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The mining and burning of coal: effects on health and the environment

William M Castleden, David Shearman, George Crisp and Philip Finch
Med J Aust 2011; 195 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja11.10169
Published online: 19 September 2011

Australia’s coal conundrum is that all political parties say they are concerned about climate change while sanctioning an unprecedented expansion of coalmining and coal seam gas extraction in Australia.


  • 1 Department of Vascular Surgery, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA.
  • 2 Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA.
  • 3 Doctors for the Environment Australia, Adelaide, SA.
  • 4 Perth Pain Management Centre, Perth, WA.
  • 5 Murdoch University, Perth, WA.


Correspondence: wmc@iinet.net.au

Competing interests:

David Shearman is Honorary Secretary of Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA). Philip Finch, George Crisp and William Castleden are members of DEA.

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