Mount Isa Mayor Joyce McCulloch has put Mount Isa at the centre of Northern Australia resource development but said more must done to secure the region’s energy, transport and water.
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At the Australian Geoscience Council Convention in Adelaide Cr McCulloch said Mount Isa was perfectly positioned as a gateway to Northern Australia and Southern Queensland.
The Mayor said Mount Isa is home to the world’s largest single mine of copper, lead, silver and zinc with projects worth $11 billion dollars worth of projects underway or under consideration in the North West including the Northern Gas Pipeline, Dugald River Zinc, New Century, and Walford Creek Base Metals.
Cr McCulloch said the “Infrastructure Trifecta” – energy, transport and water – were crucial to the long-term viability of the region.
“Government actions remains a contradiction when they are responsible for setting the price of the two major resources - electricity and water,” Cr McCulloch said.”
“Glencore, which employs 2000 personnel in Mount Isa, said in 2017 the high cost of energy could force it to shut down its operations.”
The Mayor said water access costs in Mount Isa is was at an all-time high. “Council pays an ongoing, fixed access charge fee to the State Government owned Mount Isa Water Board of $10.7m per year. Variable charges are also paid for water supplied by the Mount Isa Water Board.”
Cr McCulloch said the isolation of the Mount Isa electricity grid from the National Electricity Market was an issue and Council would welcome expansion of solar power and renewable sources.
”The investment in renewable energy is reinvigorating the Darling Downs which suffered a sharp downturn when CSG slowed earlier than expected,” she said. “NW Queensland has one of the highest amounts of solar radiation per square metre, so it makes perfect sense for solar projects to be pursued. An investment and commitment for renewable energy in the North West contribute to the region’s economy and would also reinvigorate future mining exploration and investment.”
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