It's time to speak out for the mining industry
Earlier this year the Mount isa branch of the Australian Labor Party issued a media release which received wide coverage in our North West Star and other statewide media where they called for a "concerted campaign to promote. encourage and defend the Queensland mining industry."
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This latest attack on our industry by this small group in Brisbane, Melbourne and other capital cities demonstrates how correct the local ALP were in expressing their concerns.
Recently we have witnessed groups of protesters closing down the centre of cities preventing people from getting to and from work. However this latest chaos in Melbourne should be examined for what it is.
Lets look at the facts.
An International mining conference is being held in Melbourne to discuss the issues confronting the mining Industry and I know that many environmental issues were discussed and debated.
These protesters took it upon themselves to prevent delegates who had travelled from all around the world taking their place in the venue and expressing their views on a whole range of issues which is their democratic right. When the Police arrived to ensure the delegates were allowed to enter the building it is reported that they were attacked and abused by the protesters .
Its amazing that these protesters don't understand the importance of the Mining Industry to their way of life. I suspect most of the protesters were too busy making calls on their mobile phones.
Did they stop to ask themselves where the materials come from to make the batteries and other parts of their mobile phones.
The materials are MINED.
Imagine this world without copper, silver, lead, zinc, gold, diamonds, coal and other minerals which we mine not forgetting the new earth materials so promising for North West Queensland.
Take these materials out of the world economy and the financial crisis of the 1920s would pale Into insignificance.
Hundreds of thousands of jobs would disappear, opportunities lost for so many people. Governments would be in the midst of a financial crisis as the revenue from royalties and taxes would disappear.
What would industry and individuals do without batteries and the jewellery industry would collapse without gold, silver or diamonds. It's time for the voices of the "Quiet Australians" to be heard loud and clear and let us all understand the importance of the mining industry to every Australian ,not just those employed in the industry.
So at every opportunity lets promote this vital industry and don't allow this anti-mining brigade to destroy an industry which means so much to the economy of North West Queensland, Queensland, Australia and indeed the world.
Tony McGrady
Former Queensland Labor Minister for Mines and Energy
TAFE plan not working
Annastacia Palaszczuk's plan for TAFE clearly isn't working, following the release of results from a national biennial survey of employers last week.
Only 41% of employers with apprentices or trainees are choosing TAFE as their preferred training organisation, which is a drop of more than 10% since Annastacia Palaszczuk became Premier in 2015.
TAFE Queensland is set to lose $38 million this year, apprenticeship completions have fallen by almost a third and there are nearly 9000 fewer students in training, under Labor.
It's no wonder Queensland has the highest unemployment rate in the nation and a record number of Queenslanders in the jobless queue. Labor has introduced nine new and increased taxes, which are toxic for our economy.
Only the LNP will get Queensland working, creating more jobs and delivering job security with no new taxes.
Fiona Simpson, LNP Shadow Minister for Training and Skills Development