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Monday December 9, 2013 176th Edition

M A G A Z I N E

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Locally Owned & Operated

Who stole Christmas? Âť

One in three FIFO leaves within a year

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CONTENTS NEWS

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10 23

Can CountCan OnCount Can Count On *When audited by the CAB

M A G A Z I N E

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5

One in three FIFO miners leave within first year

7

15,000 CSG workers needed, but where?

8

Rockhampton no one-trick pony

9

Nine out of 10 coal deaths contractors resources crown

14 Contracting

“friggin” hard

On*

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12 Mackay grips onto

Numbers You 21 Numbers Numbers Can CountYou On** You *When audited by the CAB Numbers You

4

24

Regulars

16 Around Town 18 Stuff to the editor 19 Frank the Tank 22 Sport

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Ho, no! What happened to Christmas?

FEWER TREATS: Christmas parties have been scaled back across the region

NO ham and no Christmas party - that’s what many Central Queensland coal miners have to look forward to this festive season.

Mining towns in the region have a decades-long tradition of hosting town parties sponsored by the major mining companies.

The parties are usually a no-expensesspared extravaganza with amusement rides, fireworks, BYO alcohol or bar with well-known musical acts like Jessica Mauboy entertaining the crowd.

But this year, Shift Miner understands there’ll be no town party for Blackwater, no party for Broadmeadow miners in Moranbah and no fireworks anywhere but Tieri.

One resident has also told Shift Miner ham is off the menu for BMA Broadmeadow’s permanent staff this year with only those on individual contracts to receive one.

In fact, the only town celebrating in the old style appears to Tieri, where the only change to its Glencore-sponsored party has been to ban BYO alcohol in favour of buying alcohol on site.

So is it a case of the Grinch who stole Christmas, or should those working in the industry be content they’re still in a job given the severity of the downturn?

Comments on social media sites are mixed, with some criticising the changes as unnecessary cost cutting, while others are just grateful for any celebration in the current economic environment.

“We should be thankful they are doing anything and if cost cutting this way means my husband keeps his job then I’m all for it,” one Dysart resident wrote on a community Facebook page.

“They don’t REALLY have to do anything, broke or not. I think we’re very lucky to be having a town Christmas party,” wrote another.

However, some locals have suggested

the move to cut Christmas is less to do with tightening belts, and more to do with FIFO. “It is very sad, and this is the first year in a long time there will be no mining company Christmas celebration,” one Moranbah resident told Shift Miner.

“The parties are important because they keep the morale up of workers and their families and it shows appreciation for the year.

“BMA Peak Downs and Goonyella Riverside were gifted tickets to the Black Dirt Country Music Festival, but Broadmeadows was told there is no celebration for us due to FIFO workers and poor attendance in past years. But what about families who live in town?”

The same resident expressed sadness that her children would miss out on a much-loved tradition.

“Christmas parties have started to change, unfortunately, and I am sad to say that FIFO seems to be the excuse this year for not even hosting one,” she said.

“If this year is anything to go by there will be no future for town Christmas parties.

It seems that the mines aren’t interested in this or our small communities anymore.”

Elsewhere in the region, parties have been scaled right back. In Middlemount and Dysart, Anglo American and BMA’s party format changed to a community fundraiser involving local groups in the supply and sale of food and drinks, as well

as market stalls and show bags for the kids.

In a statement to Shift Miner, BMA said all mine sites were hosting a Christmas event for employees - but didn’t shed any light on why the format had varied so greatly from those held in previous years.

“This year BMA’s Peak Downs mine and Goonyella Riverside mine decided to support an existing community event [The Black Dirt Country Music Festival] in Moranbah,” the statement read.

“Other BMA mines have made their own arrangements, ranging from onsite barbeques to local community events.”

In a statement to Shift Miner, Anglo American said its social investment and donations program for Middlemount had continued through the year, despite the current downturn.

“We have supported local schools, sporting groups and kindergartens with donations ranging from $12,000 for the community school to $25,000 for the Middlemount Youth Centre,” the spokesperson said.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Should Christmas parties be on or off the menu this year? Text us your thoughts to 0409 471 014.

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OFFENSIVE? Middlemount’s post office owners have been evicted over this protest sign.

4

9th December 2013

ANGLO American and Australia Post are working to have full postal services restored to Middlemount this week after the mining giant evicted the current operators over a protest sign.

Late last month, post office co-owner Chris Griffiths put a sign up outside his shop that read “Middlemount where everyone is welcome” but added afterwards “except families, except children, except visitors”.

According to Mr Griffiths, Anglo American, which owns the shopping centre, asked him to remove the sign and when he

refused he received a notice of eviction.

Mr Griffiths admits he was being deliberately provocative, but says he’d had enough of the region missing out and nobody speaking out.

“This is the third Christmas that we have seriously debated leaving Middlemount ourselves,” he told Shift Miner.

“The accumulated pressure to leave on families is quite significant. The trouble is that if a region doesn’t take its opportunities for 20 years and then a downturn comes along you don’t have any fat to carry you through, so the

impact is exacerbated here.”

Mr Griffiths said he and his partner, Louise Hawkins, had a long history in the region and were sick of it constantly receiving a raw deal. He said while mining companies, state and local governments had played a hand in the region’s deterioration, most of the blame lay with the federal government.

“The trouble is no-one sticks around long enough to defend the place,” he said.

“But we don’t have anything to lose now, they’ve kicked us out and we won’t shut up,” he said.

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One in three FIFO miners leave within first year ONE in three FIFO miners left their job within 12 months, according to the latest workforce snapshot of the Queensland resources sector.

The fourth Queensland Mining Heartbeat report said the high workforce turnover will present the greatest challenge to the mining industry.

