SHIFT MINER Monday 24th May 87th Edition 2010
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M A G A Z I N E
CHINATOWN THE largest influx of Chinese miners into Australia since the gold rush could be about to begin if Waratah Coal’s China First project gets off the ground. During the 1860s gold rush more than 40,000 Chinese arrived in Australia - a third of the mining workforce and more than three per cent of the entire Australian population at the time. Now, with the Chinese signaling they’ll invest $7.5 billion to develop the untapped Galilee Basin, the small central Queensland town of Alpha could be about to experience an extraordinary cultural change. Under the current deal being negotiated by the the owner of Waratah Coal Clive Palmer, virtually all the engineering work and the lion’s share of the mining process would be undertaken by Chinese. The Metallurgical Corporation of China would be the primary mining and construction contractor, with three other Chinese businesses listed as the sub contractors. According to Phil McNamara, managing director of Waratah Coal, the massive project would be almost exclusively built, operated and designed by the Chinese - but under Australian supervision. “We will need to make sure everything is done to Australian standards,” he told a conference in Mackay recently. “There will be a high level of input from Australian engineers, but the bulk of the heavy structures will come from China.” Mr McNamara said that given the sheer number of engineers required for the project - and the current skills shortage in Australia they would need to look at other options.
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News Miners ready to bid on QR » page 5 News Apprentice bonuses for employers extended » page 5 Feature What’s happening in the Surat Basin? » page 12 It was a day of high fashion under the autumn sun in CQ. BMA’s annual race day in Moranbah was a huge success with horses, jockeys and trainers travelling from across Australia to join locals for the big day out last Saturday. It was a memorable day for local race club officials John and Kay Juhas, whose horse Treasure Cay won the BMA cup in the final race for the day.
Around Town Blackwater’s “Super Saturday” at the footy » page 10
» More pictures & trackside action page 11
» continued page 6
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Money Matters Who’s been caught out by the tax office? » page 24