Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I drafted the following motion to record the sentiments of the Senate regarding the extraordinary survival of Beaconsfield miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb and their rescue by a community wholly dedicated to their survival. The motion also records our deep sympathy to the family of Larry Knight, who lost his life in the Anzac Day rock fall. The motion is cosponsored by Labor Senator Helen Polley and, following a request late yesterday, we agreed for Senator Bob Brown to also be a sponsor. I, and also on behalf of Senator Polley and Senator Brown, move:

That the Senate—

(a)

acknowledges the amazing courage and tenacity of Mr Todd Russell and Mr Brant Webb since the underground accident at the Beaconsfield Gold Mine on Anzac Day, 25 April 2006;

(b)

applauds the actions and resilience of the rescue team during the 14 day ordeal when these men were entombed 925 metres underground, and specifically acknowledges the work of the emergency services, mine management, the Mayor Barry Easther and his council, the Australian Workers Union, Tasmanian Minerals Council Limited, the Beaconsfield churches, and numerous community groups and volunteers, and the spirit of the Beaconsfield community in conducting and assisting the delicate exercise resulting in their successful rescue;

(c)

notes that the elation felt from this rescue feat is tempered by the death of Mr Larry Knight in the same accident, and pays tribute to his wife Jackie and family for deferring the funeral to afford priority for the rescue mission, and extends sincere condolences to Jackie and her family; and

(d)

records that Australia, and the world, will long remember this tragic accident and amazing, successful rescue with admiration.

I am honoured to speak of the surge of the great Aussie spirit at Beaconsfield during not only last Tuesday’s successful rescue but the entire drama since Anzac Day—a tumultuous 14 days. This time has been an emotional roller-coaster like no other.

Tuesday, 9 May 2006 was a day of mixed emotions. It was a day when many Australians cried tears of joy for the rescued miners and tears of sorrow for the Knight family. It was a day when the nation and, indeed, the world honoured Larry Knight and his two surviving companions, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, and the courage and graciousness of Larry’s wife, Jackie, and family, who deferred his funeral to afford priority to the rescue of his mates.

I was at Beaconsfield many times in the past 14 days and was at the site at around 5 am on Tuesday. I felt privileged to witness the true Aussie spirit among the community and rescue teams. We have all watched in awe as the town has rallied round the families of its fallen and those who survived. Tuesday morning was cold and breezy with some drizzle. Some people were in pyjamas and all of us were waiting in hope and expectancy. As Todd and Brant ripped their ID tags from the below-ground-tag board in triumph when they finally emerged from the mine shaft and their tomb below and then embraced their wives in tender bear hugs, a nation wept for joy. Was it humanly possible to watch this reunion with dry eyes? I think not.

This is why the day was a wonderful and joyful reminder of the innate spirit and mateship which made Gallipoli, on that first Anzac Day, in 1915, the Australian legend we cherish to this day. Who could believe that these men had been trapped almost a kilometre below the earth’s surface for 318 hours, in a 1.5- by 1.5- by 1.2-metre small cage with a large rock slab on top, in absolute darkness? They were cramped together in that tight space and, incredibly, for the first five days did not know if they were ever to be found or if the rock fall entombing them would tremor and strike again.

The disaster happened on Anzac Day when an earthquake measuring 2.2 on the Richter scale triggered a major rock fall 925 metres underground at the Beaconsfield mine, about 40 minutes by car north of Launceston, on the western side of the Tamar River. Reports said 19 miners escaped, but three failed to surface. On day 3, the community was devastated at the discovery of the body of Larry Knight, found by a remote-controlled vehicle. I must admit that, as an observer, like many others I held grave fears for Todd and Brant, but like others I hoped and prayed for a miracle of God. On Sunday, 30 April, with hopes fading and two days after we paused to remember the tragedy of Port Arthur 10 years earlier, the families of Todd Russell and Brant Webb, along with the rest of the Beaconsfield community and indeed the world, were both stunned and elated at news the pair had been located alive and apparently unharmed. This was a miracle unfolding.

Our spirits were uplifted and there was celebration in the streets of Beaconsfield, but locating and freeing the men were vastly different. Our excitement subsided and, for some, fear set in. Work finally began on the one-metre wide rescue tunnel to the two men. Even after 10 days, getting their footy tips in and joking with the rescuers, Todd and Brant implored their rescue team to take their time and do it safely. The rescuers cleverly drilled a small hole to deliver food and water. According to the Launceston Examiner newspaper, this was also the day the pair had their first hot meal since their ordeal began—chicken soup. The community believed the rescuers were getting closer to Todd and Brant and by late Saturday night or early Sunday morning they would be reached. I was there at the miners park with a host of locals waiting, hoping. But no. The rescuers encountered some of the hardest rock in the world. How much longer would it be? Our hearts were pounding. Some locals said to me, ‘I’m waiting here all night till they are out.’

