August 2011
Newsletter Edition # 08, August 16th, 2011
Dear Colleagues,
Recent Media Stories
Recent media stories may have alarmed some customers judging by the number of emails and telephone calls we've received. These stories relate to the refusal of the former NSW government to renew our Crown Lease on our site at Cessnock, which has been our 'home' for the last 24 years.
The Government instead granted freehold title over a section of the site to a company related to our sub-lessee, White Energy Ltd. White Mining subleased a building and a small section of the site from us in 2001 to develop their coal upgrading technology after a long and fruitless search to find suitable accommodation in the Hunter Valley.
Our struggle to retain our site and our fixed assets located here has been ongoing for the last 4 years. The recent media articles looked at links between directors of these various companies and Ministers in the former NSW government. The current NSW government has formally referred the matter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) for investigation.
We decided to participate in these media articles following several requests from various media organisations for comment. We are eager that the truth behind these events be known and intend to participate fully with the ICAC enquiry.
The loss of a significant proportion of our assets has been a blow that, as a community based organisation, is hard to recover from. In addition we have lost income previously generated from the use of the site by others under leases. However, the loss to NSW of a large training facility, located close to transport links and a wide range of accommodation may prove to be the more significant cost in the long run.
Nevertheless the Board of HPOTS is determined to overcome these difficulties and have ensured that there will be no disruption to business as usual. We have secured a lease on a section of this site to enable us to continue operations from Cessnock. Several of our Board members have been with our company since it was formed in 1982 and have seen the company through significant difficulties in the past. Our dedicated, professional, staff has maintained their focus on improving our training delivery. We all appreciate, and are humbled by, the concern shown for us by those who participated in the media articles and by others who have called and emailed their expressions of support.
We look forward to continuing to provide high quality training services to all of our customers and the community in the future.
http://afr.com/p/national/politics/nsw_labor_and_the_land_deal_Fmnirv3hcasUcG8mJMY5wI
http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/blogs/article/-/9941209/dodgy-dollar-dazzler-deal/
Phil Stuart
General Manager
New National WHS Laws 2012
WorkCover is continuing its series of Webinars to inform employers of the potential impacts of the changes embodied in the Work Health and Safety legislation due to come into effect on 1 January, 2012. The next webinar is aimed particularly at operators of small businesses.
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/267535130
You can also find information on the changes on the WorkCover website:
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/newlegislation2012/Pages/default.aspx
SAFETY ALERTS
WorkCover have not released any further safety alerts this month.
Department of Industry and Investment Safety Alerts
This link will take you to a safety alert relating to a service brake failure and the need to regularly test equipment to OEM specifications, particularly when these are updated.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/398659/SA11-07-Transport-service-brake-failure.pdf
This link will take you to a safety alert relating to a fatality that occurred following the fall of a coal rib.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/399176/SA11-08-Fall-of-rib-results-in-fatality.pdf
This link will take you to a safety alert regarding a stockpile dozer falling into a feeder during reclaiming operations.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/402774/SA11-09-Stockpile-dozer-lodged-in-reclaim-valve.pdf
Changes to legislation regarding licensing requirements for operators of loadshifting equipment
Following our advice in last months newsletter of the changes to licensing requirements for loadshifting machines, here is a link to the
relevant exemption order.
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/publications/Documents/operation_use_loadshifting_machines_exemption_order_3401.pdf