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Tuesday April 2, 2013 158th Edition
M A G A Z I N E
ACHTUNG BABY Have we gone overboard with safety?
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Shift Miner Magazine
CONTENTS 6
16 24
NEWS
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4 Miner dies at Cobar 5 Shifts force early retirement 8 Rocky’s FIFO turnaround 11 Local business success
Regulars
8 Stuff to the Editor 1 23 19 Frank the Tank Numbers You 20 Miner’s Trader * Numbers You Numbers You Can Count On* 24 Sport Can Count On Can Count On* *When audited by the CAB Numbers You *When audited * by the CAB *When audited the CAB On 25 Money Matters CanbyCount *When audited by the CAB
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Supervisor crushed to death at Cobar
(L-R) The kibble used in the project and an example of a man-riding cage
A shift supervisor has died after his head was crushed while he was travelling up in a kibble at a copper mine in New South Wales. Forty-one-year-old Jeremy
Junk had been working at the extension project of the CSA mine in Cobar. He died during a shaft-sinking operation, where an existing shaft was being deepened
to allow ore to be hoisted from lower sections of the mine. The kibble - or large bucket was used to transport men and materials into the work site. It was
suspended by a single head rope and had no guide ropes, so it could move easily from side to side. The workers were using a two-deck stage to access the area, and a ‘kibble well’ - or hole - was the access point to get in or out. The clearance between the kibble and the kibble well was relatively small where it passed through the two stage decks, creating a hazardous nip-point when people were raised up. The incident happened about 4.20am on March 16. Mr Junk got into the kibble at the lower deck and rang the shaft bell to be hoisted to the brace, a distance of about 15 metres. As the kibble passed through the opening in the upper deck, the Mr Junk was fatally injured. It is believed he put his head over the side of the kibble and it was crushed when it hit the underside of the top deck. Police have confirmed he was wearing a helmet at the time. The NSW mines safety unit is investigating the incident and is concerned about the design and
installation of the kibble. It says that while kibbles are regularly used in shaft sinking, purpose-built man-riding cage would be much safer wherever practical. “The principal control measure used on this job to prevent this type of injury appeared to be that people travelling in the kibble must ensure body parts did not extend beyond the confines of the conveyance,” the initial report into the death read. “This incident highlights the inadequacy of such procedural controls on their own.” The unit wants more effective controls to be put in place and has highlighted its draft guidelines for shaft sinking winders. For more information, go to www.resources.news.gov. au/safety/major-investigations Before his career change into mining a few years ago, Mr Junk was a well-known festival promoter in Western Australia. He is credited with introducing Perth dance music fans to large festival events like Delirium in the late 90s and early 00s.
NSW firefighters running Qld mine emergencies OFF-duty firefighters from northern New South Wales and Brisbane are manning emergency response teams at Bowen Basin open cut coal mines. The practice is happening at several of Central Queensland’s 46 open-cut coal mines, with firefighters flown up to work three 12-hour shifts and then flown back. Queensland’s underground coal mines have a standardised emergency response procedure that is run by the Queensland
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2nd April 2013
Mines and Rescue Service (QMRS). Each mine has its own response team made up of employees who take turns in the role in between performing their regular duties. They are trained by QMRS, and all equipment is standard issue. But those rules do not apply to the state’s open-cut coal mines, where the emergency response procedures are managed site by site - although still policed through the mines inspectorate. As a result, some mines have
now chosen to fully contract those services out to a third-party provider, meaning miners are not manning the shifts. QMRS state director Wayne Hartley said problems have emerged. “I can only say what I am hearing, which is that some of the systems are not operating to the level one would expect, and other systems are running very, very well,” he told Shift Miner. “Regardless though, contracting out those services is an expensive way of doing business.”
Mr Hartley said there were disadvantages in employing outsiders to run mine emergency response units. “Certainly off-duty firefighters have a skill-set that has been determined by their career as urban firefighters trained in civilian roles as opposed to the specific skills needed for heavy industry. There can be challenges there.” He said there are also concerns at the other end. “The other problem is they are going back to their normal day
job after three 12-hour shifts; there must be a fatigue issue there.” Mr Hartley said the time had come for a standardised approach for open cut mines. “At the moment we have 46 open-cut mines and 30 different ways of doing things. They need to get together and decide what system is best for all. The whole objective is that we don’t want any injuries. I don’t think a satisfactory precedent is being set.”
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Gone fishin’
How 21-day shifts are forcing early retirement
TWENTY-ONE days straight is too long a shift for older miners, and companies risk losing their most valuable workers to early retirement if they keep it up. That’s the blunt warning coming from an experienced training provider in Central Queensland. It’s no secret that the region’s industrial workforce is ageing. According to the 2012 Heartbeat Report put together by the Kinetic Group, less than 10 per cent of the workforce is under 25 years of age. Almost a quarter (22 per cent) of the workforce is over 50 years of age, and 3.2 per cent is over 60 and eligible to retire. Interestingly, almost a third of new recruits (31 per cent) are also over 50. Those figures suggest that over the next decade a huge swag of experienced workers will leave the industry. TNT Training Solutions
owner Tash Fee says the phone is running hot with older miners looking to retrain. “I had a guy call just yesterday. He’s an operator in his 50s and wants to look at becoming a trainer assessor,” she told Shift Miner. “There are a lot of people out there who want to re-skill because they can’t physically operate the equipment or they don’t have the stamina to work the shifts - particularly night shifts - anymore.” But more worryingly, Ms Fee believes new FIFO rosters will force many older miners out of the industry earlier than expected. “The industry used to be run on four-on four-off rosters, then we went to seven-on seven-off, and now 21-on seven-off is the most common roster in the coalfields and the gasfields,” she said. “That’s okay if you are young and fit, but for some
of our older workers they physically cannot do those rosters; it is killing them.” “It’s not even about lifestyle; it’s just about the fact that in your 40s and 50s those sort of shifts take their toll and your body just doesn’t bounce back like it used to. For many, when they come to that fork in the road, they know they have to either suck it up or look at a career change.” But Ms Fee suggests companies too must reconsider their rosters if they want to maintain experienced workers in the longer term. “There really needs to be a rethink. It can’t just be a blanket 21-on as not everyone can keep up with that. Companies might be looking at the dollar savings in terms of travel and accommodation costs for workers - but what about performance? That is something that needs to be monitored.” At some stage over the next decade the tipping point will emerge where greenskins - or new workers - will outnumber experienced workers on site. According to the Heartbeat report, the most at-risk jobs in terms of retirement age are deputies, open-cut examiners, surveyors, supervisors, drillers, mechanics, electricians, and mobile and fixed operators. Ms Fee said there are dangers in new workers moving up the ranks at great pace.
“It happens a lot in drilling,” she said. “It used to be the norm to work as an offsider doing your tour of duty, so to speak, for six or seven years before you got to touch a lever. Now, a lot young people are an offsider for six months and then they’re running a drill team. “But when something goes wrong - if a drill bit gets sucked down a hole - they don’t know how to respond. That sort of mistake costs the company, it costs the client, it ruins reputations and it’s dangerous.” The Queensland Mines Rescue Service handles the emergency response decisions at underground coal mines. Its director Wayne Hartley is someone who is constantly monitoring the age of workers. “It is certainly a concern for mines rescue and we are constantly watching the age profile of our people,” he said. “For us, the future challenge will be that we are dealing more and more with people with little industry experience. That means we will need more sophisticated training systems - more simulation training in particular - to accommodate the lack of experience.” Mr Hartley agreed the new 21-on seven-off roster would not suit many older, experienced workers. “They will end up retiring early,” he said. “They won’t wait until 60, they will go at 55 onwards.”
FAST NEWS
Kinetic kicks the bucket
FROM the website it appeared to be business as usual for the Kinetic Group, but the disconnected phone lines and the unanswered emails were a bit of a giveaway. Kinetic Group, which spent 19 years providing planning, training and skilling solutions to the resources industry, has closed up shop. Shift Miner understands that the not-for-profit organisation, which relied heavily on state government funding and sponsorship, had been in trouble for several months and was wound up swiftly in the past month. Meanwhile, Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ) has used this as an opportunity to expand into the mining industry and has bought some of Kinetic Group’s key mining training products.
Elimatta EIS closed PUBLIC comment on the EIS of an open-cut coal project near Taroom in Central Queensland has now closed. Taroom Coal is proposing the 259 million tonne open-cut thermal coal mine extracting up to 8 million tonnes a year of run-of-mine coal to produce 5 million tonnes a year of product coal for export. Coal from the Elimatta project will be transported via the proposed West Surat Link, the planned Surat Basin Rail and existing rail networks to the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal near Gladstone. The site is 45 kilometres south-west of Taroom and covers about 4460 hectares over three mining leases and a 36 kilometre long rail corridor.
2nd April 2013
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Xstrata gone but local purchasing stays
Xstrata’s local purchasing decisions will still be made on site
XSTRATA mines will still make purchasing decisions at the site level in Queensland, despite the mining giant closing its Brisbane office. More than 100 jobs will go in Brisbane as the company moves
its administrative headquarters to Sydney. But it will be business as usual in Central Queensland at its mine sites. Capricorn Enterprise’s Neil Lethlean says the decision to move head office further
afield could even work to the advantage of local businesses. “Usually when those sorts of decisions are made to move office, they don’t impact on the tier three or four supply chains,” he told Shift Miner. “In fact, it might improve without having big brother on our doorstep; it could mean individual mine managers have more authority and responsibility to make some of those purchasing decisions.” The deputy chair of the Mackay Chamber of Commerce Kylie Porter agrees. “It’s been a couple of years now since BMA moved its local purchasing team from Mackay to Brisbane, and while businesses were worried about it at the time it hasn’t had an overly big impact,” she said. “I think Xstrata’s decision to move their headquarters from Brisbane to Sydney will have even less of an impact because there are already key people on the ground at Xstrata sites that will be making the procurement decisions. Those jobs in Brisbane are the tail end of
the paperwork chain.” Ms Porter said the past six to 12 months had seen a huge change in business conditions in Mackay, in particular for mining supply businesses. “The purse strings for the big companies are being held very tight, and the message to the market is that this is the new norm and the open purchase policy is gone,” she said. “Everyone is looking to rein in costs and be trim and lean, and as a region we have to adjust to those trading conditions. That’s not to say the outlook is bleak; it’s certainly better than anywhere else in Australia.” But Ms Porter said it was inevitable some mining supply businesses would not make it through the next six months. “I don’t want to say it’s a fait accompli because you don’t want to see an owner-operator shut up shop, but, yes, there will be businesses who won’t be able to make it through this readjustment,” she said. “The change in conditions was so swift and I don’t think a lot of
business have been able to deal with that in terms of cash flow or capital. But the ones that do diversify and make it through have a really good future ahead.” Ms Porter said in particular plant equipment companies and labor hire contractors were facing challenging times. Further south in Rockhampton, and Mr Lethlean said there had actually been a turnaround in how local businesses were faring. Rockhampton businesses have always struggled to vie with their industrial neighbours in Mackay and Gladstone, but the outlook is changing. “Over the past six months we have companies who are tendering for jobs and not necessarily winning but they are being considered,” he said. “They are now in the ballpark and that is a big change from a few years ago. While it’s not putting food on the table there is a turnaround, and larger corporations are saying you’re not quite there yet but you are nearing the point where we will seriously consider you.”
