October 7, 2008
2pm AWU National Office
Level 10 377-383 Sussex St, Sydney
" This was a traumatic, horrible event which kept the nation in suspense throughout 2006 it should not be turned into a media circus giving notoriety to a Sydney comic who probably has never visited a mine community, " Paul Howes said.
"The Anzac Day mine collapse killed one person and trapped for 14 days two other miners - but the playwright admits he has used Beaconsfield merely to attract media attention and attract greater audience numbers. That's sick."
Paul Howes said the union would keep its focus on the Coronial Inquest now under way in Tasmania. The Inquest will hear closing submissions on November 10.
" Important evidence has come out of this Inquest we hope will provide the basis for safer mining standards, improved regulation and legislation to protect workers' lives.
" The AWU wants the community to join with the union and keep focused on the main game - not on cheap stunts at an event which will be attended by only a handful of people.
" Those attending this fringe event probably have little or no interest in the dangerous work our members are involved in every day they go down a mine.
" Hundreds of lives can be saved because of the Inquest -our members will cheer at that result and remember the Beaconsfield tragedy forever. The musical will be forgotten within weeks," Paul Howes said.
For further information
| Contact: |
Andrew Casey
|
| Union: |
AWU National Communications Co-ordinator
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| Contact Mobile: |
0417 054 194
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| WWW: |
http://www.awu.net.au/
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