LABOR’S lack of support for the mining industry, and the complicity of the CFMEU in not calling their mates to account sooner, has already cost Central and North Queensland dearly in terms of lost jobs and lost royalties.

It’s hard to fathom how the CFMEU could stand by year after year and allow Labor at both state and federal level to be led by the nose by green anti-job activists when it comes to supporting projects like the Carmichael mine.

So their move to call Labor to account on this issue, which is critical to their members, is long overdue.

Labor is killing off our coal jobs.

The Courier Mail stated it clearly: ‘Bill Shorten has avoided committing Labor to supporting new thermal coal mines in Queensland’ (21.01.19)

In light of the split from Labor, I would be keen to work with the CFMEU, as I have a clear position of support for mine workers.

While there has been an ongoing alliance between the CFMEU and Labor in the past, I have always believed there is a role for National Party MPs to play in representing blue collar regional workers, particularly miners.

And that’s why I think there should be a closer working relationship between the CFMEU and the National Party.

The baseline is Nationals MPs and Senators support regional areas and regional jobs.

That’s why I’ve stood up on the casualisation issue and got changes, and stood up for workers being impacted by ongoing lockouts.

I’ve stood up for the mining industry.

Not for the multinational companies who run it, but for the workers.