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Drowning in a sea of safety
WHEN you need a SOP to operate a wheelbarrow or you need to do an induction before you can enter a corporate office in Brisbane, you know Queensland mining has gone safety mad. It’s been heading that way for some time, but the level of safety compliance and paperwork at Queensland mine sites, industrial workshops and in the gas fields is mind boggling - and in many cases completely nonsensical. Who says so? Well, pretty much anyone you ask. Shift Miner tracked down many who
were prepared to speak candidly on the issue, but none were prepared to put their name to the comments because of the sensitivity of the subject. All agree safety must come first - but the level of compliance is so taxing it is killing small business and scaring big business away from Queensland. One Central Queensland training provider explained the rigmarole that is now simply part and parcel of doing business. “To be compliant to national standards costs an absolute
fortune both in terms of time and money,” she said. “You have to have a SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] for everything. Now you can understand it for a forklift and you can understand it for a piece of machinery. But for a wheelbarrow? A ladder? A spade? I am not joking. It’s just ridiculous.” According to the source, to be fully compliant it is not enough to just have a SOP - apprentices and experienced tradespeople have to be trained in the safe use of the item. That goes for
“You have to have a SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] for everything. Now you can understand it for a forklift and you can understand it for a piece of machinery. But for a wheelbarrow? A ladder? A spade? I am not joking. It’s just ridiculous.”
everything. Even ladders. “So I had a trainer who had to put together a 1.5 hour training demonstration - including powerpoint presentation - for three apprentices and four tradies. That included showing a qualified electrician in his 50s how to use a ladder when he’s been up and down one every day of his life since he was 16. “By the time they complete their assessment task at the end of the training it is almost a whole day wasted. That is seven people unproductive for one day; business just simply cannot afford it.” Ever slipped into your single person quarters after a hard day’s work and wondered why there is no fridge in your room so you can enjoy a cold drink? Chances are the fridge has fallen foul of safety compliance. One high-ranking mining industry insider related this story to Shift Miner: “A group looking to set up accommodation rooms for workers decided the rooms shouldn’t have fridges because milk could be put into the fridge and go off and an employee could drink it and become sick and the company could be liable,” he said. The source said some of the biggest players in Central Queensland were the worst offenders. “BHP has got itself into a state of thinking the process is the process, and irrespective of the cost or outcome you must follow it. No one is looking at those outcomes; they are simply just following process. “Similarly, is it really necessary to do an induction to go to a meeting in a corporate office as in Rio Tinto’s offices in Brisbane? The question needs to be asked - is this keeping anybody safe, or is it just a compliance issue?” The problem for big companies is they simply cannot afford to go on like this in the current economic climate, and many have painted themselves into a corner, he said. “Part of the issue is that when something is identified as a safety issue, then people are loathe to change it as they are worried about future liability,” he said. “For example, if driving
to site is banned, as some gas companies have done, then future management won’t want to reverse the decision because if there is an incident they will be hauled over the coals due to the previous precedent.” Small business is also struggling under the weight of paperwork and the real threat of being sued. “There is a paper trail for everything. If you need to take a band-aid out of the first aid box there needs to be a complete investigation into the incident,” said our training source. “It is always somebody else’s fault, isn’t it? If you trip over a step it was because it was too high, or too low, or there wasn’t a sign there advising you there was a step. God forbid you should think for yourself. “Everyone is covering their arse because they are worried about getting sued and the paperwork is literally killing small industry.” And then there’s the man at the coalface. He’s suffering too, thanks to a whole bunch of safety procedures that don’t actually keep anyone safe. Shift Miner’s regular columnist Redmond - himself a coal industry worker - has highlighted the perils of not being able to wear a sunhat in 40 degree heat because you have to wear a hard hat with an ineffective sun brim instead. “Would a safety guru please do this experiment: tape a milk crate (hard hat) to your soft head then tape an ice cream lid (useless sun brim) to the milk crate, apply one coat of sunscreen, one coat of fine dust, two tablespoons of diesel and a half a cup of grease to your face. “Now park your car in the middle of a dirt paddock at 12 noon-ish and remove the front right-hand side wheel and put it back on. You may get sunburnt. “Maybe the Safety Department could write a 23,456,024 word SOP on hard hats, or run a hard hat tool box meeting, or write me up for kicking my hard hat over the bund and donning an akubra.” WHAT DO YOU THINK? Has the safety regime gone crazy? Text your thoughts to 0409 471 014 Or email us at alex.graham@shiftminer.com Worried about being identified? Don’t be. We can print your views, without printing your name.
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Rocky Council does FIFO about-turn
THE Rockhampton Regional Council has done an aboutturn on its support for fly-in fly-out (FIFO) mining practice and has even requested a FIFO coordinator for the region. Councillor Neil Fisher, who put the motion before council, said he felt the previous resolution was
very negative and didn’t reflect the views of the community. “Having worked in the mining industry myself I understand both its advantages and disadvantages, but most of all I recognise the positive impact it can have in our region.” The Rockhampton and Capricorn
Coast region already serves a large part of the Bowen Basin with its drive-in, drive-out workforce. The announcement has been met positively by those working in the industry. A wife of a miner told a local online forum that she supported FIFO as it was far safer alternative for every
road user - miner or non-miner. “It is no secret that miners work 12-hour shifts often coming off night shift before heading home tired. Sequentially, over the years many lives have been lost on the roads due to poor decision made in haste to get back to families,” she said. She said the mining boom in the Central Queensland region should support employment from that area first and only go outside the area if the job criteria could not be met locally. “I do recognise that much of the infrastructure in these towns will be made redundant and won’t be built upon as a result of FIFO, but we have to be realistic in that most of that has already happened regardless of FIFO. “Where my husband works there is no chemist, nor any bus or rail transport in or out. Therefore, the option is drive long distances or have your family live in towns without needed services, plus severe lack of opportunities in employment, education, sport, and so on. “I know I lived there with children long enough. If you want to live in these towns as a family and put up with services
NEW energy sources are proving to bring fresh marketing angles to rural property. Real estate agent and Wandoan Chamber of Commerce president Ray Mortimer said advertisements for farms and rural holdings have started mentioning income from the gas industry. Some ads read: “Four gas wells and one monitoring well - $10,000 a year paid to landowner.” This taps into the practice of modern farming being all about
diversifying, and gas wells or wind turbines can bring extra income to support beef and cropping businesses. Generally the impact that gas development had on rural property values in the Surat Basin had been neutral, Mr Mortimer said. “It’s not adding to the property but it’s not taking away from it. In most of the places that have got gas it’s not detrimental to the property,” he said. One 1034 hectare grazing property south of Wandoan
highlights in its ad that it’s just a few kilometres from the QGC development. “This allows for extra income to be derived from a gas well, and water is also being sold to the resource sector,” the advertisement reads. Queensland Valuer-General Neil Bray said there are still very limited sales of any substance to demonstrate a market for the effect of gas wells on property values. He said this has also been confirmed by private sector valuers.
Mr Bray said the State Valuation Service was aware of rural property advertisements listing income from gas wells had appeared and that he was now monitoring them. “These advertisements could signify the possible maturity of the market in the acceptance of gas wells incorporated into a rural business and/or the market has identified the surety of income versus commodity fluctuations,” he said. “However, there is no clarity in the marketplace at this time.
No bull - Rocky loves FIFO.
deficiencies then great, however, for those who don’t, then they should have that choice,”she said. Cr Fisher said he believed there were many advantages to having the mining industry on the Rockhampton Region’s doorstep. The council has resolved to actively encourage Bowen and Galilee Basin mine operators and allied employers to base their workforces in the Rockhampton Region and to request that the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce locate a FIFO coordinator. “Our message to mining and related companies is that the Rockhampton Region is a great place to live, work and play and we have a huge range of developers, accommodation providers and real estate agents who cannot wait to expand the Region’s role in providing residential services to the mining community.”
The State Valuation Service can only interpret the market when preparing statutory valuations.” Mr Mortimer agreed that surety of income provided from gas wells was attracting interest from potential property buyers. “Some callers have expressed interest in the cash flow,” he said. Some real estate realtors however said they preferred not to list gas wells on advertisements, preferring to discuss any CSG activities occurring on a property with potential buyers over the phone.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Text us your thoughts on 0428 154 653 Here’s what you’re saying on Facebook www.facebook/shiftminer About bloody time! - Krystle Condon It’s gonna happen no matter anyway Andrew White
Gas new selling point in rural real estate
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Thin miners the biggest losers THERE’S nothing newsworthy about fat miners - let’s face it, it’s almost a surprise these days if you work in mining and you’re not carrying an extra few kilos below the belt. But for all the thin miners out there - eating your chips and gravy with a smug, superior grin - chances are your own health could be questionable. In fact, a 12-week health program run at a coal mine in the Hunter Valley by Core Health Consulting has uncovered some alarming news for slim miners. “The goal of the program was to improve health overall, and the by-product of it was that people lost weight,” said Core Health Consulting’s Tammy Farrell. “There were 164 participants and more than 490 kilos were shed, that’s an average weight loss of 3.1kg per person. The biggest individual loss was 25 kgs.” These are the results you would expect from a program of this kind. But what wasn’t anticipated was the health problems uncovered in thin employees.
“It was the thinner guys who thought they didn’t need to do anything, that is until I started to talk about blood pressure,” said Ms Farrell. “But when they came along to their initial session they discovered their blood pressure was significantly higher than it should be and their resting heart rate was also too high for their age.” So how can you be thin, but unhealthy? “Many people don’t realise it, but yes,” said Ms Farrell. “It’s a combination of factors, you can have a fast metabolism but not do any exercise and eat a one massive meal each day. “A lot of the thinner guys when they had had blood pressure readings in the past, excused the result as a oneoff. But if you are taking your reading every two weeks for 12 weeks you know it’s not just a one-off but in fact the norm.” “When they discovered the truth they were appalled and started exercising more regularly. In fact many lost centimetres over the 12 weeks because they
gained muscle mass and lost fat.” The current working conditions could also lead to blood pressure problems. Stress and anxiety can be linked to high blood pressure, and with many miners and industry workers in a state of flux because of the economic climate it is something to watch out for. Managers and white collar workers are not exempt either. “Management needs as much support as employees,” said Ms Farrell. “One thing our program revealed was that managers who drank too much caffeine and were often very dehydrated. By cutting back the coffee and introducing water they reported feeling more stable and much less anxious.” So the advice for skinny miners who think they are healthier than their tubbier workmates? “Take the rose-coloured glasses and ensure you’re healthy by actually having check ups. If you’re not, then do something about it.”
