THE North West region has been dragged into a political debate by government MPs highlighting the importance of the mining industry.
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Townsville MP Scott Stewart said the North West Minerals Province was important to the state’s future economic development.
His praise of the region’s industry followed the aftermath of Mirani Labor member Jim Pearce’s comments last week that mining companies had abandoned local communities and that none of them “deserves the right” to mine.
Mr Stewart said the minerals province was the richest zinc province in the world, and had a number of “world class” copper deposits like Mount Isa, Cannington, Ernest Henry and potentially Dugald River.
The Northern Territory’s pipeline to flow into the eastern states was being discussed in Tennant Creek on Sunday and Monday, and could provide benefit if it ran through Mount Isa, Mr Stewart said.
“Naturally the Queensland government is keen to support the development of these industries, to maintain the momentum of this terrific heritage in the story of our state to underpin the economic lifeblood of this region.”
Former LNP treasurer Tim Nicholls said the comments by Mr Pearce in the opening week of Parliament symbolised the state government’s already existing lack of confidence in the mining industry.
“After coming to office without a plan, one of its very first actions [was] to immediately – for no good environmental, scientific or economic reason and without consultation or discussion – ... ban uranium mining in Queensland.”
A uranium ban affected the North West Minerals Province where there were large deposits – including Valhalla and Westmoreland – a fact not exploited by Mr Nicholls.
Former Mines Minister Andrew Cripps moved that Parliament formally support the mining sector as “one of the foundations of prosperity and job creation”.
He likened the government’s acknowledgement of the importance of the mining industry as a miraculous biblical conversion worthy of Paul “on the road to Damascus”.
“The first things it did was ban uranium mining, delay the construction of the development of Abbot Point and also cast some doubt over whether or not stage three of Acland will go ahead,” Mr Cripps said.
