The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, which is keen to retain the existing safety regulation infrastructure in Queensland, told ILN that it feared the department could lose experienced safety officers.

But Minister for Natural Resources Andrew Cripps said most of the job losses would be in areas of the department “that had, under Labor, become fixated on over-regulating landholders”

“There will be absolutely no loss of frontline mine safety and health officers from my department, to ensure Queenslanders working in the resources sector remain protected by one of the world’s best mine safety systems,” he said.

A spokesman for the department told ILN the staffing changes would have no impact on the regulation of mine safety in Queensland.

“Not one of the 413 positions identified through cost savings to go from the department are from the mining safety and health division of the department,” he said.

“Further, the department’s mine safety operations are funded through a health and safety levy imposed on all mining companies in Queensland.”

Cripps said a significant number had already expressed interest in leaving the department.

The Queensland government has axed about 4000 public servant positions since coming to power in March and is expected to announce another 11,000 job losses in its September budget.