The report, put together by Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ), found that almost a third of the FIFO workforce left their job within the first year and the high turnover is contributing significantly to industry costs.

Queensland’s mining sector workforce has grown by 400 per cent since 2003 to 77,600 employees. In 2012-13 the sector has seen turnover rates of up to 18 per cent for workers leaving within a year of employment.

The industry will need to replace the equivalent of its whole workforce within five years at current turnover rates of 21 per cent, the report said.

“Workforce shortages continue to exist in key job categories and these are likely to worsen as demand grows,” said ESQ chief executive Glenn Porter.

“It’s imperative industry and government continue to focus attention on strategies which meet the skills shortages and staffing issues we have identified so that together we can build a flexible and competent workforce.”

The 2013 report sampled 30,500 workers, representing 58 per cent of the entire comparative mining workforce, consisting of the coal, metal and other mining sectors.

Annual turnover is 19 per cent overall excluding contractors and 23 per cent including contractors.

Of all separating employees, 18 per cent left within the first 12 months of employment. The turnover rate for nonresident employees is 25 per cent, with the FIFO workforce even higher at 31 per cent.

The resignation rate for resident workers is 6 per cent.

The report found that the average length of service is 5.5 years, however nonresident workers have much lower length of service than resident at 4.3 years.

In addition, the FIFO subset of the nonresident workforce has a length of service of 3.5 years.

Almost half of the sample workforce continues to be non-resident workers - living more than 100km away, with a quarter of all current employees classified as FIFO workers.

The report has shown that earlier projections of the workforce increasing by 30,000 people over five years are expected to be exceeded, with 20,000 growth in the last two years alone.

The report also found the workforce is becoming younger and more diverse, with

the average age now at 40 years - down from 44 years in 2009.

Mr Porter said the report’s findings into the average age of the workforce was a positive response to the risks of an ageing workforce identified in previous studies.

“The average age of the entire workforce has come down by four years since the 2009 and the report shows the typical age of new recruits is 37, pointing to a continuing rejuvenation of the existing workforce,” Mr Porter said.

The report states that just above 1 per cent of the current workforce are skilled migrants being used to fill the gap between skills required by organisations and skills available in the labour market.

457 visa holders have an average length of service of two years, much lower than the wider sector average of 5.5 years.

“These findings provide valuable insight into the sector’s workforce which shows the industry is predominantly supporting Australian jobs and the Queensland economy rather than relying solely on 457 visa holders,” Mr Porter said.

“There are challenges associated with the remote nature of mining and the response time required to develop and employee to be fully productive, however with continued collaboration and strategic planning industry can be prepared for future workforce growth.”

Other key findings in the report include: 78 per cent of staff (non-contractors) have formal qualifications of Certificate III level or above with 13 per cent of the total workforce holding bachelor’s degrees; Critical job categories include electrical trades, statutory roles, surveyors and mechanics; The fastest growing job categories are electrical trades (12 per cent), fitters (7 per cent) and blast and shotfirers (6 per cent).

The current workforce works in the following Queensland regions Mackay (39 per cent), Fitzroy (30 per cent), the North West (20 per cent) and SEQ (9 per cent). 2.7 per cent are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers; and Female workers represent 14 per cent of the workforce, a growth of 2 per cent.

Downturn savages MACS Engineering ONE of Mackay’s best known and biggest mining services businesses, MACS Engineering, has gone into voluntary administration.

The announcement has sent shockwaves through the Central Queensland business community, with 76 staff now out of work in the lead up to Christmas.

According to MACS, the company has been working to restructure its cost base and find an investor for months, but now Derrick Vickers and Darryl Kirk of PwC have been appointed voluntary administrators.

MACS Engineering director, Ross Fredrickson, said the decision was made after all other options had been exhausted.

“We wanted to ensure, in the situation, that the best possible outcome for staff, creditors and other key stakeholders was achieved,” he said.

Voluntary administrator, PwC partner Derrick Vickers said the priority was finding a buyer for the business who wanted to re-employ former staff.

“While we work towards achieving this, the 76 employees have been made redundant and will have access to government assistance including Centrelink and the Federal Government’s Fair Entitlements Guarantee.

“Had we stood the workers down while we look for a buyer they would not have access to any assistance.”

Back in August, MACS Engineering director, Simon Mortess, told Shift

Miner he expected the company to ride out the downturn.

“The mining industry is doing it tough right now and there’s no denying that it has had an impact on the Macs Engineering group,” he said.

“However, we are much more than a company servicing just the mining industry, with expanded products and services and distributor network Macs services the mining, oil and gas, infrastructure, civil, energy, exploration, construction and fleet industries.

“While other companies may have closed their doors, shut up shop and moved on, Macs is doing what we do best and looking after our valued customers.”

Mr Motress has just been elected a board member of the Mackay Area Industry Network (MAIN). Shift Miner connected MAIN for comment, but noone has returned the calls this morning.

MACS Engineering has been a heavyhitter in the Mackay regions for many years.

It was established in 1965, and in 2011 opened a second office in Caboolture. It also has authorised distributors in Emerald, the Hunter Valley, Perth and Adelaide.

The company is made up of several key divisions, including light vehicles, trucks and engineering and fabrication.

Shift Miner also attempted to contact MACS Engineering for comment, but the phone rang out.

9th December 2013

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15,000 CSG workers needed, but where?

By Alex Graham

AN ongoing workforce of almost 15,000 will be needed to run CSG operations in Queensland, surprising even those who have closely monitored the industry.

Until recently, it had been assumed the huge workforce numbers would only be needed in the construction phase of the LNG processing plants on Curtis Island, off Gladstone.

But now for the first time, a comprehensive workforce plan for CSG to LNG operations and maintenance workforce has been put together by Energy Skills Queensland.