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BMC barges in on marine clean up
BMC grads join the barge to clean up the Whitsundays
MORE than 385 kilograms of marine debris have been picked out of waterways in the Whitsundays thanks to a group of Queensland coal employees. Yep, 385kgs. It sounds like a lot, but it’s true and it was all picked up in one day on what’s known as the Eco Barge. Twelve volunteers from
alone, in the 19 trips it made laden with volunteers the barge removed 9,424kgs of marine debris. Now BMC has become a partner of Eco Barge in 2013 to support the program. As part of this partnership, BMC wanted their newest team members to have the opportunity to be actively involved in removing
BHP Billiton Mitsui Coal (BMC) graduate program removed the rubbish from Grimston Point near Arlie Beach last month. They did it in collaboration with Eco Barge Clean Seas, which runs a program in the Whitsundays which has removed more than 90,000kg of rubbish in the region since 2009. Last year
marine debris. Eco Barge Clean Seas’ Libby Edge said she wanted to thank said the BMC graduates for their enthusiasm. “Partnerships like this one with BMC are vital to support our important work in the Whitsunday region, and are essential to help spread the
message about the issue of marine debris, not just here in the Whitsundays but nationally and internationally,” she said. “Our hope is that this experience will motivate all of the BMC graduates and others that participate in the program to take action in their homes and workplaces to prevent the occurrence of marine debris.” The BMC graduates come from across Australia and eight have joined the team this year, taking the total number across South Walker Creek and Poitrel mines to 14. The team members work in a variety of disciplines from geology, mining engineering, HR, environment to safety. “I was excited about the opportunity to come to the Whitsunday Islands, and never expected to find such a huge quantity of rubbish along the coastline,” said safety graduate Stephany Palmer. “It was a challenging day, but incredibly satisfying to know that through my actions I have helped protect the local marine life from marine debris.”
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developments
LAST year, while coal prices were booming and businesses were in such a state of furious trade that the industrial precinct of Paget on Mackay’s outskirts could barely keep up, the only thing slow was broadband internet. The tables are now set to turn as NBN Co has installed the first local optic cable in Mackay last week as part of the widespread rollout of the National Broadband Network. So while business might be slowing down, broadband is set to knock the socks off. “Construction today shows work is
underway to build the network, which will provide super-fast broadband to parts of Mackay from around mid-2013,” said NBN Co’s Ryan Williams. Preparation work has already begun on rolling out the NBN right across Queensland, including over 10,000 premises in the Mackay area. “In addition to the work underway to connect parts of Mackay, work is in planning or construction in Central, North and Far North Queensland in the following areas: Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns,” Mr Williams said. Services are already available in some parts of Townsville, and NBN Co is aiming for construction in parts of these areas to be completed over the next 12 months. “By mid-2015 construction is set to have commenced or be completed for more than 678,000 premises across Queensland. “We plan to connect every home, school and workplace in Australia to the NBN within the next decade with a combination of fibre, fixed wireless and satellite technologies,” he said. Once a street has access to the NBN, home and business owners will be informed and then encouraged to contact their phone or internet service provider to see how to get connected over the NBN. According to NBN Co, NBN fibre plans based on 12/1Mbps or 25/5Mbps are comparable to existing ADSL2+ packages.
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Don’t milk the LNG cow, says Gladstone business concentrate on the business you know you can earn from, otherwise you waste valuable time. He has just employed an operations manager to run the dayto-day business so he can now go out and do the strategic planning.
Finally: “You should not try to milk the cow. When you see a big project with lots of money, don’t go in with a massive margin in your tender as you will not get a look in. “And if you do win, you need to back it up. It is not easy.”
LNG opportunities for local business - but smarten up
(L-R) Vern Elms, owner and managing director, EZI Communications and Bevan Clarke, general manager, Two Way Radio, Motorola Solutions ANZ
MANY Central Queensland businesses have felt left out in the cold when it comes to dealing with the big players in the CSG to LNG industry. Not any more. One Gladstone business has landed a multi-million dollar telecommunications contract, showing that the little and local guys can match it with the world’s biggest and best. EZI Communications has been awarded a contract through construction giant Bechtel to supply and maintain radio systems and wireless networks across all three LNG sites on Curtis Island. “We started working with Bechtel on and off four or five years ago and were heavily involved in the design works,” Ezi Communications’ owner Vern Elms told the WINO. Mr Elms also credits the his team for securing the tender. “It does come down to the fact we have a fantastic team. They have the technical knowledge, great team
work and our guys are multi-skilled. We try and skill them up.” It also helps that his product is tried and tested. “When all that rain came through in January, we have our own broadband network and it did not fail. Now we have blue chip customers contacting us,” he said. Mr Elms, a Gladstone local, bought the business with his wife, Carol, in 2005 and since then Ezi Communications has grown every year since to become of the largest suppliers of two way radio, phone systems and wireless solutions to enterprise customers in Queensland. “We’ve seen such rapid growth that we’ve even had our bank come and talk to us about how to deal with this growth. “And we’re actually expanding,” he said. In January this year, the business took out a top award at the Motorola Solutions Australasian Awards night,
beating others from Australia, New Zealand the Pacific Island region. But he is aware of the dangers of putting all his eggs in one basket. “We made a deliberate decision early on that we would not rely on one or two key customers. Our top customers are only 20 per cent of the business.” Despite the LNG boom in the region, many small Central Queensland businesses have felt they are being overlooked when it comes to landing the big contracts. Mr Elms has some advice. “I guess you have to establish a strategic plan and you need to know the endgame you want to achieve. “Establish who you need to deal with, and get through to the right person because there are always gatekeepers preventing you.” “You also have to back up what you say you can do. Have case studies and accreditations, so when you go in front of a customer, you can say this is what I can do for you.” Mr Elms also advised to
industry is changing and it is a very competitive environment, so the tender process and business strategy was more important than it had been before. “It about always getting information and always keeping an ear to the ground because you don’t know when a business will suddenly put out a tender.” The workshop, which was Gladstone businesses learning to shake it facilitated by tender specialist with the big boys. Deb Mazoudier from Aurora Marketing, taught participants HAVING huge industry how to analyse their clients’ operating on your doorstep needs and to understand what but being unable to step is really being asked in a inside is a huge frustration for tender document. many Gladstone businesses. “At the end, she was Gladstone Engineering pulling out words and we Alliance (GEA) hears this went through a hit-list of complaint frequently, and its common words - capability, recent workshop in upskilling track record etc - and we tender writing was a step towards got some really meaningful getting through that door. answers.” “A big thing we talked about “We learned to look at why was what is the role of the sub they are asking particular contractor and how does it fit questions rather than just in with the tender process,” answering it,” Ms Day-Sully said. GEA project officer Jennifer “What really stood out Day-Sully told Shift Miner. for me was that we took a She said although there are new spin on the old SWOT only one or two businesses in analysis. We ghost-swotted Gladstone that are big enough our competitors in the to be Tier 1 - where they tendering process and it win a direct contract with a really informed the rest of our resource company - there were tenders.” tremendous opportunities for The workshop had 10 sub-contractors. participants from a range “We have heard from our of industries including a members about the frustration recruitment agency, rental car of trying to break into the business, surveyor and a civil LNG market. So the workshop engineering firm. really went down that path and The GEA will be holding its looked at the importance of next workshop “Marketing for doing your research and really tendering and business” on understanding your client.” April 16. Ms Day-Sully said the 2nd April 2013
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Innovation Feature
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Boffins the new mining drivers MINING may have taken a bit of a hit this year, but working quietly out of the limelight are science, engineering and technology boffins looking at new ways to do old things. In fact, they have been so successful that Australia is the second largest global exporter of mining products and services after the US. The sector consists of more than 1200 companies of which about 500 are exporters, responsible for the annual export of more than $16 billion worth of mining technology, equipment and services, representing 3.3 per cent of Australia’s total goods and services exports. Firmly positioned at the top is CSIRO Minerals Down Under Flagship, which works across the mining industry to grow Australia’s resource base, increase the productivity of the minerals industry and reduce its environmental footprint, both in Australia and globally. “I think overall Australia is at the forefront of mining innovation,” it’s deputy director, Dr Stephen Giugni told Shift Miner. “Innovation is fundamental really because of, and it will
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come as no surprise to you, the challenge the industry faces: reducing poor quality product, increasing discovery rates, access to skills, increased challenges in environmental performance. These all need a consistent and innovative approach to keep industry sustainable and this is critical to the industry.” At a Queensland Resources Council State of the Sector Forum in December, some industry leaders painted a grim picture. Xstrata Copper boss Steve de Kruijff was one of several senior resource figures to point out that commodity prices are down and the Australian dollar is up, leaving mining companies to grapple with how to cut costs in a business hamstrung by high salaries. “I think we have ignored technology a little bit over the past few years while we’ve had an easy ride . . . and we’re probably a little behind,” Mr de Kruijff told more than 900 mining executives and stakeholders. “I know some companies have been focussing on it - probably Rio is one of those companies and we might be going ‘mmm, we don’t think it works’ but you
don’t know it will work until you really put the work into it, and that takes time. “I think those remote technologies will be the way of the future for mining and I think that’s one of the planks we really need to start focusing on in Queensland . . . if we want to remain competitive.” This was backed up by Shell Australia’s Country chair Ann Pickard. While the short-term outlook for the coal seam gas sector is certainly rosier than other Queensland commodities like coal and copper, Ms Pickard said new CSG players now faced tough competition overseas in America, Canada and East Africa. “The next pipeline of projects is going to have to compete in a different way than the current seven projects under construction,” she said. “That’s not to say it’s not possible, I would say it’s ours to lose.” Ms Pickard said technology would be the saviour. Dr Giugni said lower prices haven’t really stopped the players across the continent in the Pilbara, where there are new
automated vehicles and both shipping and the supply chain have been streamlined. However, when there is pressure to make the dollar go further and to deliver a high-quality product with lower margins, investment into new technology areas is not always a priority. “We have seen this with a lot when commodity prices come down and companies become more frugal with investment into research. I think they are being more selective with investment and the focus is on the shortterm. The more speculative, longer-term research tends to to fall away.” The main factors driving research at the moment is climate change, integrated skills processes and carbon-neutral processes. “Whether we can achieve it is another story, but this is the aim,” Dr Giugli said. One of the things the industry is very aware of is climate change and what impacts this might have on the industry; will certain parts of the water table change and how will it affect the mine? When it rains for a month, what effect will that have?
“One of the things from our side is innovation in business models and seeing more industry collaboration when it makes sense to work together. “As research and development resources become more scarce, there is a greater ability to collaborate and look at what is a common problem.” The CSIRO works with 150 industry partners nationally and internationally, 40 small to medium businesses and 25 universities. So it should be no surprise to note that it has been responsible for some significant innovations. One of the most well-known innovations dating back to the 1970s was SiroSmelt, which is now used in smelting plants around the world for a variety of base metals. SiroSmelt is a high-intensity smelting process that has very good environmental performance owing to the relatively simple furnace geometry and small size of the reactor with very efficient sealing against fugitive emissions. “We are currently working with Direct Nickel to develop a new nickel plant,” Dr Giugli said.
