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QRC and CFMEU on Bob Brown convoy
THE employer and employee representatives for Queensland mine workers have called on former Greens leader Bob Brown to immediately repudiate reported claims from supporters of his anti-jobs tour that liken coal industry jobs to Nazis working in gas chambers during the Holocaust.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane and CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland district president Stephen Smyth said the reported comments were a shocking attack on hard-working Queenslanders and their families.
“These Queenslanders work in skilled jobs to keep both the Queensland and Australian economies strong,” Mr Macfarlane said.
"Their work supports local jobs, boosts exports, pays royalty taxes for the Queensland Government to reinvest in schools and hospitals, and stimulates company taxes that the Australian Government can spend across the nation including Mr Brown’s home state of Tasmania,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“I cannot think of a more offensive comment for one Australian to call another. Bob Brown needs to repudiate this rubbish -- Brown needs to stick to the facts, and drop the disgusting attacks.”
Mr Smyth said the Bob Brown anti-job convoy had already demonstrated hypocrisy with the vehicles dependent on steel made from metallurgical coal and electric vehicles powered by thermal coal generated through Queensland Government-owned efficient generators.
“On behalf of those men and women working in our coal industry, Bob Brown should apologise for the attack on them by his supporters. Bob Brown is stirring up hysteria and these claims that jobs in Queensland coal mines are like Nazi gas chambers in World War Two are the bottom of the barrel," Mr Smyth said.
"As Mr Brown rallies against jobs in Brisbane, the economic contribution of the resources sector to both the capital region and regional economies is very significant," Mr Macfarlane said.
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