The report identifies the future demand for skilled workers over a 20-year forecast period, with the workforce expected to peak around 14,900 in 2024.

That number is based on six LNG trains and 45,000 wells, but could climb to 17,000 under an alternative scenario based on six trains and 59,000 wells.

About 85 per cent of the overall operations workforce will be required in the Surat Basin and surrounding gasfields, with another 10 per cent and 5 per cent required in Gladstone and Brisbane respectively.

The upstream (Surat Basin) workforce is anticipated to consist of about 35 per cent direct employees of gas companies, with

the majority of workers (65 per cent) to be a contracted workforce.

The downstream (Gladstone) operations workforce will peak at around 800 workers under a six train scenario in 2015. Those numbers are expected to remain stable across the life of the projects, with the majority of workers based in Gladstone and directly employed by gas companies.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) chief executive Shane Charles said the report is crucial from a community planning point of view.

“We really needed to get this report,” he told Shift Miner.

“We had no real knowledge. We thought the population would drop off after the construction phase, which is coming to an end. But to now see the operational and maintenance workforce that is required means this is not a boom bust industry.

Until recently even valuers and real estate agents talked about this being boom bust, but it’s not; it’s here to stay.”

Mr Charles said while the workforce numbers were helpful, more information was still needed as to where the workforce would be based.

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Miles a FIFO hotspot AFTER its recent upgrade, the Miles aerodrome is now handling more than 25 flights a week as it positions itself as a key piece of infrastructure for the CSG industry in Surat Basin.

Among the businesses currently servicing - or interested in servicing - the airport are Qantas and Virgin, plus a suite of other specialist FIFO carriers.

Earlier this year APLNG finished refurbishing the airstrip at a cost of $16 million to make it usable at night and in all weather. The Western Downs Regional Council will continue to own and manage the facility.

However, Mayor Ray Brown says he wants to ensure the facility is available to the broader community, not just those engaged in the CSG industry.

“We have got Alliance Airlines flying in and out of Miles 25 times a week, and we have had discussions with a lot of airways including QANTAS and Virgin,” he said.

“This week we flew in with QGC and Thiess representatives to work out what their needs are.

“But I think it is really important that we look at how the local community can also make use of this important facility, not just FIFO and energy people.”

The renewal of the formerly obsolete airport at Miles is the latest sign of just how significant the small town is becoming in the new CSG era.

More than 5000 new beds have recently been made available via an explosion in approvals for mining camps.

Prior to that, rents in the town had increased from $150 a week to $1800 a week, but have now settled at around $600 or $700.

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“It’s still not specific. The report talks about upstream in the Surat Basin, but not specific towns or local government areas and what this will mean for schools, hospitals, and basic infrastructure like sewerage,” he said.

“We are still trying to gain a good understanding from companies about if they are going to bring in their workers via FIFO or, as we would hope, encourage them to live in our local communities.”

Mr Charles said so far the growth had been spread across several towns in the region.

“Depending on what happens with Arrow Energy, Dalby stands to benefit,” he said.

“QGC and Origin are basing themselves in Chinchilla and Miles, and Santos in Roma.

It is a good outcome because it takes the pressure off one small town trying to cope.”

Telecommunications is a major issue in the region, with smart phones not an option because data coverage is virtually nonexistent due to major strains on the network.

“There is a new sense of collaboration between gas companies and they are starting to talk about working on telecommunications together rather than a piecemeal approach so that gives us some optimism,” he said.

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Rockhampton no one-trick pony

By Inga Stünzner

ROCKHAMPTON is challenging Mackay and Gladstone as Central Queensland’s industrial city, with its council taking a bold move to bring in resource business.

Mayor Margaret Strelow told Shift Miner that the region was gearing up for the next boom cycle and was perfectly situated with new mines about to open directly west of Rockhampton.

“The industry is cyclical - that’s

no news - but there’s a game shift going on with a real resurgence of work by the Bandannas in the industry that are much closer in our direction, and that is very exciting.”

The council is also making moves to build relationships with provincial Chinese energy companies, and then there is potential development in the Galilee Basin - directly west.

“We are always going to be

a diverse city, but a big thing is servicing the needs of Central Queensland - and that is the beef industry and the resources industry,” she said.

“This is something we have undersold.”

The council has taken its message to Brisbane, meeting with major mining industries, and organisations.

“We’re getting an understanding

of where the resource industry is sitting and getting the message across that Rocky is open for business.

“The council has taken economic development back inhouse very deliberately.”

Last week it moved north, sponsoring the Bowen Basin Mining Club luncheon in Mackay, to the surprise of that council.

Meanwhile, Mackay has suffered from the mining downturn with many businesses closing their doors, the latest being MACS Engineering.

The suggestion has been that Rockhampton has missed the boat. As the Gracemere Industrial Area opens for business, Mackay’s industrial precinct, Paget, is seeing more and more businesses close their sheds.

Cr Strelow, however, is optimistic.

“There is definitely a quietening down, but if there is movement going on it seems to be more into our area than away.

“We did miss what happened last time, but you can ask whether that’s good or bad. Rocky is not a one-trick pony, but we can’t afford to miss the next one.”

Cr Strelow said there is now a hunger to go after the resources industry, which wasn’t there before, and, 2014 was looking fabulous.

“There is a sense of unity of where we go now.”

In the council’s sights is Rockhampton’s airport and making it a FIFO hub, but the meeting in Brisbane revealed many decisions had already been made.

That has not been a deterrent.

“We really think we can do FIFO well and acknowledge that we haven’t been hungry enough for it.

“Cr Neil Fisher has been meeting with airlines and other airports and mapping out some futures for us that really see airport play a better role.”

