News
$105K income “in need of help” in Moranbah
January 30th, 2012
HOUSE prices are so out of control in Moranbah that a combined household income of $105,000 qualifies you for first shot at the town’s new affordable housing lots. To put that into perspective, the median gross household income in Australia… Read more »
Bechtel overrun with applicants
January 30th, 2012
MORE than 300 Gladstone residents are through the initial hurdle in their bid to become one of construction giant’s Bechtel’s 400 adult apprentices. Last year, Bechtel announced it would take on 400 adult apprentices through the National Apprenticeship Progam (NAP)… Read more »
EA rejected, mass meetings to be held
January 30th, 2012
THE unions have rejected BMA’s latest version of a new enterprise agreement for 4000 workers at the company’s seven central Queensland mine sites. Mass meetings will be held across the Bowen Basin next week for union delegates to inform workers… Read more »
The MAC asked to “please explain” impacts
January 30th, 2012
THE MAC Services Group has been asked to provide more details on the effect of a new 3200-room camp in Moranbah on the town’s medical services – especially its GPs. It’s one of 15 points of clarification that the Urban… Read more »
Miner breaks arm in ventilation door
January 30th, 2012
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into how a 56-year-old underground miner trapped his arm in a ventilation door on a central Queensland mine site. The miner was airlifted the Mackay Base Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning after the accident… Read more »
Frustration mounts over Galilee rail lines
January 30th, 2012
LANDHOLDERS are becoming increasingly frustrated with discussions surrounding proposed rail lines from the Galilee Basin to the coast. There are six rail lines proposed for the region which effects close to 100 landholders. Clermont grazier and member of the Corridor… Read more »
BHP delivers rail option to government
January 30th, 2012
BHP Billiton has lodged its preferred rail option from its Goonyella Mine north of Moranbah to the Abbot Point Coal Terminal with the state government for assessment. The 232-kilometre Bowen Basin line will ultimately allow the annual export of up… Read more »
Exporters predict gloomy outlook
January 30th, 2012
A GLOBAL downturn is likely to be the dominate economic feature of 2012 according to the bosses of minerals and energy exporters. Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche says the latest CEO Sentiment Index reported in the organisations QRC’s… Read more »
World game goes mining
January 30th, 2012
THE newly formed Emerald Eagles Football Club say the team will be the property of all soccer loving miners across central Queensland. For the first time, the Central Highlands now has its own soccer team playing in the CQ region’s… Read more »
Research to help families cope with parent absences
January 30th, 2012
A RESEARCH project into the impact of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) on families with teenagers is looking for Queensland families to take part. Western Australian researcher Jacinth Watson is gauging how teenagers cope with the FIFO/DIDO lifestyle… Read more »
Federal FIFO hearings announced for Qld
January 30th, 2012
THE federal enquiry into economic and social impact of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) rosters in mining has announced dates for Queensland hearings. The enquiry, carried out by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia and… Read more »
Labour, power, water gridlock
November 28th, 2011
IF all of Queensland’s new resources projects come online, an extra 5000 megawatts of electricity, 200,000 megalitres of water and 40,000 workers will be needed by 2020 to run them. The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) commissioned Deloitte Access Economic to… Read more »
Virtually no beds for rent in entire CQ
November 28th, 2011
CENTRAL Queensland mining areas have reached rental vacancy rates that are the lowest on record, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). The vacancy rate in Gladstone in September was 0.7 per cent. To put that into perspective,… Read more »
Mega camps make way for motels
November 28th, 2011
THERE is a push away from mega mining camps towards smaller motel-style developments for non-resident workers, according to a Queensland mining accommodation specialist. Castra Consulting’s Chris Jury said the trend toward motelling was happening across the Bowen Basin and into… Read more »
Donga tax back on the table
November 28th, 2011
A CONTROVERSIAL donga tax could be one way of easing the pressure on small communities struggling to cope with the rapid increase fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers. Leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt, a partner in KPMG, has highlighted the impact of… Read more »
FIFO solution all a bit taxing
November 28th, 2011
A DONGA tax is likely to be a hard sell as a solution to the FIFO crisis facing small councils in resource-rich central Queensland. Mining companies and their shareholders have long argued they put enough into communities through wages and… Read more »
Cashless and keyless in CQ
November 28th, 2011
A cashless and keyless lifestyle is the headline innovation in central Queensland’s most recently built single persons quarters (SPQ) near Gladstone. Operated by Evolution Facility Management (EFM), the Calliope accommodation village has a current capacity of 240 rooms, with plans… Read more »
