Coal industry says rail bid ‘ticks all the boxes’ but AMWU disagrees

The QRC’s chief executive said at the time of the offer, “This is a premium offer by the 13 largest users of the central Queensland coal track network to take charge of their own destinies.
“The bid - on behalf of the companies producing 98 per cent of Queensland’s coal exports - ticks all the boxes not only in terms of locking in a compelling financial result for the state government but also in ensuring that the interests of smaller producers, new entrants and other industries using the central Queensland coal rail network are protected.”
AMWU (Australian Manufacturing Workers Union) state secretary Andrew Dettmer has slammed the proposal, saying, “This is a very dark time for rural and regional Queensland, make no mistake about that. Allowing a profit-hungry consortium to take control of our vitally-important rail system will have dire consequences for the people of regional Queensland well into the future.
“The coal companies will slash anything that is not profitable. They will pillage and plunder the system for their own purposes.”
Roche said the coal industry proposal, which includes the federal government-owned Australian Rail Track Corporation as the independent network operator, will ensure timely new investment in the network as well as open competition among rail freight companies, including QR National.
He said the coal industry’s track network bid would provide the state government with a new playing field to consider options for QR National’s above rail assets, including rolling stock and railway workshops in regional cities.
The AMWU said the proposal flies in the face of Rio Tinto - one member of the consortium - declaring Australia as their biggest ‘sovereign risk’ after the announcement of the new mining tax.
“So on one hand, they’re complaining that the new tax will send them broke - on the other, they’re spending billions of dollars on buying up new infrastructure.
“The coal companies are acting in a greedy and hypocritical way and it will ultimately be to the detriment of everyday Queenslanders.”
Dettmer said the AMWU has been vehemently opposed to QR privatisation plans since they were first tabled - on the grounds that any buyer will look first and foremost to the profitability of the venture.
Dettmer said government-owned infrastructure had long been a way for the State Government to intervene in the welfare of Queensland’s remote communities.
“People living in Blackwater pay the same taxes as people living in Kenmore – they deserve the same respect from their elected representatives.”

Includes material sources from Lloyd's List Daily Commercial News - www.lloydslistdcn.com.au