Cr Fisher told local radio this morning that Qantas has been looking outside the box and hoped to engage Virgin Airlines in similar discussions.

The council is creating a new position for a resource relationship manager and is currently holding interviews.

“The purpose is to make up for lost time and to accelerate our commitment.”

“

The MAC has been a long term supporter of RAAG and together we are working towards safer roads for communities across the Bowen Basin.

”

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9th December 2013

Local Jobs. Local Business. Local Partnerships.

themac.com.au

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Nine out of 10 coal Blow to boom town deaths contractors

CONTRACTORS are far more likely to die on Queensland mine sites in a situation the Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health says must be stamped out.

The Commissioner, Stewart Bell, has issued a warning to mine bosses after confirming contractors were overrepresented in fatalities in the industry.

“Over the last 10 years, nine out of 10 people who died in the coal mining industry and 10 out of 20 people who died in the metalliferous mining industry were contractors,” said Mr Bell.

Mr Bell said he was concerned contractors were often engaged for highrisk tasks without checks being made of their health and safety procedures.

“I’m concerned that some mining operations regard these risks as not their responsibility, whereas in my view they should review and approve the contractor’s processes and procedures before the work begins.

“There are senior managers at these sites whose job is to manage the risk as required by law for everyone who’s working there and that includes contractors,” he said.

The warning comes as the Queensland Mines and Quarries Safety Performance and Health Report 2012-

13 was released, and with it the latest safety statistics for the industry.

There were two mining-related deaths during the financial year under review, both of them at metalliferous mines. Surface coal mines have been fatality-free for two years and underground mines for six years.

Overall, the safety statistics for the past 12 months are an improvement on the previous year.

Workers experienced 135 fewer losttime injuries and disabling injuries than the year before. Days lost to lost-time injuries also fell from 19,128 to 14,231 and to disabling injuries from 16,413 to 11,488.

The average number of days lost per injury continued to decline, down to 27.2 from 30.1.

The lost-time injury frequency rate for surface coal mines did rise from 3.1 to 3.5 - although across all operations this rate actually fell from 4 to 3.5 injuries and diseases per million hours worked.

Mines are required by law to record socalled High Potential Incidents (HPIs) even if no-one is injured.

The chief inspector of coal mines, Andrew Clough, said all HPIs were fully investigated to make sure they didn’t happen again.

“There were 46 fewer HPIs reported across the industry over the year compared with the previous 12 months, and some of them are a particular concern,” he said.

“While the circumstances are varied, there’s a common thread in the choices have made. In some cases the choices were wilful breaches of known safety standards, in others they were poor decisions related to lack of knowledge or competency.”

GLADSTONE’s hope of another industrial boost has taken a hit with the shut-down of a shale oil demonstration plant and the loss of 50 jobs.

Queensland Energy Resources (QER) failed to secure enough investment to keep the project going and will shut the plant down in the new year.

It’s another blow for the industrial city, where traditional industries have been struggling despite the gas boom.

In November, the $4 billion Boulder steel project was placed into voluntary administration for the second time, and the Gladstone power station is currently offering voluntary redundancies.

There have been big job cuts elsewhere, including 130 at Queensland Alumina Limited last year, and about 50 when the Austicks factory shut down.

QER began a two-year development program at the Gladstone demonstration plant in October 2011, and has produced high quality ultra-low sulphur diesel and aviation fuel for testing and certification.

It has sufficient data to support the case for a commercial project, but has hit a brick wall with a lack of investment.

There are 50 people employed at the plant, and QER chief executive, Pearce Bowman, said they would be leaving progressively during the first part of next year ahead of the facility being placed on care and maintenance.

“We have built an excellent team and I will

be personally very sorry to say farewell to such good people,” Mr Bowman said. “I am very grateful for their efforts and achievements in demonstrating that oil shale can be developed in harmony with the community and environment,” Mr Pearce said.

He said the next phase of engineering work would depend on whether the company could get an investor on board.

“We hope to find a partner who shares our view that the current Brent oil price of almost US$110 per barrel represents a reality about oil supplies that is likely to persist, in contrast to the substantial oil price decline currently assumed by global commodity markets,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Resources Council has congratulated the company on its successful demonstration of new oil shale production technology.

Chief executive Michael Roche said the successful operation had delivered Queensland a major strategic advantage with respect to future liquid fuel energy security.

“The entire QER team deserves congratulations for their determined and successful efforts to confirm the viability and sustainability of oil shale production,” Mr Roche said.

“With a supportive state government policy now in place, we are all hoping that this exciting project can secure the investment backing necessary to proceed to commercial scale,” he said.

What are the safety checks like at your work? Are contractors treated differently to permanent staff?

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New protocol a band-aid solution for leaking gas?

A NEW protocol developed by the Newman government to manage uncontrolled gas emissions from abandoned coal exploration boreholes is band aid treatment, according to a veteran hydrologist.

Ian Hansen has been a water driller for over 35 years and has been highly critical of the

government’s policies when it comes to managing old boreholes.

“With CSG it’s an extreme issue and the government has put it in the too hard basket,” Mr Hansen told Shift Miner.

The new protocols grew out of an incident last year, where an abandoned borehole leaked gas and then started a fire in

surrounding bush near Dalby.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps recently launched the protocol, which has been developed in consultation with the resources sector.

“In the past, the resources sector had no clear guidance on how to appropriately respond to uncontrolled gas emissions from legacy boreholes, putting the safety of employees, the local community and the relevant landholder at risk,” Mr Cripps said.

“As part of this protocol, we have established a set of principles by which companies and the government will act, along with notification, response, rectification, safety and communication processes.”

However, this protocol is just a band-aid solution for a bigger problem, according to Mr Hansen.

