Friday 15th November 1996
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The miners were working a new seam at Gretley Colliery. Their four work mates had taken a smoko and were having a bite to eat in the nearby crib room when they heard what sounded like a loud rumbling noise at 5.30am New South Wales time.
When they went out to investigate they were confronted with waist high water which forced them out of the shaft.
"When we got out there the water was only ankle deep but I was scared stiff," said a seasoned police rescue officer who went out to investigate shortly after the four surviving miners had evacuated the mine.
Former Governor-General Bill Hayden said yesterday that he believed Australia's optimum population was about 50 million and that Asians would continue to be among the country's best assets.
He said Asian migrants were necessary to fill Australia's growing demand for "intellectual capital" and for Australia to achieve future economic and cultural growth.
"If my presumptions are correct about sustainable population levels Australia can bear, then migration will be regulated, but not the unacceptable grounds of race," he said.
She told Parliament that the damage from the immigration debate sparked by Ms Hanson was evident during her visit to South-East Asia last week.
At a state level, Mrs Sheldon's comments follow the criticisms of Ms Hanson by Premier Rob Borbidge and opposition Labor leader Peter Beattie.
Mrs Sheldon said, "I am extremely sorry to report that, on several occasions, particularly in Singapore, concerns were raised about Pauline Hanson's comments, and support for her within Australia.
"Singaporean investors stated that they had heard disturbing reports from Queensland of racial vilification of Singaporean residents over the last few months."
You might recall that the incident referred to here involved a group of Aborigines and had nothing to do with the race debate. The mainstream Australian newspapers incorrectly broadcast the message that the incident was related to Ms Hanson and her comments about Asian immigration. This story was subsequently picked up by the Singaporean Straits Times newspaper.
Chairman Bruce Vaughan refused to answer one provocative question from the floor on whether he would take responsibility for the results and resign.
The board was also asked whether it had been asleep during recent years as shareholders pointed out that MIM had once been nearly worth the same as BHP but had since lost about Au$1 billion in value.
The Reserve bank said that the number of bank branches had fallen 8% overall with the biggest cuts being made by Westpac and Commonwealth banks with a drop of 13% and 20% respectively.
The fall in bank branches is being felt most out in the country where little towns like Kilkivan now facing major problems after, in this case, ANZ Bank closed their doors leaving the nearest bank 70 kilometers away at Gympie.
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