Shift Miner Magazine “We’ve come up with a process based on nitric acid and it is much more environmentally friendly. It’s still a couple of years away from commercial use, but we are about to pilot it.” Another innovation the organisation has come up with is using radiofrequency and optical techniques for rapid analysis of ore mineral phases and ore textural quantities. “We are trying to process iron ore strains of one part per million using radio frequency technique,” he explained. “We have a prototype system being displayed and ready for full-scale.” The CSIRO has also been responsible for the development of MineStar technology, which has been commercialised and picked up by Caterpillar and used for driverless trucks. “We are trying to take people out of very unsafe environments rather than take people out of jobs,” Dr Giugli said. “The skills shortage is a problem and there will always be a gap, so we can provide some assistance to close that gap. We are certainly not in the business of taking away jobs.” Another exciting project that is still a long way off is an integrated steel process, which is almost carbon neutral and uses less water. “It is at pilot stage, but just about ready to go into an arrangement with some Australian steel producers to pilot test the product, and it is being looked at by the World Steel Association.” While there is a plethora of innovations under development, one of the biggest changes in the near future is going to be the use of technology, Dr Giugli said. “We are on the verge of a renaissance of looking at mineral operations as a holistic entity. “Mine sites in the future will look the same, but will be data driven. We are already on the verge of being information driven, as data is being collected on every aspect of a mining site.” “The underlying value of mineral to Australia is not just in jobs but how the resources sector underpins our economy. “Look at engineering and technology. It is a $16 billion export industry for Australia. It is not mining per se but here is a whole group of companies not counted in mining statistics, but an important part of the innovation story,” he said.
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And the innovations are...
Trucks with drivers may soon be a thing of the past in some mining environments.
Nickel in a pickle An environmentally friendly processing method that uses and recycles nitric acid could unlock 70 per cent of the world’s nickel supply. Full-scale testing of the process has commenced at a $3.5 million pilot plant at CSIRO in Perth. The process, developed by Sydney-based company Direct Nickel, could deliver a huge boost to the global nickel industry by making millions of tonnes of untapped nickel laterite reserves economically viable to mine. Traditional processing techniques use large quantities of sulphuric acid at high temperatures and pressures, resulting in expensive treatment and disposal of chemical waste. The new process uses nitric acid, over 95 per cent of which can be recycled and reused making it more environmentally friendly and lower in cost. The CSIRO has been working in partnership with Direct Nickel for over three years and the pilot plant will provide the engineering data to validate the organisation’s technical and economic predictions. The set-up and operating costs are less than half those of existing processes, and their process is more efficient in extracting the nickel from the laterite ores. It is also believed to be the first process capable of treating all laterite ores, which are inherently difficult to process.If all goes to plan,
it will be rolled out to the industry as early as 2016. No ants in our pants Ant and termite nests show evidence of gold hidden deep underground in new research conducted by CSIRO. Research published in science journals PLOS ONE and Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis, last year found that at a test site in the West Australian goldfields termite mounds contained high concentrations of gold. This gold indicates there is a larger deposit underneath. Much of the Australian landscape is covered by a layer of eroded material that masks what’s going on deeper underground. Termites and ants burrow into this layer of material where a fingerprint of the underlying gold deposit is found, and bring traces of this fingerprint to the surface. Insects could provide a new, cost effective and environmentally friendly way of exploring for new mineral deposits, avoiding the traditional method of expensive and often inaccurate drilling. Less dust, and better quality coal A new product, designed in Queensland, suppresses coal dust and maintains coal quality during transport. The Gold Coast-based Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) has launched its Total Coal Control (TCC) technology, which works by spraying a
coating on coal at about 80 grams per tonne. This reduces the impact of water and movement on the coal. Not only does it suppress dust, but it also means the quality of coal deteriorates less from pit to port. The company estimates that coal can be worth three per cent more upon delivery than coal not using the system as it hasn’t deteriorated. Reduction in coal quality also means less coal is needed for fuel by the client and this has benefits for the environment. The company said the coating has the ability to protect coal from moisture and oxidation, prevent self-combustion within stockpiles and control coal dust, rain erosion, slumping and material loss. And more from the Gold Coast Reynolds Soil Technologies has also launched a product aimed at reducing dust on construction projects. Heavy Water Dynamic was developed for sites that experience large volumes of dust through excessive vehicle traffic, clearing, excavation and demolition. RST designed the product as it found companies were in need of dust control solution that was cost-effective and achieved instant results. Most sites use water in an attempt to suppress excessive dust, but this only temporarily reduces dust levels for a short period and can often lead to over-watering of the site. Comprising an ultraconcentrated formulation, Heavy Water Dynamic has been customdesigned to effectively mitigate dust emissions, while significantly reducing water usage and outgoings for bulk earthworks and earthmoving projects. Dosed into the water cart, the innovative formula essentially assists in minimising unnecessary delays and excessive project outgoings often experienced on construction sites. Cashless and keyless A cashless and keyless lifestyle
is the headline innovation in a single person’s quarters near Gladstone. Operated by Evolution Facility Management (EFM), the Calliope accommodation village has swipe card technology everywhere. If you are a guest you can buy a beer, register at mealtime or enter your room all with the swipe of your personal card. This was developed by EFM’s technology team and is thought to be an Australian first. The card system in the facility is not just cashless; it’s also keyless, and can cover telephone needs right through to what you might buy from the tavern. Safer mine vehicles A team from BHP Billiton’s Cannington mine found the safest, most cost effective way to stop objects penetrating light vehicle floors on mine sites in 2011. The increase in rigid objects piercing the floor pans of light vehicles on site was the catalyst for the team being formed to find a solution. The mine then invested $235,000 into the project, believed to be a world first. Lead by mechanical engineer, Adrian Bush, the workers developed the Light Vehicle Penetration Protection System. The initial part of the design project was to determine the material most resilient to penetration and it was found to be moulded composite sheeting. Kevlar, polyethylene and steel were also tested. Through the assistance of contractors that specialised in the impact and hazard reduction technology, and the work of the staff, a solution was discovered that delivered an increase in energy absorption 13.6 times greater than a brand new steel floor pan. The designed composite panel will even outlast the lifetime of a particular vehicle and the panel can easily be transferred to another vehicle. Workers are now safer, damage to vehicles is reduced and the technology can be transferred to other industries. 2nd April 2013
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Get where you want to be
Aurizon walks over Pacific National in March deals
Aurizon cruises past competitor Pacific National
WHEN Pacific National began a $20 million expansion of its Nebo train maintenance facility late last year, it may have thought it was going to break rival Queensland Rail’s monopoly on coal haulage. But March was a month that proved the opposite. Queensland Rail - rebranded now as Aurizon - wiped the
floor with three contract renewals and then hit the jackpot when it signed an agreement with GVK-Hancock to develop rail and port infrastructure to unlock the Galilee Basin. “It is not something we would like to comment on,” a spokesperson from Asciano, which owns Pacific National,
told Shift Miner. Speculation was rife that Aurizon would lose its lucrative contracts to haul 65 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) mines sites to its rival. But that didn’t eventuate, and Aurizon has now re-signed the $1 billion haulage contract with BMA that covers the Blackwater, Gregory, South Walker Creek, Poitrel, Riverside, Goonyella, Saraji, Peak Downs and Daunia mines. It is the largest coal contract signed in the state in nearly 12 years and a major boost for Aurizon’s shareholders, including the Queensland Government, which retained an 18 per cent stake when the company was floated. A further blow to Pacific National was the GVK Hancock deal, where Aurizon will acquire a 51 per cent interest in
Hancock Coal Infrastructure, which owns GVK Hancock’s rail and port projects. Three days later, Aurizon announced it had secured a new long-term, performancebased contract with Xstrata Coal from its Rolleston mine. Xstrata is expanding the mine and will be lifting production from the current 9.4 mtpa to 14.6 mtpa from December 2014. The coal will be transported to the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal, currently under construction in Gladstone. Pacific National has still made some inroads and over the past year has secured a 10-year contract with Rio Tinto to haul coal from both its Hail Creek mine and its Kestrel mine from November. It also secured a contract with Bandanna Energy to haul coal from its proposed Springsure Creek mine.
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Leightons signs Indigenous training agreement NEW jobs and training opportunities for Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are on the cards thanks to a new partnership. Contracting giant Leightons has signed a “relationship agreement” with the Newman government this week. Multicultural Affairs Minister Glen Elmes said it was a landmark agreement and one he hoped would be replicated across other industries including tourism and agriculture. Leighton Contractors northern infrastructure general manager Hugh Boyd said there was a company-wide focus on leading the way in championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander opportunities. “Its commitment to creating more opportunities for Indigenous Queenslanders across a number of sectors is an outstanding example of corporate responsibility,” he said. “At Leighton Contractors we believe we have both a responsibility and opportunity to contribute to the growth and advancement of Indigenous people and communities. “We do this by improving the representation, participation and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our own workforce, developing inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders within our workforce, and building the capacity of Indigenous business through partnerships.”
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1000 jobs in two years for small CQ miner
QCoal’s James Black says there is still money in coal
IN a sign of just how quickly the employment outlook in Queensland coal mining could turn around, QCoal says it will
need more than 1000 staff in the next 20 months. The first third of those could be required in as little as 12 months.
That is a significant number of new jobs given that QCoal is a relatively small, private independent coal producer. The company made the comments in a presentation to a large gathering of business people at the most recent industry update by the Bowen Basin Mining Club in Mackay. Formerly QCoal was an explorer, however, more recently the company has expanded its ambitions to become a major coal miner. By 2018 the company intends to produce 22 million tonnes of coal a year from its mines around Collinsville, up from the present 4.5 million tonnes. Most of the company’s jobs growth is expected to come from its Drake and Byerwen mines, which are located south of Collinsville and west of Glenden respectively. Drake is expected to be exporting coal within 12 months and Byerwen by 2015. With an operational workforce of nearly a 1000 between them, they are already thinking about how to
make themselves an attractive employer, said QCoal’s chief financial officer James Black. “Accommodation for our workforce is something that is very important to QCoal; we like to give our workers choice,” he said. “The two centres for our mines are Collinsville and Glenden, and we are really interested in talking to developers who want to work with us in accommodating our workforce.” “In relation to Glenden, we have bought some large parcels of land that we will be developing to provide accommodation.” “That particular project will be three and four bedroom homes, so we can encourage our workforce to bring their families and integrate into the communities up in those regions.” QCoal is optimistic about the future flagging virtually immediate expansions south of its existing Sonoma mine at two new sites called the Cows mine and Jax mine.
By the end of this year those two mines will deliver an extra three million tonnes of thermal and coking coal for the company. Then the focus moves onto the larger Byerwen and Drake mines. Mr Black said despite their optimism, however, they are concerned about the current world economy and Australia’s political environment. “The biggest challenge we have got at QCoal is really what’s happening in the world economy and what’s happening in the state and federal political space,” he said. “We are fortunate, our primary product is hard coking coal, so despite the downturn in the exchange rate and the commodity prices we are still making margin. So we are pushing ahead with these projects. “Competition is getting tougher, specifically in places like Indonesia, where they can take advantage of cheaper labour, cheaper equipment and lower government regulation. That is really affecting us.”
