Queensland Coal’s Chief Executive, Michael Roche, has warned that the State’s coal sector could be facing tough times in a speech delivered to the 8th Coaltrans Australia Conference in Brisbane.

 

Mr Roche warmed that the sector has rapidly become uncompetitive as a result, and has also projected that further job losses ‘are a certainty’.

 

“What we have told the Queensland Government clearly and with the best interests of the state in mind is that in many cases, the Queensland coal industry is already globally uncompetitive,” Mr Roche said.



“At current prices, most thermal coal mines in this state are either running at a loss or struggling to stay in the black. It is not a position unique to thermal coal because the contagion is spreading quickly among our premium coking coal operations.”

 

The transcript of Mr Roche’s speech can be found here