Miners ‘coached’ into new fatigue approach
November 28th, 2011
IF you work at a central Queensland mine – but you don’t live in the Bowen Basin – then chances are you ride the bus to work. And if you don’t, in the very near future you probably will. Three… Read more »
Brisbane faces off with Perth for jobs
November 28th, 2011
A SKILLS shortages study carried out on behalf of Brisbane City Council has highlighted the competition for resource sector jobs between the city and Perth. The Brisbane Window of Opportunity study was carried out by consultants at the direction of… Read more »
Spots in free resource courses double
November 28th, 2011
AN introductory TAFE course aimed at potential resource industry workers is to have 500 extra places made available because of the skills shortage. The state government announced this week that Resources 101 would have 1000 students in 2012 spread across… Read more »
Innovators chase cash, kudos
November 28th, 2011
NEW thinking for old industry challenges has put two resource products in the spotlight at the Australian Innovation Challenge. Winners will be announced on December 7. University of New South Wales mechanical engineer Liangchi Zhang has designed new rock-cutting tips… Read more »
Graeme Connors to sing happy bday Moranbah
November 28th, 2011
IN 1971, US mining giant Utah built the first houses that would become home to its Goonyella mine workers, and the town of Moranbah was born. Twelve months later, newlyweds Noel and Lyn Busk moved to town. “It was an… Read more »
Contractor jobs safe despite collapse
November 21st, 2011
NO mine workers or contractors at Moranbah North underground mine will be out of work in the lead up to Christmas, despite a roof collapse stopping production. No-one was injured when a large section of roof gave way in an… Read more »
Third collapse in two years
November 21st, 2011
THE roof collapse at Moranbah North underground mine is the third in two years in the same section of the mine. Last Monday, a 10-metre wide by five-metre high section collapsed in the second egress [exit route] from the mine…. Read more »
Mackay know-how exported to Chile
November 21st, 2011
ONE phone call has led to a Mackay-based environmental firm starting up an agency in Chile and the possibility of work at more than 200 Latin American mine sites. “It was serendipitous,” said Integrated Environmental Services Australia (IESA) Jack Riddell… Read more »
Bechtel backs adult apprentices to meet LNG shortfall
November 21st, 2011
CONSTRUCTION giant Bechtel will put on 400 adult apprentices as a crucial part of its workforce building three LNG plants in Gladstone. In what is one of Australia’s largest single uptakes of apprentices, the program will allow the new workers… Read more »
Wandoan real estate to hit April high
November 21st, 2011
April next year is shaping up to be a key moment in the real estate cycle for the emerging mining town of Wandoan, according to a local real estate agent. The small Surat Basin town currently has a population of… Read more »
FIFO means airport upgrades, cheap flights
November 21st, 2011
AIRPORTS across Queensland will be upgraded next year as the competition for lucrative fly-in fly-out mining market heats up. Speaking at the Australian Airports Association national convention in Brisbane this week, the organisation’s executive director Caroline Wilkie said fly-in, fly-out… Read more »
Peabody execs move to Brisbane
November 21st, 2011
US coal giant Peabody Energy will move two of its top executives to Brisbane, as the company’s Australian business grows stronger. While the company’s world headquarters will remain in St Louis, the office of chief operating officer, headed by Eric… Read more »
QR National hauls more Curragh coal
November 21st, 2011
QR National has signed a new long-term haulage contract with Wesfarmers Curragh mine to move coal to the new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal near Gladstone. The new contract will see up to 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) hauled…. Read more »
Not lost in translation
November 21st, 2011
WANT to get a handle on business opportunities in the Mackay-Whitsundays region – but you only speak Mandarin? Not a problem – in fact all of the region’s investment documents and statistics are now available in Chinese on the Regional… Read more »
Latest FIFO arrivals turn Moranbah batty
November 21st, 2011
MONTHS after they first flew in, Moranbah’s latest FIFO arrivals are only just starting to fly out. The town’s bat population exploded recently when more than 5000 little red flying foxes took up roost on the corner of Mills Avenue… Read more »
Fast train to haul in workforce
November 14th, 2011
AFTER years of false starts, Gladstone’s insatiable appetite for workers could be the catalyst for a fast train between the city and nearby Rockhampton. While the idea has been mooted for years, for the first time Queensland Rail has agreed… Read more »
Gladstone’s rental market “diabolical”
November 14th, 2011
THE chief executive of the Gladstone Regional Council has labelled the town’s rental situation as “diabolical” and the contribution of LNG companies “too little, too late”. In an address to the recent Golding Industry Conference, Stuart Randle said LNG companies… Read more »
BHP gives nod to $4B Caval Ridge mine
