Gov mandates 80% of QLD BHP Billiton Mitsubishi alliance employees to live locally

[b simpson]

http://www.smh.com.au/business/workers-to-live-near-pit-20110902-1jq20.html

THE Queensland government will require the mining joint venture BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance to have 80 per cent of its employees across all operations live in the region where they work.

A range of project conditions for BMA's Caval Ridge Mine were announced on Friday, aimed at giving the Moranbah community additional homes, and giving the new mine's workers a choice.

BMA had approval for up to 70 per cent of the workforce at the proposed central Queensland mine to be fly-in fly-out workers. It then applied to have 100 per cent fly-in fly-out workers, which the community opposed, believing it would miss out on any economic benefit.


BMA will be required to build 400 homes, the first 160 to be built in Moranbah by June 2013, and the remaining 240 across the Bowen Basin over the following four years.
BMA must have 80 per cent of the workforce across all its operations live in the region, the co-ordinator-general, Keith Davies, said.

''Instead of conditioning each project with a ratio… the broader community's interests should be recognised,'' he said.

Other support for the community will include up to $5.5 million towards a regional youth and community services centre in Moranbah.

 

[NedKelly]

What business is it of the government to tell BHP how to run their business?

 

[Token Funder]

What business is it of the government to tell BHP how to run their business?

Because the resources belong to the State Govt and they, to paraphrase everyone'sfavoritee suburban lawyer, get to decide who comes to dig stuff up and the terms on which they come.
Because many communities have worked out that FIFO screws with their towns and leaves very little of a permanent nature behind.

 

[Dan_p]

How can they expect a high percentage of people with those specific skills and work in the industry to move their families to a regional town. They wouldn't be able to find people with the skills required locally.

 

[NedKelly]

Well this way, when they leave there, all that will be left of a permanent nature is a bunch of empty houses and massive unemployment but with FIFO the community will be able to continue much as it was before.

 

[Dan_p]

Well this way, when they leave there, all that will be left of a permanent nature is a bunch of empty houses and massive unemployment but with FIFO the community will be able to continue much as it was before.

People in this industry are a different breed. Usually jumping from one worksite to another in different states and countries.

 

[Token Funder]

Well this way, when they leave there, all that will be left of a permanent nature is a bunch of empty houses and massive unemployment but with FIFO the community will be able to continue much as it was before.

Communities are simply asking for miners to stop treating them like a one-night-stand and show a little commitment. If they don't want to, so be it.

And it's not the before or after that's the issue...it's the during.

 

[Gentle_Chief]

How can they expect a high percentage of people with those specific skills and work in the industry to move their families to a regional town. They wouldn't be able to find people with the skills required locally.

Hiya,
people with mining skills will need to be in the mines. And the mines are most often in regional/remote towns. So expecting to live in sydney whilst working in broken hills is unreasonable. FIFO destroys the local communities/small businesses and has caused widespread resentment.

I have a couple of investments in moranbah and welcome the queensland governments proposal.

 

[Dan_p]

Hiya,
people with mining skills will need to be in the mines. And the mines are most often in regional/remote towns. So expecting to live in sydney whilst working in broken hills is unreasonable. FIFO destroys the local communities/small businesses and has caused widespread resentment.

I have a couple of investments in moranbah and welcome the queensland governments proposal.

BHP has been known to do quite a lot of damage to small towns by adopting a live in town approach. Look at what happened to Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/feb2009/brhp-f19.shtml

I had a neighbour when I was growing up who worked in the mines at Broken Hill and he would do his two weeks or so then drive back home to Sydney for his break of two or so weeks. I wouldn't say that is unreasonable.

Relocating families to a tiny town a few hundred kilometers inland from Rockhampton with no real guarantee is what I call unreasonable.

Good on you though for having some properties there, what made you buy there, did you have a suspicion something like this would happen?

 

[Sunfish]

These central Q towns aren't the end of the earth. Rellies work in the mines and live in Clermont. Have done so for years and are prolly more stable in their employment that most city slickers. They believe it is a terrific environment to raise the kids with far fewer unruly kids in the area. I know my nieces/nephews are great.

Fly in, fly out only benefits the larger coastal towns where there has been a boom in unit construction.

FIFO is a hard way to live and workers demand a high wage to make up for this. Being able to go home after each shift would improve their lot and wages could moderate.

I hope you are not being a little snobbish Dan/Nan.

 

[mattnz]

Watch Dysart and Moranbah house prices jump in the next year.