At Sunday lunchtime on day 12, like a terrible and tragic omen, the nation lost one of its best-known journalists at the mine site, when Richard Carleton collapsed and died of a heart attack. I was there listening to his probing question to mine manager Matthew Gill not 10 metres away. Within a few moments, just a few metres away, Richard Carleton collapsed and died. Two days later, on Tuesday, 9 May, at 5.59 am, Todd Russell and Brant Webb emerged from the surface mine shaft to be greeted by their families, after an ordeal lasting two weeks. They broke the world record for the longest period entrapped underground in a mine disaster and they broke the mould in terms of human endurance. They proudly walked out of that mine, that tomb, into history.

I think those television images of Todd and Brant ripping their ID tags off the board at the mine’s surface entrance made us all realise the extent and complexity of what we had witnessed during 14 days of an emotional roller-coaster. It was then that we realised how fragile the success of the rescue was and how the trapped miners were never safe, from the time they were discovered alive until after they emerged from that shaft and were on the surface. That is why I want to record our passionate thanks to and admiration of so many people who played a part in this miracle.

I will not name all those who took part, but I will make a few exceptions. My personal tributes go to the West Tamar mayor, Barry Easther, whose leadership qualities shone bravely during the 14 days. He demonstrated leadership of his community, with a big heart, always hoping and praying, and he had the full support of his council. I acknowledge his deputy mayor, Max Burr, who is in the chamber today, for the support that he also gave. We thank the mine staff of the rescue command centre; workers and volunteers supporting the recovery centre; the various arms of the emergency services; mine management, ably led by manager Matthew Gill; the Australian Workers Union, led by Bill Shorten; the Tasmanian Minerals Council, led by Terry Long; local councillors; volunteers; and the many businesses which provided free amenities and produce, including for the throng of media. It seemed like there were hundreds of media people there, local, national and international.

I want to highlight the role of the local churches. They became like a lightning rod, a honey pot, for the local community. They were places for people to gather, talk, listen, be counselled and pray. On many of my visits, early in the day and late at night, I stopped at the Uniting Church in the centre of town. It was always open. The minister, Frances Seen, was like a beacon for many. She demonstrated the love, compassion and care that were needed during this trial. On one of my visits to the recovery centre, I noted Frances Seen providing the centre with a huge pot of soup. The town was full of people like this—caring, supporting and loving in different ways. A book could be written about the untold acts of service and kindness, and maybe it should be. Reverend Chris Thiele of the Anglican Church helped organise the funeral of Larry Knight and was support for Jackie and the Knight family. Thank you, Chris.

I pay a special tribute to the rescue crews, who risked their lives at the scene amidst an unstable rock fall environment and worked incredibly long and arduous hours to get their mates out. We saw them daily—the big, burly unsung heroes, the gentle giants seen on television and silhouetted against floodlights. Each day we shared in their desperation, frustration and doggedness.

Beaconsfield on Anzac Day, 25 April 2006, was an obscure township of 1,500 on a small island off the coast of mainland Australia, and it emerged two weeks later as a household name across the world. I thank the state government and all their personnel involved for their support throughout. I commend the Prime Minister’s decision to hold a bipartisan reception at Parliament House to honour Todd and Brant and those involved in the rescue and commend his pledge to assist where possible in the future of Beaconsfield. Let no-one be in any doubt that, despite the gritty and heroic way this small community has behaved in the past two weeks, it has taken a huge knock economically, with the future of the goldmine now uncertain. The Beaconsfield goldmine has been the lifeblood of the town. The state government has a responsibility to ensure a proper inquiry into the accident and mine safety. The mine’s safety must be addressed and, if proven safe, the mine should be reopened as soon as possible.

