The CFMEU today called on the Australian Coal Association to end its carbon scare campaign and take responsibility for its own future.

CFMEU National President Tony Maher called on the ACA Executive Director Ralph Hillman to use today’s address to the National Press Club to outline how the industry is prepared to invest in its long-term future.

Mr Maher said the ACA contribution to the current debate on a carbon price had been characterised by self-interest and distortion of the facts.

"A few points Mr Hillman may care to address today:

• Why is the industry presenting economic modelling that shows continued growth of coal industry jobs under a carbon price as a threat to jobs?
• Why is the industry expecting taxpayers to foot the bill for the investments needed to develop Carbon Capture and Storage initiatives, rather then increasing its own sparse contribution from its record profits into the program?
• Why is the industry failing to use its $1 Billion research fund on mitigation technology for methane emissions?

“The coal industry is making record profits – earning more than $1 million per worker – and have the highest profit margin of any Australian industry.

“What workers really want to see from the industry that employs them is a long-term sustainable plan, not the current strategy of digging up as much coal in as short a time as possible to maximise profits,” said Mr Maher.

The CFMEU’s new advert ‘Big Mining: All Take, No Give’ will appear in the Canberra Times on 6 July and is available here for download.

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