Tackle FIFO
I read with great interest the story regarding the Labor candidate for Traeger, Danielle Slade.
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Should the labor candidate be inclined to and importantly, be allowed to, by Labor power brokers, take on the issue of Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) then without doubt Labor will take the seat from KAP.
The KAP have done nothing to reduce the FIFO issue in the region.
Robbie Katter has publicly stated he would be happy with 30% local employment but done nothing to ensure that happens.
Thirty percent is way too low incidentally, 100% should be what he was aiming for and why not?
As everyone in the North West is fully aware, Mount Isa and Cloncurry house prices have dropped significantly over the past few years and rental vacancies have gone through the roof.
If the mines surrounding Mount Isa made the point of employment for their projects in this region, the housing crisis in Mount Isa and Cloncurry would quickly be resolved and the financial future of thousands of people would be assured.
The mining companies have thrown us a bone and said that local employment is important to them.
However local employment doesn't fix the problem when locals are employed then move to the coast, this only further reduces the population in the region and puts more houses onto the market.
At the moment mines in the region are contributing very little to the local economies.
Capricorn Copper (Mt Gordon) for example does not have a single locally based employee on their site.
And to make matters worse they use contractors from outside the region to carry out most of the works.
They are not alone though, MMG (Dugald River) and Ernest Henry Mine also have minimal locally based personnel on their books.
EHM have admitted to 15% - an absolute disgrace, MMG less again.
The reason KAP haven't taken the mining companies on is simple.
There would be approximately five thousand votes that could come out of Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
The KAP and the Katters aren't willing to risk upsetting the coastal voters who fly into the region and come from various electorates that could have an impact on their chances in other electorates.
Add to this the huge influence the mining industry has on politics.
Refer to the ongoing Adani coal mine debate and it’s obvious why FIFO isn't a popular topic with KAP or any other politician.
Now we wait and see if Labor and Danielle Slade have what it takes to try and make changes.
If they do they will get every vote in this region.
Andrew Neil, Mount Isa
Dump Trump
In the morning of a mass shooting in a Little Rock USA nightclub that injured 25 people, what did the President of the United States of America choose to say?
He used twitter to attack some journalists that had previously disagreed with him.
No mention of the victims, just a tirade against some First Amendment journalists that didn't kow-tow to him.
Well Trump, I think you are liar, a lard-arsed orange coloured phoney with daddy issues and some strange ideas about your favourite daughter.
I believe you have an IQ of 70 and the temperament of an angry 12 year old spoilt brat.
In short Mister Mega-Rump Trump, the job of POTUS used to include the title of Leader of the Free World.
The rest of the world doesn't want you in your secondary role anymore.
Please USA, Dump Trump, the 25th Amendment is there.
George Harley, Mount Isa