Interestingly, and finally, it was the Beaconsfield branch of the RSL for which I was able to obtain a lone pine as a gift this past Anzac Day. Mayor Barry Easther made the address that day and presented the pine on my behalf. I hope and pray the same Anzac spirit of courage, mateship and sacrifice can endure in all of us when we remember the Beaconsfield mine tragedy and what has been dubbed ‘the great escape’.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am extremely happy to rise to support this motion with my co-sponsors Senator Guy Barnett and Senator Bob Brown. I am a proud Tasmanian. People have often told me that they do not believe that much ever happens in Tasmania. It is true that we do enjoy the finer things without the hustle and bustle of the big cities, and we love our slower pace of life. But for the last two weeks the whole nation, and indeed the world, has held its breath since a seismic event in the town of Beaconsfield triggered a rock fall at the Beaconsfield goldmine and trapped three of our men. Since that day, we have been waiting for news and hoping and praying that those men would be returned safely to their families.

Unfortunately, two days after the rock fall we were told the sad news that rescuers had found the body of miner Larry Knight, who we now believe was killed instantly in the rock fall. It was the news that the whole town and all Tasmanians had dreaded. We all clung to the hope that the other two missing men, Brant Webb and Todd Russell, had somehow survived the rock fall. On Sunday, 1 May, while many Tasmanians were relaxing with their families, news bulletins brought the news that Brant and Todd had been located alive. In Beaconsfield, the families of the two men were joined in celebrating by locals and media alike. But there was still one big problem: how to get the men out.

Over the last two weeks, the small town of Beaconsfield has been the scene of a display of heroics as rescuers have put their own lives on the line to rescue the two men, who were not just two trapped miners but their mates. On Tuesday morning we saw what we had almost been too scared to hope for. At 6 am on Tuesday, Brant and Todd were brought to the surface—walking out of the mine as they had hoped to do—to the great relief and excitement of the whole country. While these two men had spent 14 nights with no company but each other’s, the whole country had been there with them in spirit.

Tuesday, as we all know, was a day of enormous contrasts. On the same day as there were celebrations for Brant and Todd’s freedom there was also the sadness of farewelling Larry Knight. I was humbled on Tuesday to have the opportunity to attend Mr Knight’s funeral in Launceston. I was witness to a beautiful tribute and goodbye to a loving husband, father and friend who will be missed dreadfully by everyone who knew him. I never had the opportunity to meet Mr Knight, but I know that his death has been felt deeply by the community and by Tasmania as a whole, and I am glad that I was able to have been part of what was a beautiful service. The fact that Todd Russell also attended the funeral and had the opportunity to say goodbye to his mate was no doubt an important step for him in dealing with the events of the last two weeks.

Every single person who was involved in the rescue effort to save these men must be congratulated. They ranged from the local miners who worked 12-hour shifts using the heaviest drills to get through rock that was five times stronger than concrete, to the explosive experts who used low-impact explosives to clear the rock that was standing between the rescuers and Brant and Todd. We should not overlook the support given to the miners’ families and community by the Beaconsfield churches, particularly Sister Francis McShane and Minister Francis Seen from the Uniting Church.

Thanks must also go to those teams from interstate that lent their help to the rescue operation as well as to all the ambulance crews, dieticians, psychologists and staff at the Launceston General Hospital who looked after the men from the time they were found alive until they discharged themselves from the hospital. Indeed, many of these people are still looking after Brant and Todd’s health now, and they will do so for the foreseeable future as they recover from their ordeal. The strength and determination Brant and Todd have demonstrated, firstly, in surviving the ordeal and, secondly, in walking from the mine and showing such physical strength are astounding—and we can only guess at what exactly they went through down there.

Since the rock fall more than two weeks ago, the people of Beaconsfield and Tasmania have pulled together. They have had to deal with the tragedy of Larry Knight’s death, the attention of the world’s media on their doorstep and the agony of not knowing. What they say about small towns really is true, and the same is also true of Tasmanians. Perhaps it has something to do with the colder climate, but when the going gets tough you know you can count on your friends, your neighbours and even total strangers to help. The Aussie spirit of mateship shone bright over Beaconsfield. We have seen that demonstrated on our televisions and in our newspapers every day since the rock fall on Anzac Day—and that will not stop when the media packs up and leaves when the next big news story comes along. Tasmanians will pull together to ensure that the town of Beaconsfield survives.

A testament to just how much Tasmanians care came on the first Sunday after the accident, even before Brant and Todd had been found alive. I went along to the St Kilda versus Fremantle game at York Park with some AWU members to ask for donations to the AWU Beaconsfield Miners Family Support Fund. The fact that the AWU would be there asking for donations had not been publicised, so no-one had any warning that we were going to be there. But that did not stop people digging deep to support the miners’ families, and in excess of $12,000 was raised on the day from the community alone.

