Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Malcolm Bailey, John Brown, George Chapman, Alexander Corns, Frederick Fone, Jack Grabner, William Griffin, William Hartley, Alfred Hines, Maurice Hyams, George Kelly, Joseph Lambert, Gordon Locking, Jeremiah McLaughlin, Charles Mills, Frederick Moodie, John Morgan, Harold Richards, Philip Roberts, George Snedden and John Stewart—these are the 21 men who perished 100 years ago in an event known as the Bellbird mine disaster.

The first of September 1923 started out much like any other Saturday shift at the Bellbird Colliery. It wasn't until day shift were finishing up and the afternoon shift had entered the mine that it became obvious that something wasn't right. Thick clouds of smoke were billowing from the workings and into the haulage road. It was a similar scene above ground, with the same thick smoke pouring out of the fan shaft and across the area.

Mine Deputy Frederick Moonie refused to leave his men behind and ventured back into the mine to assist with rescue efforts before ultimately succumbing to the perils of the smoke and the gas. John Brown, the manager of the nearby Aberdare Colliery and one of the men who had volunteered to enter the mine as part of the rescue efforts, was on his third descent into the mine when an explosion deeper in the mine caused toxic gas to fill the section that he and another rescuer were in. Upon realising that he was not going to make it out, Brown insisted that he be left so as to not slow the other rescuers down.

When the decision to seal the mine and starve the fire of the oxygen was made, the bodies of six men, including John Brown, were still inside. It wasn't until 5 May 1924 that specially trained rescue teams were permitted to enter the mine and begin to recover the remaining bodies. Over the following nine months, five of the six men's bodies had been recovered. But it wasn't until July 1965 that the final miner, Malcolm Bailey, was successfully retrieved, some 41 years after the disaster.

The local community were absolutely devastated by what happened that day, and a mass funeral was held for the 21 men who had lost their lives. The caskets were carried on the backs of trucks and followed by over 500 workers from Bellbird Colliery marching in honour of their fallen mates, while more than 25,000 people lined the streets. The disaster was a catalyst for enormous legislative change. In response to what happened at the Bellbird Colliery, the New South Wales government introduced the Mines Rescue Act and established New South Wales Mines Rescue.

The disaster is part of the very foundations of our region. The Hunter was built on coalmining, and there can be no doubt that the Bellbird mining disaster changed mining forever. It shook our community at the time, and still to this day, 100 years later, stories of the disaster have been passed through generations of locals, and it continues to be remembered and spoken of.

This tragedy reminds us of how dangerous the job that miners do can be, but we're also reminded of how far we have come in making sure that mining can be done safely. But, more than anything, we are reminded of how important it is that miners safely make it back home to their families after their shifts. Miners go to work to make a living for their families. Making sure that their job does not cost them their life should be the highest priority. We have come a long way when it comes to safety in mining, but, with miners still dying and getting seriously injured in their workplaces, there is still a long way to go. Here we are, 100 years after the disaster, and the legacy that has been left by the Bellbird mine disaster is bigger than anyone back then could have ever imagined and bigger than many of us realise.

The legacy of the disaster, of the men who lost their lives and of those who risked their lives as rescuers lives on strongly in our community. It was an absolute honour to attend the 100th anniversary memorial service and unveil the newest part of the memorial. I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the Mining and Energy Union, Coal Services, Mines Rescue and the coalfields historical society for their dedication to preserving the memories of those who died that day.

Ho use adjourned at 19:59