Today’s Senate sitting provides a test for Matt Canavan and other “pro-mining” Senators.

The Senate will today vote on a motion, moved by Queensland Labor Senators, demanding the Morrison Government pulls out of High Court action which threatens to strip full-time coal miners of their basic rights.

In June, the Morrison Government pledged to back a High Court appeal which would label long-term mine workers as “permanent casuals”, robbing them of the job security, protections and leave entitlements of permanent work.

It’s disturbing the Morrison Government has chosen to publicly throw its support behind the big mining companies and labour hire firms who are exploiting long-term coal miners.

It goes against all the LNP’s claims that they support mining communities and shows whose side they are really on – coal bosses, not workers.

Labor believes when a worker has a firm advance commitment of permanent work they should get the leave entitlements that go with that.

But big mining companies continue to take advantage of the system, using casual, labour hire contracts for workers who work regular, full-time hours, leaving them with worse pay and conditions, even after casual loadings are included.

That means workers who’ve been doing the same job full-time for years can’t get a home loan, don’t get sick pay, and don’t know if they’ll have a job next week.

That’s not fair.

Today’s Senate motion will test the LNP - we know they like coal, but do they really like coal miners?

It’s past time the LNP’s Queensland Federal representatives like Matt Canavan, Michelle Landry, George Christensen and Ken O’Dowd do what they’ve been claiming and stand up for mine workers, not just the mine owners.

If they really do support miners, they will vote with Labor today to call on the Federal Government to withdraw from the court case.

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