Yesterday, Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon confirmed the process that will take place to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. A coronial inquest will be undertaken by Coroner Peter Wilson, while a second investigation will be established by the state government using Tasmania’s workplace health and safety laws, following consultation with the Australian Workers Union and the Minerals Council of Australia. The government has also agreed to an independent investigation, which the Australian Workers Union has been pressing for, to ensure that workers have a voice on the factors which may have contributed to the accident.

Thanks must also go to the Australian Workers Union for the role it played throughout the rescue, and especially to National Secretary Bill Shorten, who was tireless in his work to keep the public informed of developments while also providing support to the families and the community, and to the Australian Workers Union branch secretary, Ian Wakefield, as well as to West Tamar Mayor, Barry Easther. I concur with Senator Barnett’s comments—the leadership that was demonstrated by Barry makes him a role model for the entire country. He did his community and Tasmania very proud. Thanks must also go to the Beaconsfield goldmine manager, Matthew Gill. I sincerely thank all of those involved. I am sure I am joined by all my colleagues here and in the other place in thanking those involved in the rescue to bring about this miracle.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wholeheartedly support this motion, on behalf of the Australian Greens and my colleague from Tasmania Senator Milne. I congratulate Senator Barnett and Senator Polley on formulating the motion. What a remarkable story has unfolded in Beaconsfield in the last two weeks. Indeed, it has created world headlines. At the end, it has given a great deal of enjoyment to people who are in a world full of troubles. It has given inspiration that, when human beings get together, they can be stopped by nothing in coming to the rescue of fellow human beings in trouble.

There is a tragedy involved which heightens the enormity of the success, and that is that Larry Knight will not be there for his family into the future, and no contribution we can make will reverse that fact. Condolences go to his family, to all his associates and to everybody who is going to grieve that loss from the Beaconsfield community. On the other hand, Todd Russell and Brant Webb and their families and their associates are now out in the light of day, but in a very different world from the one from which they set off to undertake their job on Anzac Day.

I want to spend a moment on that. I am personally quite concerned about the glare of publicity that greeted these men when they came to the surface. They are in the beautiful community of Beaconsfield; they are in the beautiful community of Tasmania. It is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to find yourself living with your family. But they are now in the glare of world publicity. I note reports that offers of millions of dollars are being put in their direction. I note that Oprah Winfrey may even be looking for a story. One has to be concerned that it is this sequel to coming to the surface which has to be endured by these men and their families that may change things and take away from them more than it gives.

I urge the greatest of caution there, and I think we all have a role to play in that. You have to understand that the impact on these men will be ongoing. They were trapped for two weeks. Everybody did all they could and successfully got them out of that. They are now trapped in a different set of circumstances of a very deliberate construct. We have to be very concerned that these men and their families will survive that. I think we all have to think a lot about not leaving them to their own devices in those circumstances. A bit of counselling rather than somebody with a chequebook would be a very fair and giving thing for these men in these circumstances.

There are inquiries to come as to how this tragedy took place. They need to be meticulous and they need to have an eye to preventing such tragedies into the future. Mining around the world, from which we all benefit, is a very dangerous pursuit. Thousands of miners lose their lives each year. One can only think with horror of the miners who have been entombed underground and who have never been reached by rescuers. This is a dangerous pursuit, and anything that can come out of this tragedy that will help the safety of miners, not only in Tasmania and Australia but around the world, has to be applauded. So let us hope that the inquiries come up with answers that will make it safer for miners into the future—not just here but right around the world.

Again, I say congratulations. I endorse the congratulations to everybody who has been involved in this spectacular success in bringing these two men to the surface—not least, of course, the people of the community of Beaconsfield. I hope their lives settle down quickly. I hope their hopes and aspirations for the future are fulfilled. I have a word of congratulations and admiration to them for the way in which they have endured the last two weeks and have been able to celebrate these two men coming back to the surface.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This tragedy is a chilling reminder of the danger of the mining industry, and it has brought it to the attention of not just the Australian public but people around the world. I was in the People’s Republic of China when the accident occurred and I followed much of the reporting on CNN and BBC television. Without a doubt it grabbed the attention of people around the world. At the same time, unfortunately, a mine disaster in China claimed the lives of 27 Chinese miners. Of course, China has a very poor record in relation to fatalities in their mining sector and there are some significant problems that they are trying to address.