November 14th, 2011
A new surge of investment is about to hit the Bowen Basin, with BHP Billiton approving its $4.2 billion Caval Ridge coking coal mine and the expansion of the nearby Peak Downs mine. The mine has been highly controversial among… Read more »
Kevin’s Corner EIS released
November 14th, 2011
THE $6.6 billion Kevin’s Corner coal mine in the Galilee Basin would employ more than 11,000 people, according to its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The project is owned by Indian infrastructure giant GVK, which announced a take over of most… Read more »
Fitzroy coal barge in express lane
November 14th, 2011
A proposal to export coal through the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton on barges has been given significant project status by the Co-ordinator General this week. The decision is a major step forward for the Mitchell Group – majority owners of… Read more »
Unemployed turned drillers
November 14th, 2011
A training program aimed at getting unemployed Queenslanders into coal seam gas jobs has been extended after more than half the participants found work. The first intake involved 91 hopefuls from Logan, Ipswich, Gympie, Bundaberg and Toowoomba. Eighty-three of those… Read more »
Windsor threatens mining tax over CSG
November 14th, 2011
INDEPENDENT MP Tony Windsor says he will oppose the new mining tax unless there is greater regulation of the coal seam gas (CSG) industry. He also wants a moratorium on all CSG projects until more scientific information is available on… Read more »
FIFO probe starts with focus on women and police
November 14th, 2011
THE federal government inquiry into the use of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) workforces began this morning in Canberra. In the opening session the Regional Australia Committee of Senate took evidence from the Police Federation of Australia and… Read more »
$24K a year to share a bathroom
November 7th, 2011
CONSTRUCTION giant Bechtel is paying its Gladstone employees $465 a week extra to share a bathroom in an attempt to ease the demands on Gladstone accommodation. Bechtel is the principal construction contractor for four major projects in the port city:… Read more »
Ports chief wants Curtis Island bridge
November 7th, 2011
THE Gladstone Ports Corporation chief has labelled a decision not to build a land bridge to Curtis Island for LNG traffic as crazy. Speaking at the Golding Industry Conference, Leo Zussino said he was determined to see a land bridge… Read more »
CQ coal mines wet but ready
November 7th, 2011
AN inspection of central Queensland coal mines has revealed the majority are well prepared for another big wet season. Last December more than 80 per cent of the region’s mines were inundated. Ten months later, and about 65 per cent… Read more »
QRC defends Ensham application
November 7th, 2011
THE Queensland Resources Council has given critics of an application to discharge water from Ensham mine in the Bowen Basin a spray. QRC chief executive Michael Roche was quick to react this week after Rockhampton regional councillor Greg Belz publicly… Read more »
Exploration ban lifted in 10 towns
November 7th, 2011
EIGHT regional councils have opted out of the State Government’s ban on mining exploration close to towns. The interim ban was put in place in August as the debate surrounding CSG expansion and mining versus farming gathered momentum. A two-kilometre… Read more »
Gold Coast greenskins jostle for jobs
November 7th, 2011
MINERS who are prepared to work on a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) roster will soon have unprecedented choice over where they can live. The Sunshine and Gold Coasts have both been vying for a piece of the mining pie and are… Read more »
Businesses ask BMA to please explain
November 7th, 2011
BOWEN Basin businesses are still in the dark about $5.5 million in new contracts that mining giant BMA says it has awarded in the region. Last edition, Shift Miner Magazine reported that BMA had announced 19 new businesses had been… Read more »
Qld resources investment rockets up
November 7th, 2011
EXPLORATION in Queensland by the resources sector topped a billion dollars in the last financial year. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show $1.126 billion was invested in mineral and petroleum exploration expenditure in Queensland during the 12 months… Read more »
Government and unis chip in for Global prosperity
November 7th, 2011
THE University of Queensland (UQ) and University of Western Australia are to manage an international mining centre to assist developing nations. The $31 million International Mining for Development Centre is federally funded through AusAID and will provide practical advise as… Read more »
Alpha graziers say “no deal”
October 24th, 2011
A central Queensland grazier says no landholder agreements have been signed with the Indian infrastructure company GVK in the Alpha region. Last month, GVK announced it would pay $1.6 billion to buy out most of Hancock Coal’s Galilee Basin thermal… Read more »
Adani looking for machinery
October 24th, 2011
GALILEE Basin would-be miner Adani will begin ordering machines before Christmas as it starts developing its recently purchased Carmichael mining lease. The Carmichael mine project sits 160 kilometres west of Clermont, and is currently waiting for environmental approval from both… Read more »
March start date for Connors River Dam