CSG lowers the water the table and it is the weight of the water that is holding the gas down.

As the water is pumped out, it pushes the gas up.

“If the water is removed from the coal seams as planned over such a vast area of Queensland we are going to see uncontrollable

volumes of gas leak from open mineral exploration test holes and we will also witness the depletion of many of our aquifers via these holes.

“This will be without a doubt the greatest environmental disaster ever on inland Queensland.”

There are currently thousands of unsealed holes across the state and there is no requirement for industry to record their location.

Their whereabouts, depth and formations drilled through are mostly unknown, making it impossible to predict the interconnection between the aquifers.

Mr Hansen said the state government has dismissed his concerns, labelling him an alarmist.

“I cannot understand it because it’s going to be a huge issue for the resource industry by losing their gas.”

At the heart of the problem is the fact that resources companies are not held to account when they don’t cover their testing drill holes.

“At every drillers meeting or seminar I have attended over the last 35 years this practice of the mineral exploration industry leaving

holes open and not sealed has been mentioned and complained about, but the department and the government continue to refuse to act on this situation.”

The Department Code of Environmental Compliance, released last year, does deal with exploration drilling holes, but every condition is tempered with the clause ‘apart from those still required for monitoring purposes’.

“Every condition has that so basically they don’t have to do anything. And where the environmental compliance code says a drilling hole must be capped, they don’t give any standards as to what condition they must be capped,” said Mr Hansen.

“Mr Cripps keeps throwing this around, that they have the best environmental code of practice, and it’s a nothing.”

Mr Hansen said it would be an enormous job to find old boreholes, but an awareness program targeting land holders and the government going through old maps would be a start. Then these holes need to be cemented from the bottom up.

Legacy boreholes complex: Minister QUEENSLAND’S Mines Minister Andrew Cripps has hit back at criticism that the government has put the issue of abandoned exploration holes in the too hard basket.

Minister Cripps told Shift Miner the issue of historic abandoned exploration holes is complex, as many were drilled over several decades ago, when drilling standards and regulations were not as robust as they are today.

“As a result, some records are not reliable and there may be many legacy bores not recorded in our databases,” he said.

Minister Cripps said the chief inspector of coal mines addressed coal exploration operators at a forum in Toowoomba in October and reiterated the requirements to ensure all abandoned exploration holes are rehabilitated as per the conditions of the environmental permits and legislation.

“Investigations have also been conducted by the mines inspectorate on some exploration leases to ensure rehabilitation works have been completed.

“Mining companies that undertake drilling for exploration and mineral development projects are also subject to conditions under the environmental authority issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.

“This act falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and should be addressed by that agency.”

Veteran water driller Ian Hansen has called for more regulation and criticised compliance code, released last year, that does deal with exploration holes.

Each requirement is tempered with a clause

10

9th December 2013

that allows mining companies to abandon these holes rather than correctly closing them, and the regulations do not state to what standard the holes must be remediated, he said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources and Mines said it was incorrect to say that remediation of these boreholes was not regulated in Queensland.

“All coal or petroleum and gas exploration boreholes that are drilled in Queensland today must meet strict drilling and abandonment requirements prescribed in the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Regulation 2004 (P&G Regulation),” he told Shift Miner.

“The regulations require petroleum and coal companies drilling or abandoning coal or petroleum exploration wells to survey the borehole, seal the casing, isolate any aquifers and porous formations and install cement plugs and packers,” the spokesperson said.

“From a water management perspective, any legacy exploration bores will tend to be located in areas where significant aquifers do not overlie the coal.”

The potential risk to aquifer interconnectivity is currently being assessed by the Office of Groundwater Assessment.

“CSG companies are also proactively initiating measures on their tenures where production is occurring and impacting on water to manage and make good boreholes, such as water bores.

“The Department has also developed a protocol for managing any reported fire or uncontrolled unsafe gas emission in historic exploration boreholes.”

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GVK abandons big rail plan

INDIAN giant GVK may have abandoned its ambitious plans to build a 500km rail from western Queensland to Abbot Point but it is still leading the Galilee race.

The company is one of many vying to open up the Galilee Basin coal province, but the main stumbling block has been lack of infrastructure connecting the region to coal ports on the coast.

GVK Hancock was planning to build and operate a 500km railway, but late last month it announced alongside rail provider Aurizon they would incorporate existing lines, a compromise expected to save more than $1 billion in construction costs.

“This work not only brings us a step closer to jointly providing the primary rail and port solution for the Galilee, it brings the whole region a step closer to realising the benefits of one of the largest regional development opportunities this state has seen for decades,” said Aurizon managing director and chief executive Lance Hockridge.

The proposed rail solution means that only 300km of track under the original GVK Hancock plan will be built before connecting into existing Aurizon infrastructure.

The companies will then have a phased development at the Abbot Point T3 terminal to match volumes and ramp-up, further reducing initial infrastructure costs.

This decision places GVK in the lead to open up the Galilee Basin - a race pushed by the Queensland government, which is offering royalty discounts to the first miners in the region.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney welcomed the announcement.

“News of this important milestone is warmly welcomed by the Newman government and we congratulate both companies on their coordinated approach to solving infrastructure challenges.”

Mr Seeney said the Galilee Basin and the projects within it represent great opportunities for Queensland, are

worth billions of dollars, and will create thousands of jobs.

GVK and Aurizon’s new proposal will see the southern rail connection built to narrow-gauge specifications to carry trains of up to 25,000 tonnes, and there is the option to expand to a full greenfield line if the mine expands.

The open-access rail and port infrastructure will be open to other miners in the Galilee and Bowen Basins.

Mr Hockridge said there had been considerable work by both parties over recent months to better define the rail transport solution for the project, both from an engineering and a commercial perspective.