I think that the magnificent success of the mine rescue operation in Tasmania told a tale about the desire that the Australian people have to try, as far as possible, to make true the maxim that when people go to work they should expect to return home at the end of the day. Unfortunately, Larry Knight’s family was unable to see him come home at the end of what turned out to be not a day but a long process to rescue Todd Russell and Brant Webb. That process of rescue, which was well documented in newspapers and in the electronic media not just in Australia but around the world, showed the ingenuity, concern and resources that the Australian community were prepared to put behind the rescue of two miners in a place that most Australians, let alone most people in the world, had never heard of: Beaconsfield, a place 20 kilometres from the place where I live in the Tamar Valley in north-eastern Tasmania. It showed the resources, the hopes and the faith that the community were prepared to put behind what became one of the most important causes for the Australian nation—the rescue of Todd Russell and Brant Webb.

The effort that went into the rescue of Todd and Brant was not, in the minds of people, because they were more deserving than anyone else; we would all expect the same effort from our community were we to find ourselves in similar circumstances. Of course, most of us will never find ourselves in anything like those circumstances. The dangers of underground mining have been emphasised in our minds as a result of this tragedy, and I think that we have to appreciate all of the work that has been put in by miners and their representatives over the years to highlight the need for safety in the mining sector. Over the years there have been many lives lost in the mining sector and, unfortunately, that continues around the world.

It was an absolute privilege to be able to attend the celebration of the life of Larry Knight on Tuesday in Launceston at his funeral. It was magnificently attended and it was a very touching portrayal of the life of Larry and his family. The support of his community and his love of motorcycling and motorcycles were well depicted. We all would have seen the parade of motorcyclists on some very impressive motorcycles at the end of the funeral. I think most of the motorcycles were Harley-Davidsons, but not all.

What better way for Larry to be supported to his final resting place than by a group of men and women riding the sorts of vehicles that Larry had taken such great pride in. It was a depiction of the enjoyment that Larry received during his life through his involvement in restoring and keeping motorcycles and motor vehicles in his newly constructed shed—although I understand that Larry was not a very good driver, from what was reported to us at the ceremony.

There are many people who are entitled to expect their efforts to be applauded. Mayor Easther and the mine manager made some telling contributions over time to keep the public informed, as did Mr Shorten, the federal secretary of the Australian Workers Union, who was given credit for keeping the public informed over a long period of time when comment was not coming from the mine. I think we will always remember that, and I do recall seeing Mr Shorten’s contribution when I was in China and thinking that he served the members of his union well by presenting himself so well in that context. I thank the Senate for the opportunity to speak on this matter.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a privilege of public life that one is able to make a contribution to a motion before the Senate which is a celebration of human strength, human dignity and human fortitude. This is a celebration of community and mateship. As a result of the events of Anzac Day 2006, Beaconsfield—that small but picturesque township in the north of Tasmania—will never be the same again.

The commemoration of each Anzac Day is a bittersweet time to reflect and remember, and so too will be the reflections on the events in Beaconsfield on Anzac Day 2006: bitter that such a huge rock fall should occur, taking the life of miner Larry Knight, to whose family our collective condolences reach out; and sweet that, against the odds, two miners were spared, albeit trapped in unspeakable circumstances.

In our own lives, and in the life of the nation, it is often the bittersweet experiences that draw us together and remind us that the things that unite us are so much stronger, more enduring and more important than the things that divide us but which we so often allow to consume us. In this place, the motion jointly sponsored by Senators Barnett and Polley bears testimony to that fact, and I thank them for their initiative. In Beaconsfield we also saw testimony to that fact, with union and management standing together to provide comfort to the bereaved and to secure an effective rescue for the survivors. We saw it also with the churches and community groups working together and, above all, we saw it with the fellow workers of the trapped miners who risked their lives to bring their mates to the surface.

On occasions like this, there are people who make that extra contribution, and I want to pay special tribute to the mayor, Barry Easther, who I think has shown all the qualities of leadership—strength, resolve and also compassion—and has been a beacon of unity within the community of Beaconsfield. I acknowledge Senator Watson, who was the first parliamentarian on the scene. I acknowledge Senator Barnett for his daily visits to the site, who also personally kept the Prime Minister informed of the unfolding events, day after day, at Beaconsfield. I also say thank you to Bill Shorten and Matthew Gill for the way they presented to the Australian nation with poise and dignity, and for keeping us informed in a way that we wanted to be.

An occasion such as this does make you stop and think about the important things in life. I give special acknowledgement to the role of the churches in the community there. It is heart warming to think that in times such as these the Australian community do still turn to their local churches for spiritual faith, for spiritual succour and comfort, in an acknowledgment that there might be a being greater than us. The fact that the Beaconsfield community reached back to its spiritual roots was, I think, part and parcel of the strength that the community received.

