ABC reported that the administrators of HMP Constructions are trying to preserve as many jobs as possible. About 175 people are expected to lose their jobs after the contracting company entered voluntary administration on Tuesday.

Administrator Mr Nicholas Harwood said that the first creditors' meeting will be held later this month. Mr Harwood said that "Part of my appointment now will be focusing on scaling back the company's operations and trying to adjust that to its current business needs."

He said that "That could involve adjusting the size of the fleet that HMP has to match its ongoing contracts at other mine sites. Because of the loss of the contract, the directors have formed the view that at some point in the future the company will be unable to pay all its debts. I think there will be a retrenchment simply because the company doesn't have enough work now to employ that same level of people."

The operators of one of the central Queensland coal mines said that they will continue to work with the contracting company.

Mr Rod Bridges GM of Curragh Mine said that 150 workers employed at the site will keep their jobs for as long as HMP continues to operate. Mr Bridges said that he is surprised at just how quickly things unraveled for the company. He said that "Certainly we were surprised at how quickly that had occurred. We have had a long and good relationship with HMP over many years and HMP provides a service here at Curragh Mine to remove overburden."

The Brisbane based company employs 500 workers at three central Queensland mines.

(Sourced from ABC.Net)