The coal industry talks up the benefits it provides, particularly jobs and royalties. They do this to increase their political power and encourage Queenslanders to accept the negative impacts the industry has on health, agriculture and the environment.
But how important is coal mining really to the Queensland economy?
Please see attached summary of today’s important report on coal facts from The Australia Institute that debunks many myths surrounding the industry in Qld.
How many people work in coal mining?
At the 2011 census 24,350 people worked in the Queensland coal industry
– just 1.2 per cent of Queensland’s 2 million strong workforce. It is one of the smallest industries by employment in the state. As mentioned above, employment is concentrated in service sectors, particularly health care and retail trade …
More people are employed in the Arts and Recreational Service sector
than are employed in coal mining. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector employs more than twice as many people as coal, while the manufacturing
sector provides work for seven times as many people
Health care employs over 240,000 Queenslanders, ten times
as many as coal mining.
The full report is attached.
Please contact me or Drew Hutton if you’d like a comment from Lock the Gate.
Kate Dennehy – 0419 432 624
Drew Hutton – 0428 487 110
TAI Report The Mouse That Roars – Coal in the Queensland economy.pdf