“We can see from our assessment that GVK Hancock’s coal assets are very well advanced,” he said.

“We’re pleased this also aligns with government objectives - getting early tonnes out of the Galilee at lower cost by tapping into existing infrastructure and consolidating tonnages onto a common corridor.”

Collectively the proposed development of the rail and port infrastructure is expected to attract an investment for Queensland in the order of $6 billion and provide over 1,300 jobs during construction and around 300 long-term jobs once operational.

Bluff mine a step closer CARABELLA Resources has announced it has 11 million tonnes of mineable and nine million tonnes of marketable (JORC) coal at its Bluff tenements in Central Queensland.

Earlier this year, Carabella announced ‘indicated and inferred’ resources at the site of just over 21 million tonnes.

However, ‘inferred and indicated’ resource estimates carry the highest risk because they are based on very limited drilling and testing under the JORC code.

The upgrade from inferred to mineable reserves comes after the company drilled five more holes at the site over the past six months.

It revealed more than 20 metres of coal seams at a depth of between 36 metres and nearly 70 metres at the site.

In May this year, Carabella completed a concept study of the mine and concluded that the tenement could sustain an open cut mine for 10 years, producing one million tonnes of coal a year.

The coal would be PCI for steel-making and cost around $96 a tonne to get onto a ship.

Last month Carabella also lodged an Environmental Authority (EA) application for the Bluff project under the Queensland government’s new green tape reduction process.

The mining lease application will be processed in parallel with the EA application and Carabella is anticipating project approvals to be received in the first three months of next year.

The company plans to complete a feasibility statement by Christmas.

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11

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Mackay grips onto resources crown

DESPITE efforts by other regions to steal it, the Mackay Regional Council will not surrender its crown easily as the most

significant hub for the mining services sector in Queensland.

Ranked according to gross regional

product, the Mackay Whitsunday region claims to be the third largest economic zone in the state - just behind Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but well ahead of Townsville, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Cairns.

However, as the fortunes of the coal sector have waned in 2013, so has Mackay’s major industrial precinct, Paget.

Mackay councillor David Perkins, whose portfolio is planning and development, said the Mackay region has no plans to stop investing in infrastructure needed for the mining support sector.

“We are planning for the future, everyone is trimming their sails to suit the cloth that is going around, and you would be stupid to say anything different,” he said.

“But people who have been around the game for a long time are not changing their plans.

“Go out to Paget and see the investment big companies like Blackwoods and MP Services are making.

“I can’t name names but some of the underground maintenance businesses in Paget have never been so busy.”

The council has just completed its biggest ever road project, upgrading Connors Road in South Mackay and improved access to Paget.

Interestingly, however, the most pressing piece of infrastructure the council wants investment in is a road not even in

the city limits, or the regional footprint.

“The thing that will blow you away, and it is in our forward planning, is the development of the Alpha to Clermont road,” said Cr Perkins.

“We see this is a critical piece of infrastructure required to be able to service the existing coalfields, the Galilee Basin and the expanding gas sector.

“What we are saying is that Paget is a unique precinct - a bit like the Silicon Valley for mining services, and for businesses to be able to continue servicing the mining sector that road is critical.”

While keen for the road to be built, Cr Perkins has stopped short of suggesting funding would come from Mackay ratepayers.

Instead he said the council will continue to push hard to make the case to the state government.

Last month the Barcaldine mayor added his voice to the chorus of calls for the Alpha to Clermont Road upgrade after the Premier announced the ResourcesQ initiative.

“It’s about affordable housing, good medical services, good education, good roads and those roads are not just going to benefit the resource sector, but help to support the growing tourism industries,” he said.

“Locally we have the example of the Clermont to Alpha Road, if that was to be upgraded everyone would benefit.”

Rocky navigates downturn safely ROCKHAMPTON has managed to navigate through the worst of the coal sector downturn over the past 12 months with relatively little pain.

That’s the opinion of Capricorn Enterprise chief executive Mary Carroll.

While its neighbour Mackay has suffered, with many businesses forced to shut up shop and others shedding staff, Rockhampton has been buffered.

“Business conditions in the Rockhampton region are quite confident and the outlook for the new year is positive,” Ms Carroll told Shift Miner.

“That is the strength of a diverse economy and our multiple industries including health, education, retail, agriculture, mining and tourism all helping to make our economy very stable.”

Ms Carroll is far more optimistic than business leaders further north in the Mackay region, or further west in the coalfields.

“While the mining industry has its ebbs and flows you only need to look at the Gracemere industrial area forging ahead to realise when it does pick up again we are well and truly ready to ride that next wave of development.”

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9th December 2013

Ms Carroll said being a permanent home base for coal industry workers made a difference to the overall impact of a downturn.

“We are fortunate in that mining families who have chosen to live on the Capricorn Coast or Rockhampton make it their home base,” she said.

“It means their kids go to school here and their partners often have jobs here too.

“So while we have a number of mining families who have been directly affected by job cuts, they don’t just up and move like they might in a pure mining town. That is the difference, they have made this their home.”

Ms Carroll said those ebbs and flows were felt much more in towns like Tieri, Middlemount and Blackwater. But she did recognise some mining services businesses have suffered over the past 12 months.

“It’s those second and third tier businesses that have done exceedingly well out of the mining boom,” she said.

“But those businesses that ride off the back of any boom will also have to ride the wave down as well, so the message for those businesses is they need to diversify to stay in the game.”

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Contracting “friggin” hard

By Angus Peacocke

THE chairman of Bounty Mining Gary Cochrane has delivered a blunt assessment of the coal mining sector in 2013.

“Right now for a contractor it is friggin hard,” he said.