$20K for girls in mining MORE than 120 Queensland women are about to storm traditionally male dominated industries, thanks to a new scholarship set up by the Newman government. The Supporting Women Scholarship (and yes we agree, the name is creative) is worth $5000 per year for up to four years of study to help with costs such as program fees and course materials. The first 126 recipients have been chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 400 applicants, and some could soon be working at your mine site. Most of the recipients have just finished school but more than 40 were looking for a
career change or to retrain. “This scholarship program is shaping education and training pathways for women to help alleviate skill shortages in some of the state’s core growth industries, including building services, agriculture, engineering and information technology,” said the Premier Campbell Newman. The Queensland Resources Council’s Michael Roche says the scholarships will help more women share in the career opportunities and wealth created by the resources sector. Application for study in 2014 open later in the year, for more information go to www.skills.qld.gov.au/supportingwomen.
2nd April 2013
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Around Town
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FOOTY SEASON BACK
Junior league action from the Blackwater Crushers vs Emerald Brothers game in Blackwater recently
Brodie Scales from Crushers Under 18s makes a break against Emerald Brothers
(L-R) Tammeka Vanasch and Rackell Petersen
(L-R) Shacair Sullivan, Cameron Twaddle and Derek Gyemore
(L-R) Taylah Martin and Jaucinta Stack
(L-R) Lauren Young, Caitlin Lee and Demi Brown
(L-R) Emma and Alisi Paki and Libby Schwarz
(L-R) Riley and Carter Smith
(L-R) Ngahuia Barlian and Chelsey Lang
(L-R) Tammeka Vanasch, Lisa Scales, and Rackell Petersen
(L-R) Tracey and Ryley Smith
Blackwater Crushers Under 14 team
(L-R) Nicolas and Sean McCarthy
Emerald Brothers Under 14 team
Holding a social event you want photographed? Call the Shift Miner office on 4921 4333 to let us know. You can also give our office a bell if you’d like a copy of any of the photos in this edition.
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LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY
Mining businesses out in force at a Bowen Basin Mining Club Qcoal presentation
(L-R) David Brierley, Fugro Geo Services; Barry Moore, Village National; Andrew Saxelby, GHD
(L-R) Mark Hennessey, NAB; Kerri Payne, NAB; Dan Thompson, NAB
(L-R) Jeff Bray, Queensland Power; Kerri Donnelly, UGM Engineers
(L-R) Caell Waikari, Coffey Geotechnics; Damian Vermey, Coffey Geotechnics
Chelsea Toivenen, Stellar Recruitment; Racheal Fitzgerald, Stellar Recruitment
(L-R) Joseph Carey, Construction Equipment Aus; Wes Henshall, Construction Equipment Aus;Larry Littlewood, Prime rentals
(L-R) Michael Simonyi, Davidson Recruitment; Michael Ballard, East Coast Pipe; Tom Chambers, Team Engineerging Services
(L-R) Belinda Wheatley, Vantage Performance; Valerie Lesaulnier, Workpac; Jamie Schauble, Workpac; Julian Genn, Workpac
(L-R) Andrew Nottingham, TOLL; Fraser McKechnie, TOLL; Kylie Bourke, TOLL; Rob Cradock, TOLL
Buy this and many other images at
www.shiftminer.com Shift Miner magazine – bringing the mining community closer together 2nd April 2013
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Off Shift
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FROm THE EDITOR COMPLIANCE is killing small business and scaring away big business from Queensland. It’s a dire warning, and one the entire mining and gas industry - as well as government - must act on. The ongoing and tangled web of compliance surrounding OH&S is literally crippling business with ongoing costs and onerous paperwork. No-one is suggesting for a moment that safety needs to be compromised. But when you have everyone from workers at the coalface, to small business owners, to consultants, to upper management in mining companies telling you the current system doesn’t work - something needs to be done. The question is - what can be done now? Is it too late to cut the red tape and allow employees to use their brain and their own initiative? In this age of litigation, are we too quick to point the finger of blame at our employer when we have an accident, instead of accepting that perhaps we are at fault? Or - here’s an idea - perhaps no one was at fault,
maybe it was just simply an accident. Businesses - both big and small are reporting that over the past four or five years the level of compliance has reached the point of ridiculous. Does a 50-year-old electrician really need to be trained in the use of a ladder? Has it reached the point where workers are assumed to be such brainless drones they can’t reliably work out the basics anymore? One thing’s for certain: business simply cannot afford to keep up with compliance. Maybe that will force a change. Part of the problem is many business owners and their workers are not prepared to speak out on the issue, because of its perceived sensitivity. But it’s time this issue was dragged out into the light so a proper debate can be had about how safety can be effectively managed into the future. Alex Graham Comment or SMS 0409 471 014
Stuff to the Editor The Harlem shake has, well, shaken things up a little on sites around CQ. And opinions on the dancing sensation vary:
Take it on your phone or camera and send it in - Text to 0409 471 014 alex.graham@shiftminer.com
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Gone are the days when you can have a joke at work. When a group of blokes pissing about in a crib hub have to go and dob themselves before somebody else does it for them, you know it’s time to look for a new career. TD, Mackay
Frank the Tank, as always, has his legion of supporters:
So it’s funny for basketballers, uni students and the Norwegian army but not miners? People need to calm the f*ck down about safety and have a laugh. SR, Emerald
Frank, I need you to come to my place and set my mother-in-law straight. We’ve just had a baby and she is overstaying her welcome. I need your subtle charms. DS, Moranbah
Everyone says ‘oh it’s just a laugh’, but it’s always a laugh until someone is hurt. After that it’s a workplace tragedy we didn’t need, thanks to a pack of idiots. ES, Mackay
Frank the Tank is hands down the funniest laugh around. It’s the first thing I read in Shift Miner and you can hear me laughing a mile off. SW, Rocky
I love reading about women driving trucks or doing their trade with the boys. Go girls! RD, Moranbah How inspirational to read about Tamara at Mt Isa Mines. I gave the paper to my daughter so she could see what’s possible if you put your mind to something. SD, Dalby
MACK AY
.com.au
The FIFO/DIDO issue is still running hot: I’m not sure what the final outcome of the FIFO DIDO argument will be. I am sure, however, that the big winners are the coal companies. By getting the families out of mining towns and splitting the wives and husbands up for a lot of the year, the companies have effectively broken the unions. Once hubby rolls up home for an extended stay with no pay cheque coming in every week, he soon gets told to get off his lazy arse and support his old woman and kids in the style to which they’ve become accustomed. This breakdown began when BMA, or in those days BHP Coal, decided to sell their employees their homes, which the employees then on-sold for a profit, then moved Mum and the kids to the coast. You separate the family unit and you break down union support. Clever move on the companies’ part. Brian E Hobbs
Redmond’s Rants
Jack London? Perhaps not I IMAGINE a writer to be a gentleman sitting at a mahogany antique desk with a nice solid 1950ish typewriter. Behind him is a huge oakwood library filled with leather-bound first-edition volumes of all the wonderful classics and myths. The soft light from a lamp shines on a creamy bottle of tawny port. Short, rich velvety glasses of the port sustain him through hours of work, staving off any other needs
as his soul pours into his work. The crackle of the fireplace is almost counterpoint to the pluck of the steel typeset writing keys’ rhythm. Just out of sight sits a thick crystal tumbler, one-third filled with a good proper scotch, for sipping as he re-reads and corrects his drafts. Our gentleman conveys scenes drawn directly from heavenly battles between gods, dragons and heroes. He makes
your heart pang or your memory gilt as he recounts encounters between lovers - hints of delicious scandal in lavenderscented halls or lush gardens in fine old English homes, offering up their shade as sanctuary to our star-crossed lovers. The storyteller’s place in our psyche is paramount. Santa, redemption, damnation, forgiveness, love and chocolate eggs all the logical extension of the storyteller’s gift.
Our gentleman storyteller stands you under a frozen moonlight to feel The Call of the Wild, to be the wolf. He electrifies your pulse while you rush along On the Road. However, myself - being far removed from this scene - I use a pizza box ducttaped to a beer carton for my desk, a bottle of cold beer beside me. And I decipher the things I see into the thoughts I have, and divide them by the things I think I know.
Who is Redmond? Redmond was born in a cross-fire hurricane and now resides in Queensland. Former Golden Glove champ turned champion shearer, his shearing career was cut short when he entered the adult film industry and made 3467 films in three months. He now enjoys semi-retirement and lives happily on his 100,000 acre property with his seven wives. He has received the annual Golden Pen award from the Writer’s Guild four years in a row in the Truth Telling category...
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2nd April 2013
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PARKED U
»
Monday Marc
Darren Sekac *
As a woman who works in mining, it’s great to see coverage of girls being recognised. There’s more of us on site now than ever before, but there’s still a few hurdles out there to jump over. TD, Rocky
SEEN SOMETHING WE HAVEN’T? Prizes for the best mining photos.
Locally Owned
*Personal Injuries Law Accredited Specialist
This year’s Resources Awards for Women recipients have inspired many in the industry - both male and female:
Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/shiftminer
land mining
»
All I can say is ‘grow up’ to the mining company that sacked them, as it would be a different story if the office staff at that company thought of doing it themselves first. Jason Austin
Photos to THE EDITOR
SHIFT MIN ER The Queens
Shift Miner Magazine
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Frank the Tank’s Dear Frank, My dad passed away a year or so ago and we had to make the difficult choice to move my mum into a retirement community. I went to visit her last week to see how she was getting on, and she told me that she’s started ‘seeing’ someone who lives there. I feel as though she’s betraying my father and that I should say something, but she’s also really happy and I don’t want to upset her. What should I do? Tim, Gladstone I wish you had asked for my advice before you stuck your mother in a retirement home, Tim, and I could have talked you out of it. You would have been better off buying your mother a shotgun and sending her into the wilderness to fend for herself. It’s always something in these rest homes. The staff are stealing from the residents, the residents are stealing from each other, the staff are taking pictures of the residents and posting them on GeriatricBeavers.com.
By the sounds of things you may have unwittingly checked your mother into a ‘swingers’ retirement home. What do you think happened to all those orgy-going, key-party-having socialites of the seventies? When their children can’t bear being called at 3am to help them into bed after another ‘oiled up Twister mat accident’, they stick them in a home. The retirement home environment is like Xanadu for the aging swinger. There are seats in the shower, handrails everywhere, beds all over the place, and not to mention ready access to ‘performance enhancers’ like Viagra and Cialis. I hate to break it to you, but the lonely widow is easy prey for the seasoned swinger; an inviting grin punctuated by an almost inhumanly thick mustache is all it would have taken to lure your mother in. Now, to the question at hand, what can you do about this unfortunate situation? Sure, you could leave things as they are, but that will only see your mother slip
Fair Dinkum!
about the burgers from McDonald’s tasting like rubber, but this is something else entirely. A lawsuit filed against McDonald’s alleges that a two-year-old child ate a used
further and further under the spell of the swingers; the next thing you know you’ll find yourself shopping for a ‘hip friendly’ sex swing this Christmas. It’s also possible that if you storm in there and tell your mother what she’s doing is wrong, it may only encourage her to defy you and participate even more feverishly in the 5pm ‘early bird orgy’. Your best bet is to have the retirement home closed down. That way you can move her into one affiliated with a religious organisation with a strict no ‘funny business’ policy. Now, closing down a retirement community can be done in a number of ways, but without a doubt the easiest is by fabricating some gross breach of procedure and then alerting the media. I recommend photoshopping a picture of retirement home staff pushing residents in wheelchairs down a long corridor for the purpose of placing bets on which one will roll the greatest distance.
condom that he found in the playground of one of the fast food restaurants. The suit accuses McDonald’s of failing to remove harmful debris from its play area. The incident is currently being investigated.
