emergency response teams has been highlighted by recent events in Chile and, as we speak, the Pike River Mine in New Zealand. My prayers and hopes are with those missing and their families and friends who eagerly await the outcome for their loved ones. Of course, we cannot forget the Beaconsfield mine accident in April in 2006 where mine rescue came to the fore.

Coming from a mining town in a mining state, the way in which industry and government deal with mine safety and emergency response is an imperative for the safety of workers and the future of the sector. I wish to acknowledge the overall team winner in this competition: Sunrise Dam from Ashanti Gold Australia. I would also like to congratulate all of the teams and people involved in the mine rescue competition for competing and looking to further their skills for the safety of their fellow workers. These events cannot be carried out without funding and I congratulate all who sponsored this very worthy event.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Matthew Payne, who was the Goldfields Regional Liaison Officer at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy. Mathew has now unfortunately left the goldfields and moved to Perth to further his career. Mathew has been a great champion of the mining industry and an outstanding member of the goldfields community and will be missed. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Russell Cole, the General Manager at KCGM, for his commitment to the mine rescue program.

Question agreed to.