“I have been around long enough to know that it will come back; this is the fourth cycle I have been through.

“But the big unknown is when things will come back, and how big it will be when it does.”

Using technology developed in the US, Bounty specialises in the underground mining of coal seams that have been left unmined because they are generally considered too thin to be viably mined using conventional underground equipment.

However, it’s been a tumultuous year.

Bounty reported record profits, record

production, and no injuries in the first half of the year, but in the second half lost both of its major mining contracts with Anglo American as the slowdown began to bite.

The company has since laid off almost its entire workforce and put all machinery and equipment on care and maintenance at its depot in Mackay.

Mr Cochrane supports the generally held view that the major problem for Australian coal is a lack of demand and the strong dollar.

However he doesn’t accept that the cost blowouts that have been so widely reported are purely due to a lack of attention by coal companies on the bottom line.

“You have got to go back and take a bigger view. The Bowen Basin has been mined since the late 1970s,” he said.

“Back then we were dealing with very thick seams very close to the surface. We are now mining coal that is more costly to get at.

“The structural ratios have really changed, and you can use bigger trucks and bigger draglines and increase productivity using all those technologies, but you can’t avoid the fundamental changes.”

However, while some of the low hanging fruit has been picked, Mr Cochrane says it’s not all doom and gloom.

He believed China will continue to be a major customer in the future, pointing to the fact that its own coal supply is largely depleted and becoming increasingly expensive to mine.

He said wages alone were growing at 10 per cent a year - albeit from a low base - and most coal being mined on the east coast is at depths of around 900 metres.

“Coal is like every other commodity, whether it be real estate or agriculture,” he said.

“They all have their cycles, and there is a constant rebalancing. It’s not all doom and gloom. We have had a massive surge in capacity and demand is just slowly increasing.”

Mr Cochrane said at some point there was going to be a large backlog of work to be done, but the problem was going to be finding the people.

“A lot of people have left the industry, and head offices are empty, and unless there is some certainty it is going to be hard to get them back.”

News More coal moved than pre-GFC QUEENSLAND’S coal industry has used the downturn to ramp up production to record levels, exceeding even the pre-GFC boom times.

The latest coal export volumes confirm the widespread campaign of cost-cutting and renewed focus on productivity is working.

The Treasurer’s office has released figures showing two million tonnes of coal went through Abbot Point, near Bowen, last month.

That is a 30 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2012.

“Compared to last year, we are seeing substantially increased exports at our two biggest coal terminals at Gladstone and Dalrymple Bay,” said Treasurer, Tim Nicholls.

“In October alone Gladstone recorded 5.98 million tonnes, up 17.4 per cent on the previous year, while Dalrymple Bay recorded 5.79 million tonnes, up 19 per cent on October 2013.”

Mr Nicholls said coal prices were also starting to stabilise, with the hard coking coal benchmark price now up 5 per cent - the first increase in more than two years.“The recent opening of the Kestrel South and Daunia mines is clear evidence coal companies believe they have a future in Queensland,” he said.The government says Queensland is on track to export 200 million tonnes of coal in 20132014.There were just over 180 million tonnes exported in 2012-13, so the 200 million tonne target represents an 11.5 per cent increase.

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9th December 2013

REVEALED! Shift Miner’s Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette

Robert Dyson, 30 Lucas Drilling/QGC pipeline, Woleebee Creek When I’m not at work you’ll find me: Riding my dirt bikes or travelling.

My signature dish is: Chicken and cashews or beef kiev.

My perfect date would be: A nice romantic dinner overlooking the ocean, followed by a sunset walk along the beach (so I can push them in the water haha!) or a day out on the dirt bikes or jetskis.

The best advice I’ve ever been given is: Live with no regrets, head high with pride.

My best attribute is: I’m loyal, honest and would give the shirt off my back if it meant helping someone, providing they are trying to help themselves.

My friends say I am: Loyal, proud, crazy, class clown, random, fun and a good cook (my cousin says I’m a stubborn sh*thead who knows how to party).

Bronte Webb, 21 APLNG, Curtis Island When I’m not at work you’ll find me: At the beach or gym.

My worst habit is: Always on the phone.

My best attribute is: My personality.

If I could invite three people to dinner they would be (and why): Channing Tatum – A babe. Gabriel Iglesias – comedian. Marilyn Monroe – beautiful If I didn’t work in mining or industry I would be a: Bar manager.

What are two topics that should be off limits on a first date: Money, religion.

Shift Miner Magazine

Around Town

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HO! HO! HO! Jellinbah mine held its Christmas party recently, with a surprise visit from Santa. [Photo credit: Jeannette Fletcher]

Abigail Smith

Lion Manuel and Michelle Rogers with Santa

Tammy Stuart

Stephen Richards and Daniel Olive

Grace and Edward Skahill

Shirley Pidgeon on Santa’s knee

(L-R) Lyndal Polkinghorne, Glenda Martin, Sue Olive and Anthea Robertson

Victoria Robertson and Tayla Bean

(L-R) Abby-Rose Rogers, Matilda Pidgeon, Michelle Rogers and Seona Hume

Jon Hull and Tony Miskell

Ros and Peter Lehmann

Ruby and Lilly Howe

Jeff and Deb Tull

Linda and Rod James with Carla Leishman

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.

16

9th December 2013

Shift Miner Magazine

Around Town

www.shiftminer.com

BLUE SKY DAYS

Blackwater North State School held its annual fete recently, just before school wrapped up for the year.