 

[mkendra]

Well this way, when they leave there, all that will be left of a permanent nature is a bunch of empty houses and massive unemployment but with FIFO the community will be able to continue much as it was before.

Hi there, have you ever been to Moranbah? Do you realise what kind of Town it is? I saw character and lifestyle in Moranbah, Community, One of the best roads I saw in Australia, Life bank was playing on the Town Square on Sunday morning while hundreds of people were browsing through the market and others sipping coffee. The coal Moranbah is surrounded by is the local heritage and it would be unjust if Local community would not benefit. Mining companies are moving billions of dollars overseas. They need to share the profits with Government and local communities. The families which move in to town like Moranbah are enjoying very nice life in a very nice Town, I spoke with many and no body regrets moving there. If you are a single then go to Dysart, make your money and move on. Families can happily spent a few years in Town like Moranbah which is family oriented.

 

[Dan_p]

These central Q towns aren't the end of the earth. Rellies work in the mines and live in Clermont. Have done so for years and are prolly more stable in their employment that most city slickers. They believe it is a terrific environment to raise the kids with far fewer unruly kids in the area. I know my nieces/nephews are great.

Fly in, fly out only benefits the larger coastal towns where there has been a boom in unit construction.

FIFO is a hard way to live and workers demand a high wage to make up for this. Being able to go home after each shift would improve their lot and wages could moderate.

I hope you are not being a little snobbish Dan/Nan.

I am sure it is a lovely town and can see the benefits of raising kids in a place like that.

I am not being snobbish, didn't mean to come across that way, both options would have pros and cons.

I do survey work for oil companies at sea so I fly to all sorts of places and a large number of them I wouldn't want to live. The difference is I am not flying to the same place for a set period of time.

 

[Sunfish]

I'll meet you half way then Dan. I doubt I'd want to take my family to Karatha but I could be wrong.

 

[Dan_p]

I'll meet you half way then Dan. I doubt I'd want to take my family to Karatha but I could be wrong.

Places like that are so expensive for food etc.

Working in Bass Strait atm out of whelshpool (vic) or Launceston

 

[profit]

So expecting to live in sydney whilst working in broken hills is unreasonable.

And yet they do indeed fly them from Brisbane in less advertised roles. Why? Because they have to, of course this trend will continue, what choice do they have? I know many positions that currently drive in/out of Mackay/Townsville or Rockhampton but are starting to offer FIFO Brisbane with free parking at the airport. I'm not saying this is good or bad just saying from an investing point of view there will be those who choose to live in Brisbane if offered the chance. And people do invest in Mackay etc.

 

[juzza]

As famly of a fifo worker there is now way I would want to move to these smaller towns. For one we have a child with special needs and the service would not be offered there and what happens when the mine closes, everyone packs up and leaves and the town is worse off.

 

[Icarus]

As famly of a fifo worker there is now way I would want to move to these smaller towns. For one we have a child with special needs and the service would not be offered there and what happens when the mine closes, everyone packs up and leaves and the town is worse off.

There are really great services spread through the Central Highlands specifically for children (and adults) with special needs, IMO better than what's available in many major centres.
You might actually find you have much more community/school support than you have now in Brisbane.

Is the town actually worse off when the mines close? Rent would go down, houses become cheaper and there is massive infrastructure already in place in the town that's not going to disappear when the so called mass exodus happens.. Many of the towns around the place (Emerald etc.) were thriving well and truly before mining came around and I'm sure would not vanish into dust if mining shut down.

 

[Sunfish]

Emerald and Clermont have been around a long time and have agriculture and grazing industries.

Central Qld coal mines will not close during our lifetimes. If they do, things will be pretty bleak everywhere.

 

[juzza]

There are really great services spread through the Central Highlands specifically for children (and adults) with special needs, IMO better than what's available in many major centres.
You might actually find you have much more community/school support than you have now in Brisbane.

Is the town actually worse off when the mines close? Rent would go down, houses become cheaper and there is massive infrastructure already in place in the town that's not going to disappear when the so called mass exodus happens.. Many of the towns around the place (Emerald etc.) were thriving well and truly before mining came around and I'm sure would not vanish into dust if mining shut down.

So the investor would be worse off with low yields and loose money with the price of houses going down.

Also we have recently moved to large regional centre with over 50,000 people and the services need for a child with cerebral palsy are just no here. we have to travel over 5hrs to sydney. so I can't see how these smaller towns would have the services