October 24th, 2011
CONSTRUCTION is expected to begin within six months on a project to provide vital water supplies to mines and towns in the Bowen Basin. John Holland Queensland has just been announced as the preferred tenderer for the construction of a… Read more »
Gladstone steel plant given 12-month reprieve
October 24th, 2011
A $2.8 billion steel plant in Gladstone is still a long way from reality, with the company developing the plans granted a 12-month extension on submitting its environmental impact statement (EIS). Boulder Steel was required to provide its EIS by… Read more »
Mining not a magic pudding
October 24th, 2011
AS the carbon tax laws passed through the House of Representatives this morning, the resources industry is warning it is not a magic pudding. Today – October 12 – is also Pudding Day, a day that commemorates Norman Lindsay’s classic… Read more »
FIFO flaws exposed in submissions
October 24th, 2011
MINING companies should not mandate fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workforces as a substantial proportion of workers want to live locally. Tha’s according to CQUniversity Professor John Rolfe, who has made a submission to the House of Representatives inquiry into FIFO, with… Read more »
Councils want cap on travelling workers
October 24th, 2011
THE issues surrounding staffing remote mining sites is hotting up with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) continuing its demands for a cap on non-resident workers. The call for the proposed cap was made at the LGAQ’s annual conference… Read more »
Miners could rebuild Mackay Apex Club
October 24th, 2011
MEMBERSHIP at the Mackay Apex Club is so low that regular meetings can be held around a single table and a handful of chairs. That’s all about to change, though, if the call for new members from the region’s mines… Read more »
Mums and retirees manning the tills
October 24th, 2011
THE Bowen Basin’s “hidden workforce” will be encouraged out of hiding with a series of workshops to link job seekers directly with employers and training opportunities. Over the past 18 months a similar program has been run in Mackay, co-ordinated… Read more »
Fumes no risk to residents: Commish
October 24th, 2011
BLASTING operations have resumed at New Hope Coal’s New Acland mine near Oakey. Operations were suspended last week after toxic fumes travelled outside an exclusion zone. But the Mines Inspectorate says nearby residents have not been exposed to toxic fumes,… Read more »
Buy local brawl brewing
October 24th, 2011
A major stoush is brewing over government expectations that the resources sector should buy more local goods and services. Prime Minister Julia Gillard used last week’s jobs forum to underline her desire for mines and mining companies to spend more… Read more »
Revised conditions for Gladstone nickel refinery
October 24th, 2011
GLADSTONE Pacific Nickel (GPLN) has five years to raise the funds to buy the land needed for its refinery in central Queensland. The sunset clause is one of several conditions set out in a binding contract with the Queensland government… Read more »
Mystery surrounds BMA’s $5.5M for small business
October 10th, 2011
BOWEN Basin business leaders say they know nothing about $5.5 million in contracts that mining giant BMA says it has awarded in the region. In a press release, BMA says 19 new small businesses in Moranbah, Dysart, Blackwater and Emerald… Read more »
Coal prices drop, but still high
October 10th, 2011
COKING coal prices have dropped back slightly, as demand softens and Queensland’s supply returns to near normal levels after summer’s catastrophic floods. Wesfarmer’s Curragh mine has just settled on new contract prices that have fallen nine per cent – back… Read more »
Safety record strong despite three deaths
October 10th, 2011
WHILE there were three fatalities on Queensland mines and quarries over the past 12 months, the number of serious injuries is at its lowest level on record. The latest safety statistics have been compiled in the Commissioner for Mine Safety… Read more »
Cougar takes DERM to court
October 10th, 2011
COUGAR Energy is taking the Queensland Government to court over its decision to shut down the company’s underground coal gasification (UCG) project at Kingaroy. The plant was temporarily shut down in July last year, after minute traces of the cancer-causing… Read more »
More answers needed on Gladstone water
October 10th, 2011
AUTHORITIES say there has been little variation in water quality in the Gladstone Harbour – except during the January floods. The Environment Minister Vicky Darling released the water testing data yesterday, as authorities try to get to the bottom of… Read more »
More mine machines roll in
October 10th, 2011
THE number of mining machines imported in August rose despite a drop in other heavy machinery, according to a leading shipping index. Overally, machinery imports for August dropped by four per cent to 3145 units, however Skelton Sherborne predicted it… Read more »
$120M pipes, $85M CHPP contracts awarded
October 10th, 2011
IPLEX has been awarded a $120 million contract by QGC to supply polyethylene pipe for its Queensland gas fields. The two year deal will see Iplex, a division of Fletcher Building, construct a new factory in the Toowoomba region to… Read more »
Aerial surveys help miners & farmers
October 10th, 2011