SENSIBLE SUSAN Tim, I think your feelings are natural, and I can only imagine that the thought of your mother with anyone but your father is quite upsetting. However, your mother is still a person with feelings and probably quite lonely. It is possible, however, that when your mother says ‘seeing someone’ she doesn’t mean it in the way you’re thinking. Obviously your mother is from a different era, and she may just be meaning that she’s made a friend. Talk to her further about it and try to find out exactly what she means; there’s more than likely nothing to be upset about.
Susa
Frank.
IN CHINA - A nation (and possibly the world) is divided over a recent craze: that is, whether it’s genius or just plain stupid. The ‘seat belt T-shirt’ features a black strip running diagonally across the shirt, designed to fool police into thinking that the driver is wearing a seatbelt. The Chinese weren’t the first to think of this idea; there’s an assortment of safety belt T-shirts for sale on American websites. Whilst there is something vaguely cool about sticking it to the man with a seat belt T-shirt, an actual seat belt is far more useful in case of accident.
The seat belt t-shirt may be a clever ploy to fool the police, but is it really?
IN THE USA - Many people complain
“Streakin” good love advice
IN ZIMBABWE - National Park authorities are on the hunt for a rogue lion after it attacked a couple while they were having sex, mauling a woman to death. The couple were having sex in a secluded, bushy area when the lion attacked, killing the woman. The man managed to escape, but found
it difficult to raise the alarm straight away as he was reportedly, “Running all over the road naked.” Rangers hunting for the lion found remains of what is believed to be a male victim of the apparent man-eating lion.
IN SYDNEY - Actor Russell Crowe
says he’s captured footage of UFOs flying over Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens. In comments accompanying the video on Twitter, Crowe claims he was hoping to film fruit bats rising out of the gardens, but instead captured something far stranger. Not to disappoint extra-terrestrial believers, but it would seem to be a publicity stunt, with Crowe complaining via Twitter just hours before he uploaded the video that his latest movie is being under-promoted. A spokesman for Crowe also confirmed that the footage was, in fact, shot four years ago, and could not explain why the actor chose to release it now.
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2nd April 2013
19
CAR FOR SALE
BOAT FOR SALE
78 XC FALCON GS UTE
Offshore Marine Master 2012 Mac5 Cuddy.
250 Alloy head Crossflow on straight LPG, Supercharged with Raptor V-L blower, T5 gearbox, 9\” Diff, 3.7:1 Ratio, Disc Brakes, Regretful sale
$29,990 ono Phone: 0428 344 437 CAR FOR SALE 2008 TOYOTA AVENSIS VERSO 68000 Ks, 4 doors 7 seats, 4 cyl. A1 condition. New tyres. Complied 2009 Rear nudge-bar. Full logs. All Toyota serviced. Always kept undercover. With 7 seats there’s plenty of space for the whole family. $21,900 NEG Phone: 0413 913 042
CAR FOR SALE 2010 TOYOTA HILUX Mine Spec, BMA Thiess Mac Coal Certified, New 265 Maxxis Iron Mud Tires, ADB Bull Bar, Lightfrce Driving Light, Twin Battery, Snorkle, Iron-Man Lift Kit, Mine Radio x 2 UHF, 135 Litre Fuel Tank, Oconners Tray. Toolboxes, Fire Ext 1st Aid MSDS
$40,000 Phone: 0421 000 789 DINGHY FOR SALE
2012 Horizon 3.1M Aluminium Dinghy, 6HP Yamaha Motor and Redco trailer – All New, Registered 11/13 with safety gear.
$4,500 Phone: 0419 788 599 HOUSE/LAND FOR SALE NORTH OF YEPPOON 40ha. Open country, House, Dam, bore (1100gl/ ph) Submersible pump, Yards & ramp. Excellent garden & views. 50ks nth of Yeppoon Turnoff. 1.3ks off highway, bitumen road, School buses from Highway
$595,000 ono Phone: 07 4937 3564 BUSINESS/HOME FOR SALE
Brand new! 90HP Suzuki 4 stroke, Hydraulic steering, Live well, Bimini, Bait station, self draining fully welded floor, Kill tank. 4mm bottom, 3mm sides. Comes on Dunbier Glider trailer. Fishermans dream $39,950 Phone: 0404 891 776
CARAVAN AND CAR FOR SALE 2010 SOUTHERN CROSS 5th WHEELER 8mtrs, vcomplete with all upgrades. Ford F250 V8 deisel w/ gas injection. tow vehicle. Full details on request. Will pass any inspection.
Phone: 07 4162 5730
Currently leased @ $385 inc gst/week Includes shares in Rockhampton Cab Company Perfect sideline income
$320,000 neg
Phone: 0407 373 664 CAR FOR SALE VS CLUBSPORT
$79,000 ono Phone: 0432 429 264
LOST SOLID YELLOW GOLD BANGLE At Mackay Airport on Thursday 7th March around 3pm. Lost at security Screening Area. $200 reward offered. If you have any information please contact MACKAY POLICE on
49 683 444 or MARIA on
0409 265 027 LAND FOR SALE
$48,000 Phone: 0413 501 222
HOUSE FOR SALE
HOUSE FOR SALE
EMU PARK
Gracemere acreage and residence. Large well appointed 5 bedroom home on 10 acres. Stables, yards, shed, bore. 3 km from new shopping centre.
$350,000
$700,000
Phone: 0419 020 566
Phone: 0749 333 106
TAXI LICENCE IN BOOMING GLADSTONE
$310,000
CAR FOR SALE 1991 TOYOTA TROOPY 1hz motor, turbo diesel and gas which gives more power and econ. New suspension , injectors, timing belt, new paint ,windscreen, clutch, 12 months rego, 90% tyres.
$15,000 Phone: 0429 112 396 CAR PARTS FOR SALE
series 2, 19 inch chrome
Front Bumper Land Cruiser 2012 $150 Standard
mags, new power
Exhaust System 2.5 Inch $500 4x Standard GXL
steering pump,new water pump,new front
Rims $750 each Air Intake Snorkel (Top Only)
brake pads, 142000km,
$50 5 Dunlop Tyres 265/70R16 111RLT $250 Full
great condition
Suspension Front Coil, Rear Leaf & Shockies $1000
$8,500 ono
BOAT FOR SALE
$75,000 ono Phone: 0417 704 369
yard, fenced
BUSINESS FOR SALE OPEN TAXI LICENCE FOR SALE IN ROCKHAMPTON
CAR FOR SALE
Bitumen Road and Phone to front Gate. School, PO, Garage, Hospital, Hotel kindergarden and stores 15 min Drive. New gold mines in area.
3 beds, 2 bath big
Ph. 0419 672 181
Phone: 0439 872 215
2.5 ACRES FARMLET
brick at Emu Park.
Phone: 0409 630 311
Phone: 0407 913 914 2006 DODGE RAM 3500 SLT Lonestar Edition Heavy Duty 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel Allison auto transmission Wood grain inserts 5th wheel hitch, tow bar 4 door dual cab Dual wheels, new tires and chrome Call for more detail..... Genuine sale!!!! 104000klms
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Sale price includes shares in “Gladstone Taxis”.
CAMPER AND CAR FOR SALE
Compass slide-on camper on Ford F250 ute.Camper sleeps 2 plus makeup 3rd. 3way Electrolux fridge, 2 burner stove, wired 12 & 240 volts, 100Lwater, PortaPotti, space for 2x4.5kg LPG and 2 batteries, steps and legs carried below floor. F250XL 2001, 4.2L diesel, 190,000km, strengthened springs, UHF, compressor. Whole unit $45,000 ono. Camper only $11,000 ono.
SELF-SUSTAINABLE living on a sapphire mine claim 5 km west of Rubyvale. Small house, off grid, solar/ rainwater/composting toilet, great view.
Excellent low set 3YO
BOAT FOR SALE 2004 PowerCat 2600 Sports Cabriolet. Twin 115hp Yamaha 4 stroke engines. Sleeps 4, Toilet, Shower. Road registered tandem trailer. Always maintained and kept in a shed. All safety gear. Excellent condition. Registered until September 2013. Reduced to $108,000.00 Must be sold. OFFERS, OFFERS, OFFERS Very Negotiable
LIGHTNING 7mtr Alloy Walk-around, Twin 90hp E-Techs with
Phone: 0429 831 021 CAMPER FOR SALE TOP-FORM insulated alloy camper,
very low hrs, Vessel
fits into 1.8mt. tray, fully
is quick, economical
equipped, only need food
and safe, with all possible extras.
and personal gear to use,
$62,000
$20,000
Phone: 49 739 698
Phone: 07 4973 9698
BOAT FOR SALE
TRAILER FOR SALE
2013 HORIZON 435 Easy Fisher PRO on Dunbier, with 40 HP Mercury Tiller, saftey gear, Bimini top, front casting deck, rear storage with bait tank, Hummingbird 160X sounder, battery/ box, Side pockets, Rolled side decks $14,490 Phone: 0749 467 286 LAND FOR SALE YEPPOON Acreage Living, City Conveniences! 4000 sqm North facing, corner premium block, 5 minutes from CBD, schools, transport. Plenty of space for shed, pool, kids to play. $300,000 Phone: 0409 391 254 LAND FOR SALE WONDAI 160 ACRES 160 undulating acres at Wondai. 16 Metre Weekender, power, phone, 2 watertanks, permanent gully, 2 dams, cattle yards with vet crush, fully fenced. Splendid home site, with captivating sunsets. 1 Hour to Gympie $345,000 Phone: 0417 705 369
Home built camping trailer, built to carry 3 full sizes bikes or a quad and bike, camp slides forwards or backwards to balance picture taken back for bikes to sit on 5 months rego. Tows very well $4,500 Phone: 0429 112 396 HOUSE/LAND FOR SALE MOUNT PERRY ”Main Top” Best most usable 40 acres in town. Good large level flats, great mountain veiws, hay shed, machinery shed, dam, House requires work. Power to house.Plenty of feed, Potential to work 7 on 7 off roster at mount Rawdon Gold mine, Bus travels daily to mine site. $235,000 Phone: 0488 079 675 LAND FOR SALE PROSERPINE Rural land 15 min cbd proserpine 2x200 acre lots good grazing land and house sites will sell separately POA $ 520,000 the pair Phone: 0447 031 588
Shift Miner Magazine
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MOVIE Review BY JUSTIN CARLOS
Prequel can’t catch classic YOU don’t need to be a film buff to realise that there’s a demonstrated penchant in Hollywood for remaking old movies or ‘cashing in’ on the popularity of old movies. The latest example of this is Oz the Great and Powerful, which is a prequel to the now immortal 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz. As you may have guessed, the film begins in Kansas where a philandering magician named Oz (James Franco), with a flair for invention, is performing to a small crowd. After a disagreement with a fellow circus performer, Oz attempts to flee the area in a hot air balloon, only to be caught in a freak tornado and swept away. When Oz regains consciousness he finds himself floating through a brightly coloured, unfamiliar land. Upon landing he is informed by a witch (Mila Kunis) it was prophesied that a wizard with the same name as the land would come from the sky to deliver Oz from the wicked witch. Promised an almost endless supply of gold in return, Oz sets off on a journey to
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defeat the wicked witch. Whilst Oz the Great and Powerful tries in earnest to be a ‘fun for the whole family’ fantasy epic, it just doesn’t really get there. The film is certainly enjoyable, however the plot is extremely predictable. You may find yourself willing the film to conclusion, as the inevitable ending dulls much of the conflict in the narrative. Sam Raimi’s beginnings (and undeniable skills) as a horror director are on display in Oz: The Great and Powerful, as he generates some tense scenes through the use of some very fierce flying baboons and some very wicked witches. Although it’s not going to go down in history like the 1939 classic, Oz: The Great and Powerful is well worth a look. Despite the predictable plot, there’s enough action sequences to keep you interested, and the 3D effects are certainly very cool. A word of warning though: your children may start crying when a fearsome three dimensional baboon leaps out of the screen toward them.
