Get the Facts!

The FACTS reveal the story of an underhanded decision made through secret legislation.
A decision that puts politics over the rights of workers. And it must be reversed immediately!

The State Government has ordered QCoal to close a workers’ camp at the Byerwen mine. This will force workers to leave the homes they love in regional Queensland and live in the nearby town of Glenden.
Glenden currently has a population of fewer than 200 people with only 35 children in its Year 1-12 school. It has no pharmacy, no newsagent, no grocery store, and no permanent doctor. And its recently appointed police officer finishes work at 4pm and does not work weekends.

The forced Byerwen mine accommodation closure will directly impact up to 800 workers (when Byerwen is at full production). 90% of these workers are Queenslanders who currently live in regional Queensland and drive to the Byerwen mine (two hours from Mackay) to work.

These workers will be forced to uproot their families from their homes, schools and jobs and move them to Glenden. If they don’t want to do this, they must make the terrible choice of living apart full-time.
Those who are strongarmed into moving to Glenden will have to spend up to two hours travelling to and from work each day (40 minutes travel each way and associated waiting and transit time once they reach Glenden or the mine site) after long 12.5-hour shifts.
The State Government approved a 1,000-person camp for multinational mining company Glencore, which owns and operates the town of Glenden. Glencore has not been forced to house any of its workforce in Glenden.
QCoal owns 13 homes in Glenden and leases three more, but there are currently no more. Potential accommodation will become even more difficult over the next four years. Glencore will remove up to 1400 rooms in cabins and homes in Glenden as part of the Newlands mine shut down. This means even less housing available for Queensland workers with little to no choice.
The change will put up to 10 buses a shift, twice a day, on the poor road between the mine and Glenden, adding significantly to the workplace health and safety risks for the workforce.

The State Government legislation to enforce the closure of the Byerwen mine accommodation was pushed through State Parliament with 18 minutes notice and attached to the Child Protection Amendment Bill. It was pushed through in 24 hours.
This secret legislation did not go to the Parliamentary Committee for review, and there was no consultation from the State Government with QCoal or any of its affected workforce.
The legislation followed a ‘save Glenden’ campaign run by the Mayor of Isaac Regional Council. That Mayor subsequently decided not to run for re-election at the recent Local Government Elections.
Politicians like Resources Minister Scott Stewart want to see their names associated with ‘saving’ a single mining town. But they don’t want to do any real work to do so.

The legislation closing the Byerwen mine accommodation will not save Glenden! It will force QCoal to build a new camp in the town at a cost of approximately $50 million to provide its workers with basic living amenities that are not available in town such as a mess, a gym and grocery options.
Workers will have to choose to live in Glenden – with their families and loved ones uprooted as well – or risk losing their jobs.

The FACT is this decision and new legislation is a disgrace and must be reversed immediately!

Share the facts with your friends, family, and other concerned Queenslanders. Together we can support workers’ rights.