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Singer played a role in the Pike River rescue efforts, offering advice to the New Zealand incident management team following the November 2010 explosion which took the lives of 29 men.

A Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation mines spokesman told ILN Singer, the deputy chief inspector of coal mines, would take over the senior position while Taylor was performing the three-month secondment role for the New Zealand government.

Taylor’s role will begin on January 16.

With more than four decades’ experience in the mining industry, Taylor was chosen to assist New Zealand with managing the day-to-day work of the extractives section and providing advice on best practice mining regulation.

However, the spokesman told ILN Taylor’s role in helping to establish a High Hazards Unit was just another step in the Queensland government’s extensive response to the tragedy.

“Within hours of the incident the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation’s Mines Inspectorate had a team in the air consisting of chemists and gas analysts from Simtars [Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station],” the spokesman said.

“The senior chemist, Darren Brady and the deputy chief inspector of coal mines, Ken Singer, also provided advice to the incident management team in addition to gas analysis.”

More than a year on from the tragic explosion, Simtars continues to provide assistance to Pike River Coal on a daily basis to ensure the mine atmosphere remains stable and under control.

Queensland Mines Rescue Service also played a pivotal role post-tragedy by supplying a GAG jet engine and rotating operational crews for an extended period in an effort to bring under control the fire which ripped through the mine.

The spokesman said Queensland’s assistance following Pike River also extended past the recovery effort.

“The Queensland Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health Stewart Bell has been appointed as one of the three commissioners on the Royal Commission enquiring into the mine accident and a number of Queensland specialists have assisted the Department Of Labour in their investigations into the disaster,” he said.