A scientific survey crew is to take to the sky in central and south western Queensland to help unlock new information about mineral and energy resources and assist in land and water management. The Geological Survey of Queensland is doing… Read more »
Fishing ban last straw for Gladstone residents
October 3rd, 2011
A fishing ban in the Gladstone harbour could trigger the withdrawal of community support for heavy industry, according to the region’s Mayor Gail Sellers. Last week the harbour was closed to fishing for three weeks because of health concerns sparked… Read more »
Big cats built in Bris for Gladstone
October 3rd, 2011
A Brisbaned-based boat builder has won another $20 million contract to build passenger ferries to transport workers to the gas plants on Curtis Island off Gladstone. In April, Hemmant-based Aluminium Boats Australia was awarded a $21 million contract to build… Read more »
Gas shortage looms
October 3rd, 2011
QUEENSLAND is heading into a much-touted resources boom but may be short of gas in years to come. The latest gas market review has found the state’s domestic users could be left without enough gas because of floods delaying projects… Read more »
Indians own most of Galilee
October 3rd, 2011
THE majority of the Galilee Basin’s huge reserves of thermal coal is now bound for India, with Hancock Coal announcing it will sell most of its assets to the GVK Group. The Indian infrastructure company will take over the reins… Read more »
GVK to build shared Galilee railway?
October 3rd, 2011
INDIAN infrastructure company GVK is well ahead in the race to develop a railway from the Galilee Basin to port, and has now called for expressions of interest from other coal companies to use its line. Until recently, the three… Read more »
STDs not rampant in Qld miners
October 3rd, 2011
THE rate of sexually transmitted diseases among Queensland miners is no higher than the general population, according to doctors. It is a different story on the west coast, where doctors are concerned about the rise in levels of STDs among… Read more »
Mining takes centre stage at election
October 3rd, 2011
WHEN a Brisbane-based would-be Premier is talking mining and farming, you know regional Queensland is going to feature in the next state election. The former Lord Mayor of Brisbane and LNP leader, Campbell Newman, has spent much time over the… Read more »
Mines to fund brain gain
October 3rd, 2011
QUEENSLAND’S unprecedented mining boom should be used to fund education, the Premier Anna Bligh has told delegates at the annual State of the State address in Brisbane. The high profile event is one of two organised by the Committee for… Read more »
Miners strike before BMA vote
October 3rd, 2011
MORE than 1500 mine workers walked off the job at four Bowen Basin mines this week, in a long running dispute with employer BMA. After more than nine months of negotiating a new enterprise bargaining agreement, BMA called off talks… Read more »
Memorial service remembers lost miners
October 3rd, 2011
HUNDREDS of people gathered at the Mount Isa Civic Centre on Monday to commemorate Miners Memorial Day. The congregation, which included family members of deceased miners, miners, union representatives and industry executives, paid tribute to miners who had lost their… Read more »
ATCO WINS KEY CURTIS CONTRACT
September 19th, 2011
MODULAR building supplier ATCO has won the contract to design and manufacture a 2600-person temporary accommodation facility on Curtis Island off Gladstone. The contract was awarded by Bechtel Australia, the primary engineering, procurement and construction contractor working for Australia Pacific… Read more »
Rules governing dewatering relaxed
September 19th, 2011
THE rate of water being pumped from Bowen Basin mines flooded last December is expected to increase in the wake of a review into the rules governing water discharges. The review has relaxed some of the rules regarding the pumping… Read more »
Mine roof collapse costs $175M
September 19th, 2011
A roof collapse at North Goonyella mine has seen the mine out of action for over a month, and could cost owner Peabody Energy up to $US175 million. No-one was injured in the fall, which occurred when the longwall was… Read more »
One Mobbs shut, the other Mobbs open
September 19th, 2011
IT’S a tale of the one Mobbs, but two owners. When Kym Mobbs announced this week that his steel business in Biloela and Rockhampton would close its doors, it wreaked havoc on his brother Rodney’s steel business in Munduberra. “The… Read more »
Bowen Basin votes, Surat Basin strikes
September 19th, 2011
Central Queensland’s biggest employer and miner, BMA, says it has reached an impasse in negotiations with unions over a new workplace agreement. “BMA believes that after 32 full day meetings with the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) over the past nine… Read more »
QGC repairs CSG leak
September 19th, 2011
QGC is repairing a well head that was damaged and began leaking gas on Monday evening during set up operations for a drilling rig at the company’s Berwyndale South gas field in the Surat Basin. QGC Senior Vice President Jim… Read more »
Blasting best practice seminars
September 19th, 2011
A blasting seminar is being held in Blackwater today to inform coal miners how to better manage fume events. Earlier this year, several fume events at Bowen Basin mines sparked a review of blasting practices which led to new guidelines… Read more »
How much of Qld left unexplored?
