Mineral Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable has welcomed the speech by Labor leader Anthony Albanese in support of Australian mining as four of his MPs have toured Mount Isa and other Queensland mining centres.
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The MCA has accompanied four MPs Meryl Swanson, Mike Freelander, Milton Dick and Senator Kimberley Kitching, as they visited Mount Isa Mines, BHP's Peak Downs coal mine and the Adani Renewables Rugby Run solar farm in Moranbah, and Rio Tinto's alumina refinery and Orica's manufacturing plant in Gladstone.
Queensland MP Milton Dick said they visited solar farms, copper mines and met with local residents whose jobs depend on these industries.
"Over 300,000 Queensland jobs are supported by the resources sector with $4.3 billion in royalties paid to build for our schools, hospitals and roads," Mr Dick said.
New South Wales-based Dr Freelander said he enjoyed the MIM tour.
"I have even found some specimens for my mineral collection," Dr Freelander said.
"Mining is a vital part of Australia's future and its great to see such thriving outback towns like Mount Isa."
Ms Constable said the trip reinforced "the strong and positive relationship between the mining industry and the Labor party."
She said Australia's resources exports reached a record of $273 billion in 2018-19 and accounted for 58 per cent of Australia's total exports.
"Bipartisan support will ensure the minerals industry can continue driving economic growth and prosperity for Australia," Ms Constable said.
"Everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals for its production. If it did not grow, it was mined."
Mr Albanese used his speech this week to outline Labor's vision for Australia as "will always be one of a country that continues to make things."
Greens' environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the mining tour would cause despair among Labor voters.
"Lots of Labor voters will be shaking their heads at seeing Labor MPs hanging out with the Minerals Council - the same bunch of lobbyists that killed the mining super profits tax and then campaigned against a price on carbon," Hanson-Young told Guardian Australia.
The North West Star has asked Senator Kitching why the MPs did not speak to local media on their tour of Mount Isa.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
