In these difficult COVID times we could certainly do with a bit of good news.
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And there was no doubting last week's announcement that the state government will guarantee the future of Glencore's Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville copper refinery was good news.
The state is providing somewhere between $30-40 million (the exact amount is commercial in confidence) which Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says would assist the ongoing operations of the copper smelter, the Townsville copper refinery and manufacturer Incitec Pivot.
"This investment will underpin 350 jobs at the smelter, 220 jobs at the Townsville Copper Refinery, and another 520 in Incitec Pivot's operations in North Queensland, which depend on the smelter for feedstock," the premier said.
The support package will allow for the four-yearly re-bricking and maintenance work at the smelter, due in September next year.
While some may argue with taxpayer funds being used to prop up a multi-national business where profits go to Switzerland, the fact is that the smelter and refinery may have gone under without it.
Glencore have long complained about the "negative costs" of maintaining these assets which "face high fixed costs and struggle to compete internationally."
Sooner or later someone in Zurich with no affinity for North West Queensland is going to draw a red line under them and they will shut it down.
And when that happens it will be a devastating blow to the local economy in direct and indirect job losses and the multiplier effect of spending and population downturn in the region.
In a state election likely to be decided in places like Townsville, the premier knew she simply could not let that happen.
The decision provides some security in the lead up to Mount Isa's centenary in 2023.
But we must use that time now to look at what the city's economy will look like in its second century.
Mining will no doubt play an important role and CopperString will bring more opportunities. But diversification has never been so crucial and all sides of politics need to embrace that future.