Down 1. Cease-fire agreements 2. Cooking instructions 3. Squirrel nut 4. After sunset 6. Tusked animals 7. Showcases 8. Economic recession 11. Appear to be 15. Size 17. Takes glory (from) 18. Difficulties # 43 20. Household dirt 21. From Brussels 22. Monty Python’s Flying ... 23. Protect 26. Dramatic ballroom dance
LAST EDITION’S SOLUTIONS H A L F B A C E I A A A NG E R I N V H O D E X T E N S I N S E U S E S O D I B ROUGH T S M H R T H E F T A A S S P C I T I E S L I E E N C A S E
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# 44 SHIFT MINER Handy Crossword 119ME - (15A grid) Handy Crossword 063s. pdf
© Lovatts Crosswords - 6/05/2009 - Artist -mb
What can you learn from a
WINO
MORE- mining news MORE- industrial news MORE- investment news Shift Miner Wednesday’s Industry neWs onlIne (WIno) by Shift Miner Handy Cross blank grid.pdf ©Lovatts PublicationsPremium 5/03/09 Queensland business and industrial news www.shiftminer.com/news
artist – mb neWs you Won’t Get anyWhere else
SHIFT MINER
WEDNESDAY’S INDUSTRIAL NEWS ONLINE
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Epic Easter Fail!
EASTER is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with three Epic Easter Fails? If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of an epic fail, then you obviously don’t spend that much time on the world wide web, but that’s okay.
As we all know, failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended outcome, but sometimes an epic fail encompasses so much more. For example, in some instances a person may think they’re ‘winning’ by alerting the world to the truth about Easter
eggs...sadly they are not. Perhaps it’s your baby’s first Easter. What better way to commemorate this precious memory than by capturing a photograph with the Easter Bunny? Unfortunately the precious memories of this trip to the Easter Bunny will likely
lead to a solid decade of bedwetting and a pathological fear of rabbits. Last but not least, imagine leading the kids outside on an egg hunt, raising their little hopes by telling them that you thought you just heard the Easter Bunny scampering away...then they see the family dog.
Ignore at your own risk WHEN people separate, most parties and lawyers will attempt to negotiate a property settlement or parenting arrangement without going to court. When all of the emotion that bubbles to the surface with separation people often: a. ignore steps to resolve their matter; or b. fight far harder than is necessary because they are hurting. Neither approach is going to help your case. Don’t be an ostrich. Being an ostrich or burying your head in the sand may sometimes seem like the easiest option. People seem to do this for a variety of reasons, including the problem is too hard to face, they are worried what they will find out if they engage a lawyer or the costs involved, but the consequences for burying your head in the sand can be far worse. When you ignore your ex or their solicitor’s attempt to resolve it you can find the whole property settlement process or parenting matter can proceed without you. Your lack of action reflects badly on you. In parenting matters, certificates (section 60I certificates) can be issued by Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners, saying that you did not accept invitations to mediate. When your matters get to court, the court starts making directions orders or interim orders without hearing your side
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2nd April 2013
of the story if you fail to participate or not constructively participate. If you continue to fail to constructively participate, the court can proceed to list your property settlement or parenting matter for an undefended hearing where the court makes final orders without hearing from you. The range of orders the court can make in an undefended hearing is the same as if you were there; it is just there is no one setting your position in the case. The court can make almost any orders you could think of including orders for: a. the sale of certain assets (even if they are in your name); b. costs that you pay the other parties costs or a proportion of them; c. orders that your children live with your ex and the time they spend with you; be restricted or there are conditions on the children’s time with you.
There is no substitute for getting legal advice as soon as possible, even if you are only just pulling your head out of the sand for the first time. Even if you cannot access a lawyer the whole time because of cost there are always things you can do to make sure your interests are protected. Supplied by: James Bailey Partner SR Wallace & Wallace
Shift Miner Magazine
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Bait Shop Banter
YEPPOON
with the water starting to clear they’re preferring live baits at the moment.” If you fancy a feed of crab this Easter, it’s well worth running your pots this week. “There’s plenty of crabs if you’re willing to chuck the pots in for them; we’ve had some nice full ones around the creeks,” says Nathan.
As with previous weeks, all the action in Yeppoon is in close at the moment, with plenty happening around the creeks and estuaries. Adrian from the Secret Spot in Yeppoon says Coorooman and Corio Bay have both been fishing well. “There’s been some good grunter caught on the rocky bars up at Coorooman, and some nice fingermark on the snags. Squid, pilchards and mullet strips have all been working well as bait.” The high volumes of fresh water are benefiting crabbers and fisherman alike, with plenty of crabs in the deeper runs at Coorooman and Corio. “Guys fishing the freshwater run up in the Fitzroy have been getting good barra and threadfin salmon on shallow-diving hardbody lures,” says Adrian. If you’re chasing barra in the Fitzroy, Adrian’s tip is to throw the fish with more prominent gold markings back, as they tend to taste a bit muddy.
GLADSTONE
Windy weather is keeping people in close around Gladstone, but there’s been no shortage of activity. Greg from Pat’s Tackle World says the patience of crabbers in the area is paying dividends. “There’s some really good quality crabs coming on now; they’ve improved immensely and gotten a lot heavier.” The Calliope River has been fishing especially well for barra, with live prawns the bait of choice. “The Boyne River has been the go to for a while, but there’s been some good barra caught at Calliope, mainly due to the run of fresh water stirring up the prawns,” says Greg. With 10-15 knot winds expected over the Easter weekend, remember to make sure you’re prepared and all your safety gear is up to date.
MACKAY
The story is the same in Mackay, with strong winds keeping anglers in close around the creeks. Nathan from Tackle World Mackay reckons Constant Creek and the Proserpine River on a neat tide is your best bet at the moment. “There’s plenty of barra around and some quite good king salmon, and
Shaun Richardson got this beaut 104cm barra at Coorooman Creek on a trusty thready buster lure.
If you have a good photo or fishing yarn send it through to our resident bait chucker-
angus.peacocke@shiftminer.com
your weather forecast T
MACKAY Gladstone
MACKAY Gladstone
Mon 1
Autumn arrives in Tim’s wake! WEEK 1 - Ex-tropical cyclone Tim crossed the coast as a 1006hpa low on 20 March. Light to moderate patchy rain covered the Coalfields (heavier on hills) with extreme falls along the coast (standouts were: Byfield 170mm and Clarke Range 190mm). Some other inland falls (mm) of note were: Blackdown 67, Banana 51, Upper Dee 46, Baralaba 43, Moura 30 Rewan 25, Rodda’s Lookout 24, Beckers 23,
Craigmore 12 and Emerald 10. Reports of 80-85kph gusts offshore during Tim have now dropped off completely. There could be late thundery showers in the Darling Downs on Easter Sunday, following on to Roma, Surat and the Canarvons. That will move through to Capricornia and the southern Central Highlands and then the higher areas of the northern Coalfields by Tuesday/Wednesday. The ridge in the south should impinge itself onto the Central Queensland coast increasing the wind with a coastal shower. This should allow
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0303 0905 1517 2126
0.75 3.96 0.62 4.22
0338 0940 1546 2159
0.80 3.83 0.72 4.18
0411 1013 1612 2231
0.91 3.65 0.87 4.09
0442 1043 1634 2303
1.06 3.44 1.05 3.94
0513 1113 1653 2336
1.23 3.22 1.24 3.76
0337 0933 1600 2158
0.82 5.61 0.56 5.55
0416 1009 1632 2232
0.82 5.49 0.58 5.63
0451 1042 1703 2306
0.88 5.31 0.66 5.63
0525 1115 1731 2338
1.00 5.07 0.80 5.55
0558 1146 1757
1.19 4.77 1.01
0009 0629 1214 1821
5.37 1.44 4.45 1.28
0039 0701 1243 1847
5.13 1.71 4.12 1.58
autumnal comfortable temperatures (27-29C and low 30s in the Central West) for most of Central Queensland. Boaties! After the brilliant Easter weekend winds increase slowly. All depends on the development of a low off NSW coast. Mon-Tue: SE/ESE 10-14 with a hint of a brief shower about Wed-Thr: SE 14-18 brief showers. Fri-Sun: SE 15-20 gusts to 27 knots in squally showers. WEEK 2 - The SOI peaked at +13 in mid-March and now has fallen to +8.6. In the north there is a low over the Top
End and this is producing heavy to extreme rainfalls. The monsoon seems to be still hanging around. If the large high in the Tasman Sea persists then you can expect pleasant autumn maximums of 27C for the south and 28/29C for the north. The cloud in the east and the light to moderate easterly will make this feel like 25-26C during the day. Marine Lovers! The winds start the week. Mon-Tue SE 15-20 gusting 26 knots - a squally shower. Wed-Thr: SSE 18-14 and 10-15 in the south. Fri-Sat: SE/ ESE 15-10. Tending ENE late Sat. Then ENE/NE 8-11 Sun. Happy fishing!
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Shift Miner Magazine
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Island goldmine THERE is gold on Curtis Island. It’s close to the surface and becoming more abundant by the day. No, I’m not talking about yet another valuable commodity to benefit Gladstone, but instead a golden streak of footballplaying talent living on the island and working in CSG. The player gold was discovered by the Gladstone Rugby Union Football Club (GRUFC) in a trial match against a composite team of CSG workers from Curtis Island last month. While it was only a trial, assistant coach of the GRUF’s Sam Carey argues that despite his team being soundly beaten, they were more than competitive. However, he says the biggest challenge for the GRUFs is to work out how all those good players, on the clubs doorstep, can be a part of their 2013 Central Queensland competition campaign. “The GLNG game was great,” Coach Carey said. “There are a lot of Kiwi and other rugbyplaying people working on the island, so it was great to give some variety to their week.” “Looking at the skill and fitness level on display and the average size of the players, you could tell that a lot of the players had played at a high level.”