September 19th, 2011
SIXTEEN mining exploration permits were granted in Queensland last month, and three mining leases. In the Bowen Basin, Stanmore Coal is exploring an area 30 kilometres south of Comet, while Endocoal is exploring just nine kilometres east of Theodore. Sierra… Read more »
Tiny resident threatens Rio’s plans
September 19th, 2011
A small crab may stand in the way of Rio Tinto’s new $900 million Cape York bauxite mine. Media reports say scientists preparing an environmental impact statement on the project 50 kilometres south of Weipa on behalf of Rio have… Read more »
Minerals council seeks new CEO
September 19th, 2011
The NSW Minerals Council is seeking a new CEO after the resignation of Dr Nikki Williams. Dr Williams will leave the role at the end of October to take up the same position at the Australian Coal Association. The ACA… Read more »
Mining towns turn on state government
September 19th, 2011
THE Bligh government is under increasing attack from mining communities who say their concerns are being ignored. The Moranbah Action Group president Kelly Vea Vea said the state government had completely mislead communities and the media over its decision to… Read more »
Innovation makes mine vehicles safer
September 19th, 2011
FINDING the safest, most cost effective way to stop objects penetrating light vehicle floors on mine sites has won a team from BHP Billiton’s Cannington mine a prestigious innovation gong. The Cannington team was highly commended in the 2011 Innovation… Read more »
Half of nation’s adult apprentices in CQ
September 19th, 2011
THE hunt is on for skilled workers who are just a hair’s breadth from being qualified tradesmen. “There is a great untapped source of talented Australians out there that might have thought trade training had passed them by,” said Alan… Read more »
Live local all spin: mining union
September 12th, 2011
THE powerful mining union the CFMEU has turned on the Bligh government, over its approval of a 100 per cent fly-in fly-out mine in the Bowen Basin. CFMEU state secretary Jim Valery has accused the state government of spin doctoring… Read more »
Rail decision confirms major new coal province
September 12th, 2011
QR National’s decision to invest nearly $1 billion in new rail infrastructure in the Bowen and Surat Basin is the final step in the opening up of one of Australia’s newest coal provinces. The Wiggins Island Rail Project (WIRP) will… Read more »
Businesses battle GFC, floods and now growth
September 12th, 2011
BUSINESS confidence in the Central Highlands might be high, but cash flow is proving an issue for many small and medium businesses. The Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) has launched a survey to gauge the economic impact of the floods… Read more »
Grey imports cheap but high risk
September 12th, 2011
PURCHASING mining and construction machines outside authorised dealerships is risky business, according to the peak industry group. The Construction and Mining Equipment Group CEO John Reid said there was a large “grey market” for new, used and low-hour machines in… Read more »
Demand pushes mining wage up
September 12th, 2011
It won’t be news to human resources professionals but there’s increased competition for workers in the mining industry and that is leading to a rise in wages. In its latest Economic Roundup the Federal Treasury said some companies are paying… Read more »
Ads show CSG positives; farmers grumpy
September 12th, 2011
AWARENESS advertisements are the new tool of choice in the battle over public opinion between resources and community. Earlier this year the “This is our Story” campaign was launched to push the barrow of the mining industry through soft advertising… Read more »
Free training for women
September 12th, 2011
ROCKHAMPTON and Gladstone women who want to work in mining – or progress up the ladder – will have access to free training programs next month. Last year, TNT Training Solutions’ Tash Fee ran the free workshops for women in… Read more »
Power project ahead of schedule
September 12th, 2011
QR National has announced it will complete the $195 million Blackwater Power Project six months early. The project will nearly double the electrical capacity on the Blackwater rail system in central Queensland, and will now be completed by June next… Read more »