Among the companies attending the industry meeting in Brisbane were Anglo Coal Australia, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Ensham Resources, Felix Resources, Jellinbah Resources, Macarthur Coal, New Hope Coal Australia, Peabody Energy, QCoal, Rio Tinto Coal Australia, Vale, Wesfarmers Resources and Xstrata Coal.

QR plans to list shares in a $A3 billion float later this year, which will include its rail network and trains.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said producers were unanimous in their view that the privatisation model was in the interests of neither the coal industry nor Queensland taxpayers.

“Queensland coal producers are concerned about the performance of this crucial coal industry infrastructure under the structure proposed by the Queensland government, whereby a privatised QR National will both control the coal track network as well as operate a rail haulage business in competition with other haulage operators using that track,” he said.

“Of particular concern is that the government’s existing proposal to float a vertically integrated coal business will severely limit investment in the new rail capacity needed for industry growth and new job creation.

“By contrast, coal producers – as owners of the coal track network – have a very strong incentive to ensure a high-performing network and to make timely investment in new rail capacity to avoid export bottlenecks.

“The Queensland coal industry has committed to delivering an early proposal to the Queensland government as a real alternative to the proposed public float of QR’s coal business.”

Roche said the coal industry was not asking the government to abandon the public float process, but rather asking for the opportunity to provide an alternative bid and have that judged side by side against the public float option.

“As Queensland's largest export industry employing tens of thousands of Queenslanders and delivering $3 billion in royalties last financial year, the coal industry surely deserves the opportunity to have its alternative offer taken seriously,” he said.

“The government’s current approach and the alternative offer from industry can then be compared to determine which is superior in the best interests of Queensland.”

Roche said the state’s coal industry would seek early discussions with the premier and key stakeholders over its approach.