Detection of black lung disease among coal miners Queensland has been deliberately underfunded with calamitous results, according to a scathing report by a parliament committee.

Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) committee chair Jo-Ann Miller tabled interim findings from her six-month inquiry into the re-emergence of black lung, slamming the Mines Department, Queensland Health, medical professionals, mine operators and Workcover Queensland.

The committee found evidence so far suggested "a massive systemic failure across the entirety of the regulatory and health systems intended to protect coal industry workers."

Findings from interim report: Department of Natural Resources and Mines Did not administer health and safety acts to protect workers with respect to coal mine dust

Did not administer health and safety acts to protect workers with respect to coal mine dust Mines Inspectorate did not monitor mine operators in relation to dust

Mines Inspectorate did not monitor mine operators in relation to dust Health Surveillance Unit was overwhelmed with records which were not assessed and were kept in a janitor's cupboard and shipping containers Queensland Health Black lung was not a primary concern Mine operators Some quickly acknowledged re-identification of black lung

Some quickly acknowledged re-identification of black lung Others avoided or blame shifted

Others avoided or blame shifted Some did not comply with statutory responsibilities, eg regular and gross exceedances of dust limits Medical professionals Chest X-rays of poor quality, not properly read WorkCover Approved a CWP claim in 2006 but did not alert Mines Department

"This report exemplifies the human tragedy when public administration in Queensland is corrupted by illusion and false beliefs that black lung was eradicated in this state, and by the deliberate underfunding and under-resourcing over more than 30 years," Ms Miller told the house.

"Men are dying because of this.

"We expect more men and women to be diagnosed with this preventable disease, resulting in calamitous effects on their families."

The interim report found 19 confirmed current cases of CWP with a 20th case pending confirmation.

It was particularly concerning, the committee said, that the coal mining industry, the Mines Department and Queensland Health wrongly assumed black lung did not exist after the 1980s.

It found the disease did not "re-emerge" but was "merely re-identified" after more than 30 years of authorities failing to look for it.

"To the men and women of the deep — who went to work to earn a living, not to die — our committee will walk with you every step until the very end," Ms Miller said.

"We will right the wrongs and tell the truth no matter where it lands — politically, administratively, medically or industrially.

'Hindsight a great thing': Queensland Resources Council defends black lung failures

The Queensland Resources Council said an interim report into the re-detection of black lung disease confirms medical experts were not providing reliable advice to the industry. Listen Duration: 6 minutes 39 seconds 6 m Listen Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Queensland Resources Council's Ian Macfarlane says 'hindsight a good thing' but parliament report on black lung must not be turned into a political bunfight ( Charlie McKillop ) Download 3 MB

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the union, government and industry were let down by the College of Radiologists who should have diagnosed cases.

"They weren't picking up cases that local GPs in Rockhampton and Mackay picked up later on," he said.

"There needs to be a reassessment of the standard of testing particularly in relation to it as world's best practice to make sure that we get every case of CWP, no matter how early it is in its stages."

Mr Macfarlane said mining companies were not abrogating their own responsibility — "but hindsight is a great thing".

The disease, formally known as coal workers' pneumoconiosis, or CWP, is caused by breathing in coal dust and was thought to have been eradicated until late 2015.

He said all mines were now compliant and working on new technology, but real-time dust monitoring available overseas was not yet registered in Australia.

"The resource companies are happy to do whatever is necessary to eradicate this disease and look after those workers already affected by CWP," he said.

On the issue of compensation, he said it was being progressed with the Queensland Department of Resources through the Workers Compensation Scheme.

"We all understand we have to step up a bit more on that," he said.

"There was a belief prior to the detection of the first case that this disease had been eradicated, but that was not the case.

"We now need to work harder to make sure cases that have been missed, people who have the disease are looked after, and those families that have been affected, or where a person unfortunately is deceased, are also taken into consideration.

"We need to make sure what we're doing going forward resolves the problem and doesn't turn into a political bunfight."

The committee will ask Parliament to extend its final report deadline from April to September, and ask that it be allowed to investigate dust exposure for other workers.

It also wants the power to draft legislation to implement its final recommendations, although two Labor members of the committee disagreed with that.