THE 2019 date to end mining on North Stradbroke Island was "non-negotiable" and "set in stone".
That was the message 30 Electrical Trades Union members from Sibelco mines were told when deputy premier Jackie Trad met them on the island on Thursday.
Ms Trad told the group the 2019 date was government policy and would not change.
Her comments came a day after premier Annastacia Palaszczuk met with Australian Workers Union members from Sibelco and told them it would be necesasary to conduct more public consultation.
There are only three more parliamentary sittings this year, making it a tight schedule for Environment Minister Steven Miles to fulfil his promise of introducing the legislation to end mine leases this year.
At Thursday's ETU meeting at the Little Ship Club at Dunwich, Ms Trad immediately crushed specultion the premier was considering extending the 2019 deadline.
She said the meeting, which was closed to the public, was to discuss plans for the island after mining and was not about extending the life of the mine.
Ms Trad said Labor's commitment to the 2019 closure date was based on honouring the Indigenous Land Use Agreement signed with the native title holders in 2011.
She said the only way the date would change to allow an extension of mining after 2019 was for the native title holders to renegotiate.
After the meeting, Electrical Trades Union state organiser Garry Rogers, said his members were unsuccessful in getting the deputy premier to extend mining on the island past 2019.
However, he said a committee of Sibelco staff would be established this month to liaise with the government about the end of mining on the island and amending legislation.
"Delegates were thankful to have had the chance to speak frankly with Ms Trad and explain their concerns about the 2019 deadline," he said.
"It wasn't the outcome we were looking for but the meeting was successful because we decided to set up a committee to talk with government."
More than 20 island residents, businessowners and non-union members, were locked out of the meeting, held at the Little Ship Club at Dunwich.
Some island residents were under the misapprehension Sibelco manager Alan McCredie invited them to the meeting via email.
However, Mr McCredie's email was to Sibelco workers.
Resident Robyn Mortimer said she was angry at being locked out and wanted to hear what Ms Trad told mine staff as their future was directly linked to the future of the island.
"We have had no response about plans for the next four years, which is not enough time for a feasible transition period," she said.
"The Newman government could change the legislaiton - so why can't this date be changed?
"I think it is slowly dawning on mines workers that they are running out of time, protesting loud and clear should have been done long before this."
Ms Trad also told the ETU meeting the legislation was subject to a High Court challenge and stood a good chance of being overturned.
Workers leaving the meeting also said they were guaranteed they would be consulted and assisted into new employment although there was no promise made about equivalent wages or conditions.
They also dismissed as ridiculous claims that they would pick up work when Cleveland's Toondah Harbour is overhauled.