“There were a lot of rumours that several had played at NRL level, and there wouldn’t have been a guy out there who was under 100 kilos.” “We have spoken to a few of the players and we are not sure whether it can work yet.” “Trying to sort out the travel part of it for training and games is very difficult. By the time they have knocked off work, they have to get on a ferry back to the mainland, and then get themselves on the bus or in a car to the game or training. “Then be back ready for work the next day.” “It’s obviously not going to work for many players unfortunately.” However, even without all the players currently on the island, Coach Carey says the GRUFs have had the best numbers at training that he has seen in seven years with the club. “We have had good numbers turning up training; even on the night we had about of metre of rain, 18 players turned up,” he said. “And its not just quantity; we have a couple of players get involved who have played first grade in Sydney and a couple who have played premier grade in Brisbane.” “And if anyone reading this wants to get involved, we train Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Meteor Sports Ground at 6:30. All are welcome”
All the action at the junior league Crushers versus Brothers game in Blackwater recently
Rio Tinto’s Clermont Community Development Fund is proud to continue supporting Clermont State High School’s industry liaison officer and agricultural programme The industry liaison officer plays a leading role in helping students develop pathways into traineeships and apprenticeships across a range of local industries including agriculture, which was one of the school’s most popular vocational subjects last year. Thanks to the Fund, the school is benefitting from the purchase of a new 21-seater bus to transport students to offsite properties and on agricultural excursions. Pictured left to right: Clermont State High School industry liaison officer Sandra Murphy, year 12 student Johanna Robertson, Clermont State High School agricultural studies programme manager Joshua Grant and year 12 student Josh Kelly in front of the new bus.
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Sport Star front row sets standard for Miners It’s one of the biggest requests a coach could ask of his players in the coal fields: come and play footy after night shift. But since Moranbah Miner’s coach Josh Hannay has played and worked in the coal fields, he prefers not to. “I don’t think people realise how hard it is,” he said. “Probably the last thing you feel like doing after a night shift is playing 80 minutes of football, so we don’t push the point.” “But generally the guys have a great attitude, and more often than not they put their hands up.” And it is lucky for the Moranbah Miners that they did against Sarina in their last game. The Miner’s were down 24-6 with 20 minutes to go, but came back strongly to win 30 points to 24. While some will think it was the last 20 minutes that won them the game, it was probably won the moment their star recruits made a tough decision the day before. “I was really over the moon with Neil Budworth and Jaiman Lowe; both of them came off night shift, had about two or three hours sleep, then drove to Sarina and played
a great game of footy,” Mr Hannay said. “It’s efforts like that that make the difference; we wouldn’t have won the game without those two guys making ground in the middle of the park.” Jaiman Lowe was part of last year’s NRL grand-final-winning Melbourne Storm team and Neil Budworth is a former Welsh international, so their ability to turn a game probably comes as no surprise. But the fact they made such a big effort for the first game of the year probably has bigger implications for the Miner’s 2013 season. With virtually all players juggling shift work and football, it has set a high standard on what sort of commitment to the team is required. This weekend the Miners have an away game against the Magpies followed by a grand final rematch against Souths at home on the 14th of April. “Like every away game it’s really about who is available, but we will be doing our best to put on a competitive side,” Mr Hannay said. “But those guys have set a standard, and Jamian is not only a great player; I think he is going to be a great leader for the team.”
Sparking posts no obstacle for sprint cars at Moranbah Speedway Treasurer of the Moranbah Speedway Cindy Bowen says the power poles that forced them to cancel races in last month’s Queensland junior titles will not stop a planned sprint car meet. Midway through the state titles, some light rain on the track caused four metal power poles at the facility to start sparking. Obviously the electrics presented a major safety hazard and the remainder of the night was cancelled and rescheduled for the following day. Nonetheless, she said the event was a great success, and she is confident that the poles can be replaced quickly “We are still really getting over the last event, and all the drivers and officials were
really happy with how it went,” she said. “It’s four poles in particular that were the problem and L & M here in Moranbah, who support us, say they will help us with them, which we are really grateful for.” “We want to get them right so we can start working on a sprint car meet.” “Right now we haven’t settled on a month, because it has to fit in with all the other races on around the country.” The Moranbah Speedway committee has spoken to Jimmy Gee at Netec Metalising in Townsville about sponsoring the event. Mr Gee’s son Aiden races sprint cars and he has expressed interest in getting involved with the club in the past.
Proud to be part of the central Queensland community and committed to the future. We support a range of local projects through our Community Development Funds. For more information: Clermont Region – Travis Bates on 4988 3503 or clermont.cdf@riotinto.com Kestrel Mine – Samantha Faint on 0447 599 990 or kestrel.cdf@riotinto.com Hail Creek Mine – Fiona Kruger on 4840 4401 or hailcreek.cdf@riotinto.com
www.riotintocoalaustralia.com.au
Shift Miner Magazine
Money Matters
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MONEY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
Want to pay less tax? Be careful
A. Some might say what a great problem to have and to an extent it’s true - until the group certificates are issued! The first point I want to make is that chasing a loss purely to generate a tax advantage is pointless. Lose a dollar to save 45 cents tax? Clearly a flawed strategy. It’s also worth noting that over the past few decades there have been various ‘schemes’ that have popped up off the back of people’s desire to reduce the tax they pay. Not many of these passed the ATO’s scrutiny and as a result not many are still around. Usually the underlying business principle and structure was flawed. All the while there have been simple, transparent, legal methods of tax planning that in some cases reduce an individual’s tax payable to zero while at the same time allowing individuals and businesses to direct these tax savings towards asset accumulation or debt repayment.
Gearing: Usually associated with
Q. BOTH my wife and I work in the mining industry and earn a high joint income. As a consequence we pay a lot
of tax. What can we do? David Beveridge of National Solutions Group answers:
borrowing money to invest in income producing investments. With the right asset class and the right structure, gearing can offer big licks of tax deductions for the wage and salary earner. Even business owners and operators can take advantage of these strategies. Whether the asset class is property, shares or business ventures can’t be discussed here and really requires specialised and tailored advice. Each
have their own benefits and hurdles. However the idea of taking a small or zero deposit and leveraging this to enable a larger ‘footprint’ in any asset class has stood the test of time. When this leveraging combines the income and tax savings to help cover some or all of the costs of the venture, then creating a tax deduction is no longer the sole purpose; it’s merely part of the strategy and the main purpose becomes creating wealth. So you get to pay less tax and create wealth, or direct the tax savings to debt reduction or other project. Of course there is superannuation. This, in my opinion, offers the most transparent, legally defendable, tax advantaged structure today. With the recent changes all of the above concepts of gearing and different asset classes can be applied under the banner of superannuation. Beyond that there are other trusts, some of which allow transfer of assets cleanly from generation to generation. There are others that, when complying, pay no tax on profit or capital gain and are able to distribute income at certain levels absolutely tax free. Now if you don’t know what these are about or who can take advantage of these last two, isn’t it time you commenced your apprenticeship as an investor? Written by David Beveridge. David is a director and senior strategist with National Solutions Group. www.nsg.org.au
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Shift Miner Magazine
Money Matters
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Don’t want to be scammed? Look for the signs DECIDING to invest is a big decision. There are so many variables to consider and, let’s face it, there’s always an element of risk. With more and more people looking to grow their money, investment schemes are becoming more prevalent and it’s important you know what to look for in order to protect yourself. Investment schemes are often slick, professional and extremely believable. They could also easily wind up costing you thousands of dollars or leave you in enormous debt. An offer to invest in a fraudulent scheme could come to you by phone or email, and it could even be from someone you trust. Such schemes will often promise lowto no-risk investment, offer quick returns, tax-free benefits and may claim to have ‘inside information’. An investment offer may be a scam if calls are persistent and outside normal business hours, if a caller tries to encourage you to make a quick decision so as not to miss out, or does not have an Australian Financial Services licence, or claims they don’t need one. Frequent and persistent calls are another trademark calling card of the scammer. According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), no legitimate company will use harassment in order to encourage investors. In many instances a scammer may offer to send you glossy, professional brochure material, or direct you to a slick website. This does not necessarily mean an opportunity is legitimate. An investment scam involving a ‘revolutionary magnetic engine’ recently raised more than $1.3 million from Australian investors. The fraudulent company had business cards, a professional website with video of the fictitious engine working, and even claimed to be listing on the US NASDAQ
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stock exchange, which would substantially drive up share prices. While not all overseas investment opportunities are scams, it is important to fully understand the risk of investing offshore before doing so. ASIC does not have international jurisdiction to prosecute fraudulent offshore companies, which means there is little to no hope of recovering investors’ capital once invested in an overseas scam. If you’re looking to invest, be sure to thoroughly research any company before doing so. Using the ASIC website, be sure to check the company is registered and that they haven’t already been identified as a fraudulent company. It’s also a good idea to obtain independent financial advice before making any investment. Investing is still an excellent way to make your money work for you, but it’s important to be wary of scams and recognise the signs. Visit www.moneysmart.gov.au for more information on how to recognise and protect yourself from investment scams.
Shift Miner Magazine
Money Matters
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Cut the small stuff, save money THE word ‘budget’ is always a bit of a downer. It conjures up images of an eighty-year-old couple walking in circles through the fruit and vegetable section of their local supermarket, patiently waiting for the price of bananas to be marked down, or worse yet, a Today Tonight story about a woman who’s saving thousands by making her children’s clothes out of discarded chocolate bar wrappers. Unfortunately, there’s probably no way to make budgeting a barrel of laughs; that is unless someone decides to open a circus in which acrobats, clowns and performing elephants deliver a seminar on fiscal responsibility. The fact is though, budgeting is a necessary evil. It’s not all doom and gloom though. Just because you’re putting a budget in place doesn’t mean you’re bound to eat only Oliver Twist-style gruel and never have any fun. Clearly the goal of a budget is to save money, and the best way to do this is by limiting spending. This is the part that sounds depressing, because it makes you feel as though you
can’t buy that 3D TV you had your eye on. However, it’s often not the ‘big’ purchases that are hindering your ability to save; it’s the small stuff. Try keeping a ‘spending diary’ for two weeks. Write down literally everything you buy and how much it cost, and at the end of the fortnight review your expenses. You might find that you’re spending $5 a day on soft drink, or $50 a week on takeaway food. By then making some simple alterations to your weekly routine, for example, only purchasing soft drink three times a week, you could save yourself hundreds, or even thousands of dollars a year. You can also look to identify areas where your money may be going to waste. Maybe you spend $70 a month on a gym membership, but find yourself only working out once every two weeks. Save yourself some money by cancelling the membership and going for a walk or a run when you’d normally attend the gym. You don’t have to give up having fun to save money. By identifying small, frivolous expenses in your weekly spending, you can save money without impacting upon your lifestyle.
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2nd April 2013
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