On behalf of all Tasmanians and all Australians, we wish the Beaconsfield community all the best for the road to recovery. Everything that has been done to date I think indicates that the local government, the state government and the Australian government will work hand in hand to ensure that the recovery process, irrespective of the future of the mine, will be for the benefit of all the citizens of Beaconsfield.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with great pleasure that I arise to make a brief contribution to the bipartisan motion moved by my colleagues Senator Barnett and Senator Polley in respect of the Beaconsfield mine disaster. It was with mixed emotions on Tuesday morning that I watched on TV the recovery and emergence of survivors Todd Russell and Brant Webb from the Beaconsfield mine. I say mixed emotions because there was great happiness and joy to see those two miners, after their approximately 14 days of being trapped underground, emerge from the mine safe and well—amazingly safe and well, given the circumstances—but that was tempered by the memory that one miner had died. Larry Knight did not survive the disaster. Two survived, but unfortunately one died. So there were really mixed emotions.

It is on occasions such as these that I do think we see the great Australian spirit of mateship emerge. Over that two-week period we saw a great unity of strength. It was a unity of strength that gathered around the families of the trapped miners and the family of Larry Knight, who had died, and a unity of strength that gathered around the workforce—the incredible efforts that the workmates of the three miners put into recovering the body of Larry Knight and ensuring that Todd Russell and Brant Webb emerged from the mine alive. It was an incredible effort. I have been into a number of underground mines, and it is a very tough work environment—a very hard, tough, usually hot and dangerous work environment. The effort that the workforce put into firstly locating and then freeing the trapped miners was just incredible. There was unity of strength from the union, the mine’s management and also the community. That was reflected in a number of ways that I can think of, such as the local school and the local churches. So it was a great coming together at a time of disaster. As I say, it reflects great mateship and the Australian spirit.

There are a number of individuals that I do want to mention publicly. The mayor, Mr Barry Easther, has been referred to by I think all the other senators who have spoken on this motion. The mayor of a local community reflects the local spirit and the feeling of a community. He is the elected representative. Mayor Easther, on this occasion, really did a fantastic job both in the media and in dealing with the myriad and very difficult emotional circumstances that arise across a community when such a disaster occurs. I also mention the mine manager, Mr Gill, the AWU National Secretary, Mr Bill Shorten, and the AWU Tasmanian secretary, Mr Wakefield. Mayor Easther, Mr Gill and Mr Shorten were very important in keeping not only the local community but also the Australian community, and ultimately the international community, informed in a very dignified way.

Mining is, unfortunately, inherently a more dangerous occupation than most. Thousands of miners die around the world every year. There are, I think, three inquiries of various descriptions to be held into this disaster, and I hope that what emerges is a safer environment for mine workers and that the lessons that can be learnt from this will minimise the difficulties that mine workers face.

John Watson (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support this motion. Firstly, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Mr Larry Knight, who, as we all know, tragically lost his life in the Anzac Day disaster. Let us always remember that life can be so abruptly ended, indeed for all of us, but especially for those who work in the mining industry. This was a tragedy not only for the family of Larry Knight but for the wider West Tamar community. The goldmine, after all, was an integral part of the economy. The early closure of the mine will have a severe impact upon the lives of people all over the West Tamar region. But I remind the Senate that life is so much more important than gold.

I would also like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Todd Russell, Brant Webb and their families and to express my sincere joy at the safe rescue of the pair. I give thanks to God and to the relentless and tireless efforts of the mine rescue team and their huge support base, both underground and above ground, for their safe return. It was certainly, I believe, an answer to prayer.

If there is ever a silver lining to this dark cloud it is that Australia and the world were shown an example of the very best of the human spirit. At a time of great stress and turmoil the local community bound together and supported not only each other but the hundreds of outsiders who came to cover this terrible disaster. The behaviour and the example of the Beaconsfield and the wider West Tamar community should be inspiration to us all. They displayed the very best characteristics of the Australian spirit: when they had every excuse not to do so they were gracious, they were humble, but they were, indeed, strong.

