Statement by QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane
The Queensland Resources Council has been working with the Queensland Government as it seeks to tighten border restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19, which were first introduced from 26 March 2020.
Our sector is committed to a ‘people first’ response and is strictly following the advice from Queensland Health and has introduced additional measures to protect the communities in which we operate.
Today the Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young released further directions on border restrictions to apply from 11.59 pm on Saturday, 4 April 2020 until the end of the declared public health emergency.
The requirement is for anyone entering Queensland from anyone State or Territory, who is not an exempt person, to self-quarantine for 14 days. Critical interstate fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) mine workers will be exempt from the new restrictions.
During these turbulent times the resources sector is considered an essential service by both the federal and state governments to fast-track the economy to recovery.
The direction states that “an employee of a resources sector company or service provider is only an exempt person if they are a critical resources sector employee”.
Critical resources sector employee means a person that:
• is required to be appointed under the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act 1999; the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999; or the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 and the position is mentioned in the list published on the Queensland Health website; or
• has been approved by the Chief Health Officer as a critical resources sector employee
The new measures do not affect drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) and FIFO workers travelling from within Queensland.
Queensland’s resources sector will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the safety of local communities and our staff.
