A consortium Queensland coal miners Thursday got the go ahead for collective bargaining from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The miners now have authorization to bargain collectively with Dudgeon Point Project Management (DPPM) and QR Network, in a bid to attain support for their coal export programs. The authorization runs for 15 years.
The group of companies wanted authorization from the ACCC to collectively bargain with DPPM for access to the company’s proposed coal terminal at Dudgeon Point and another at Abbot Point. The collective group includes Carabella Resources Limited, Macarthur Coal Limited, Middlemount Coal Pty Limited, New Hope Corporation Limited and Peabody Energy Australia Pty Limited. The terminals will majorly export coal from the Bowen Basin and Galilee Basin. Separately, the miners, in conjunction with Rio Tinto, also sought authorization for collective bargain with QR Network to use its below rail infrastructure to service the DPPM terminal and the coal terminals at Abbot Point.
In its ruling, the ACCC stated that the three arrangements will result in considerable transaction cost savings. The competition watchdog further noted that the arrangements helps avoid possible delays in the construction of several coal terminals and new coal export earnings. The ACCC last year punished Optus for misleading advertisements of broadband and phone services and sued TPG for a related offense in 2010.
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