My hope is that we can continue to support the community as they recover from this event, which is seen as much as a miracle as a catastrophe, and that the good people of West Tamar will be able to reclaim something of the emotional and economic security that they once enjoyed. Once again I offer my condolences to the family and friends of Larry Knight and I offer them my prayers. I commend this motion to the Senate.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to give my support to the motion before the Senate. Tuesday was indeed a historic day for Tasmania and for Australia. As I said on Tuesday, it was a day of great joy and a day of tremendous sadness—joy for the safe return of the Beaconsfield miners, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, but our natural feelings of elation and happiness as they emerged from the mine were tempered by our sorrow as on that same day the family and friends of Mr Larry Knight said farewell. Our hearts, and indeed our condolences, go out to Jacqui Knight, her children and friends.

I, like most here, first heard by way of a news report of the rock fall on Anzac Day that trapped 17 men underground. Fourteen escaped but Todd Russell, Brant Webb and Larry Knight were reported missing and were trapped more than one kilometre underground. My hopes and wishes went out to the families, friends and the Beaconsfield community that those missing would be returned safely to us. Little did we know that this was the start of what was to become a long two-week journey of sadness, courage, frustration and, in the end, tremendous joy.

Sadly, two days after the rock fall, on Thursday, 27 April, Larry Knight’s body was recovered. This was devastating news for Larry’s family, his friends, the Tasmanian community and indeed the nation. While coping with their grief they, like everyone in Australia and around the world, continued to pray for the safe return of Todd and Brant, even to the extent of delaying Larry’s funeral—their farewell to their husband, father, brother and friend—until Tuesday.

On day 6 after the fall the town celebrated as the boys were found alive. Indeed, I remember that when I first heard the news I was actually too overcome with emotion to even put into words my feelings—words could not describe my joy. I tried to ring as many people as I could, as my joy was added to the joy of all in Tasmania. During that time we all believed, I think, that their rescue would be much quicker than it turned out to be. It turned out to be a frustrating nine more days for the trapped men to endure, and it would be hard for us to imagine what the miners experienced down there.

I would also like to support the comments of my colleagues who have put on record their thanks to the many involved. However, to the men, women and children of Beacy, the town’s mayor and councillors, to the Australian Workers Union and the mine manager I say thank you for your compassion and your tolerance, and for bringing the boys home. Be sure that you are in our thoughts as you have been for these past two weeks.

Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise also to speak briefly on behalf of the Australian Democrats to the motion with respect to the accident at the Beaconsfield goldmine in Tasmania. I would like to begin by giving our condolences to the family and friends of Mr Larry Knight, who tragically died as a result of the tremor at that mine, and to say that this is a reminder of the dangers of mining, particularly underground mining, and the need for stringent safety measures.

I would also like to pass on my condolences to the family and friends of Richard Carleton, the much respected Channel 9 journalist who also died tragically whilst covering the Beaconsfield mine accident. He died doing what he loved best. He was a respected reporter and he will be very much missed in this place.

The events at the Beaconsfield mine captured the hearts and minds of all Australians—but not just Australians. People from around the world, I understand, followed this event. We all joined the miners’ families in hoping, day after day as this dragged out, that they would be brought back from their cage a kilometre underground. It was a dramatic and no doubt frightening time for their families.

We also acknowledge the great courage and the spirit of Todd Russell and Brant Webb. In some ways, they appeared to epitomise the Australian characteristic of being able to shine through adversity with great humility and often humour. We also applaud the action and the resilience of the community, which rallied around the families and friends of those involved in the rescue and provided great support and courage. The image of people wrapped up against the Tasmanian cold in the middle of the night, waiting and watching and just being there as a presence, was truly moving.

The rescue team and the emergency services deserve special mention for their tenacity and tireless work and we applaud them for that. When faced with potential tragedy, Australians have shown again and again that they come through and that they never give up. For that reason we all owe those workers a debt of gratitude for their efforts. I commend this motion.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too would like to add my comments on the extraordinary events at Beaconsfield over the last couple of weeks, which essentially almost took over the lives of that community and the state of Tasmania during that period. I firstly express, along with others in this place, my sincerest condolences to the family and the friends of Larry Knight, who, tragically, did not survive this terrible incident. Quite bravely, they delayed the funeral of Larry so that there might have been some possibility of his mates attending as well.

I recognise the impact of this event on the community and also some of the community leaders who played a very important part in representing their community throughout the sometimes traumatic two weeks. I pay particular tribute to the Mayor of West Tamar, Barry Easther, who at all times held a demeanour that can make not only him proud of the way that he conducted himself but also his community. He did a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances, as did the mine manager, Matthew Gill. Mr Gill was under enormous pressure and maintained his focus for the whole time on the rescue of the workers, particularly on the safe rescue of Brant and Todd after they were discovered to be alive. That was something that I know was focused on through that time, but also that these were a couple of guys who were also his mates. I think that has in the circumstances passed through some of the events—that these guys were also his mates.

