In November 1996 the NSW Minister for Mineral Resources, Hon Bob Martin MP, commissioned ACiL Economics and
Policy Pty Ltd to conduct a wide ranging review of safety within the New South Wales mining industry.
The review was a response to a disturbing number of fatalities which had occurred in the industry during the Minister's
term of office together with a number of alarming near misses where serious failures in mining systems had occurred.
Shortly after the review was commissioned, four mine workers died at Gretley Colliery near Newcastle. An inquiry is
currently being conducted into the incident.