I also pay tribute to the work of the unions, who quite obviously have a strong fellowship and relationship in the mining industry. That was reflected by the work of the rescue workers, whether they were those from Beaconsfield mine itself or those from the broader mining community across the country who turned up to add to the effort. I think that demonstrates the camaraderie in the mining community, particularly between mining workers, who quite often work in different mines across the country. They understand what it is all about. They know what it is like to be underground working, and they understand the circumstances that their mates might have been in. That, I imagine, was one of the things that drove them to continue to work on driving this process forward. I also pay tribute to the paramedics and all of those who were involved.

Finally, I do not think I can put into words the feeling of elation I had as I woke up on Tuesday morning, when my alarm went off at about five to six, to hear that the guys were just coming out of the ground. To flick the TV on to see them actually walking out was something that for me was essentially beyond words. I wish Todd, Brant and their families all the very best of fortune. There is a lot of speculation about what might be coming their way, but I do not think any of us can imagine what they went through down there. Perhaps we might learn a little bit more as the story starts to unfold. But they deserve every piece of good fortune that comes their way.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise and join with my fellow senators in acknowledging the Beaconsfield mine disaster. I have listened to the speeches this morning, and one cannot help but be moved by each senator’s sentiment and genuine feelings for this particular issue. Anzac Day is a great day for remembering sacrifice—and what a sacrifice people have gone through to rescue Todd and Brant and in the death of Larry Knight. Tasmania held its breath for a number of days, waiting for news of life in the one-kilometre-deep shaft, and it was a joyous occasion when we found that two were alive.

Also during that week, as Tasmania held its breath during that particular time, we paused to remember another great tragedy. That was the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Port Arthur. Tasmanians are certainly not strangers to things that fall upon our community in times of tragedy and disaster. One of the best things about Tasmanians—and I am sure it happens in other communities around Australia but, as a Tasmanian, I am very proud of the fact—is that we are resilient and we certainly bounce back. I know that the community at Beaconsfield, over a period of time, will do that, with a great deal of support from many, many people.

The volunteer efforts from so many deserve commending. I am not going to go through all those people again, because previous speakers have. I will just add my voice of appreciation to everyone in that community. I would like to thank the rescue workers in particular but also the entire community, from anyone providing sustenance and comfort to those in need and rallying as a community to those providing the skills and expertise that go beyond what many of us can even comprehend in rescuing two fellow workers underground. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation for and pay tribute to the family of the late Mr Larry Knight. As a funeral director, I have certainly stood with families and understood the anguish of delaying a service. To delay a service by that length of time is extremely anguishing and causes other problems within families. I really appreciate and understand that. I commend them for doing that, because I know the benefits for all were certainly received.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In concluding the debate on the jointly sponsored motion, I would like to say a few words, not as the President of the Senate but as a senator for Tasmania. This last fortnight since Anzac Day, I have been reminded of other challenges my state has faced: the devastation of the 1967 bushfires; the Tasman Bridge disaster; and, as Senator Parry just said, the awful reality of the Port Arthur massacre, which has just had its 10th anniversary. These things came to mind as the time stretched from hours to days and from one day to the next while those three young Tasmanian miners were trapped one kilometre below the earth. The community of Beaconsfield rallied, just as I expected they would. Notwithstanding the media glare and the extraordinary nature of the ordeal, the memorable images for me were the fortitude of the three families and the enormous courage of the Knight family, having learned of the death of Larry.

Senator Allison alluded to the fact that this disaster gained international prominence. I happened to be representing Australia at an executive meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on the Isle of Man. I can assure you that it was headline news on every television channel and in every newspaper. It made me feel very proud to see the images of the people of Beaconsfield and how well they were standing up and being part of the community.

I would like to pay a special tribute to everyone in the historic and beautiful town of Beaconsfield and, in particular, to honour the courage and steely determination of the team of rescuers. What marvellous Australians they are. In particular, as others have done today, I would like to single out the dignified community leadership of Councillor Barry Easther, the Mayor of West Tamar; the resolute determination of Mr Matthew Gill, the Beaconsfield mine manager; and those representatives of the unions who so ably supported their mates. They had to overcome a seemingly endless series of hurdles. As a mark of respect to the late Mr Larry Knight and to signify senators’ agreement to the motion, I ask honourable senators to stand for a moment in silence.

Honourable senators then stood in their places.