[Photo credit: Jeannette Fletcher]

Lydia Bowtell enjoying her fairy floss

Tracey Barnicoat

(L-R) Taria Smyth with Caitlyn, Kenn and Samantha Chant

(L-R) Kelly and Hunter Hayes with Karan Oxenham

Hope Owens and Holly Field

Zac Tunstall on the fishing game

Layton Purcell

(L-R) Kody Ferguson, Kurt Ingram and Dylan Gook

Zanda Rulton

Lily Davies, Mia and Lily Fuge

Brodie Sonter having a go at Mini Golf

Harry Hopes

Buy this and many other images at

www.shiftminer.com Shift Miner magazine – bringing the mining community closer together 9th December 2013

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FROm THE EDITOR What’s FIFO got to do with Christmas?

RECENTLY, a report that surveyed mining industry workers found that one third of FIFO workers left their job within the first year. On top of that, they did not stay for as long as those who lived locally.

The Queensland Mining Heartbeat report is very candid about the impact this high turnover will have on the industry, and predicts what is the equivalent of the entire workforce will need to be replaced within five years if it continues.

To be fair, the turnover rate in mining overall is high, with about one in five people leaving each year, so part of this must be the nature of the industry.

However, the statistics show that resident workers are far less likely to resign - only 6 per cent - and will stay on the job once-and-a-half times longer than a FIFO worker.

The issue is still one about choice - for many families the DIDO/FIFO lifestyle works really well. But with several mines actively pushing for an exclusive FIFO workforce, it is reasonable to conclude this is will cost the companies more in the long run. The practice should also be questioned at a time when jobs have been lost and there are many willing and able to work on these sites that live in the local region.

So what has this got to do with Christmas? In the past, mining companies

would throw lavish celebrations in mining towns as a means of keeping community spirit alive. Apparently this is not happening this year.

Is it a case of mining companies punishing communities that have been outspoken about the impacts of FIFO or is this just common sense at a time when our economy is sluggish and many people have lost their jobs?

There’s no doubt holding a massive Christmas party in a year of widespread job cuts would be pretty poor form, but current workers still need to be appreciated. Mines are currently hitting record production levels, and this in large part is due to the diligence of those working at the coalface. It will also be interesting to see if the Christmas parties of old return when the boom cycle kicks back into gear, or if they are now a thing of the past.

On that note - this is our last Shift Miner for the year and we will be back next year, hopefully bright eyed and bushy tailed. Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year.

See you in 2014.

Inga Stunzner Do you think this study on relationship breakdown and suicide has merit?

Comment or SMS 0409 471 014

Photos to THE EDITOR

Text in your best snap to 0409 471 014

Caption: Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal’s (WICET) has recognised the academic efforts of three Gladstone high school students, presenting them with the inaugural WICET Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Encouragement Awards. Recipients are Toolooa State High School students (from left) Gavin Smith (Year 9); Amanda Bolch (Year 8) and Shanai Ingra (Year 10).

Stuff to the Editor We’ve had another long letter from industry stalwart Tom Wharton. Over the years Tom has written in on a number of issues, but he is most passionate about safety.

Dear Editor, At this point in time when we are in a downturn, I wonder if we, ourselves, have in fact contributed to the situation.

At this point in time when we are in a downturn, I wonder if we, ourselves, have in fact contributed to the situation.

As a long-time person in the mining industry I believe that safety is - and should be - our main concern. I also believe in good working conditions, and readers shouldn’t think I am suggesting conditions should be lowered in any shape or form.

Having said that, I think we are regulating ourselves out of business. We have so many rules and regulations that it is easy to use them to “get a rest” and this appears to be happening a lot. Now, before you all hang me, I believe you can’t put all the blame on the men and women at the coal face because if they don’t keep these rules then they might be in trouble. But, as we don’t live in a perfect world, there are those who will use the system as they see fit.

I believe that a lot of our problems were caused by people in off-site safety firms who were trying to keep themselves in a job.

They have come up with “ideas” that in the long run did nothing for safety but acted as a brake on production and in many cases eliminated common sense. I have sat in a room and heard from some of these experts from afar say “safety, safety never mind about production”. Anyone with half a brain knows that no production no income, no income no jobs, no jobs no need for safety.

I prefer to used the words “safe production” and this should be our motto and aim at all times. When you dress up safety to make it saleable then a lot of the time you don’t get what you want. Some people try to say that most safety rules come from the floor - but I say only a few do.

SHIFT MIN ER The Queens

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and gas commu

nity’s best

It’s time to who is Shif decide Most Elig t Miner’s ible

»

Page 14

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So, to end my letter: Leave the Mining Act as it is Have a look at some of these petty rules and change if necessary Don’t jump in and make rules based on emotion, let things cool down I will say again that we are regulating ourselves out of business. It is possible to keep our high safety standards and work conditions by simply doing things differently.

Yours sincerely, Tom Wharton Stone the bloody crows!

I opened up Shift Miner during smoko to see what’s happening with the fishing and I see a bloke with half his arm hanging off!

I’ve been a pretty mad keen fisherman for over 30 years now and I’d have to say that’s absolutely the worst fishing injury I’ve ever seen.

You see plenty of blokes with hooks stuck in all sorts of places, but this rogue barracuda attack left me reeling.

I’m no greeny, but fish seem to be getting angrier and angrier, every time I turn on the news there’s a shark attack somewhere.

Maybe it’s because of global warming?

I won’t be taking any chances out on the water. I’m renting the entire Jaws series to prepare for the unexpected.

Yours in angling, Don ‘The mackerel’ McKenzie, Winton

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Frank the Tank’s Dear Frank,

My girlfriend recently cooked me dinner for the first time and to my horror I discovered that she’s a very lousy chef.

To make matters worse, I suspect she is an unhygienic one because I was on the loo all night. What should I do?

Nathan, Noosa I’m terribly sorry to hear about your unpleasant night on the john, Nathan.

Not many people know this but I’m a big fan of extremely spicy food, which often sees me strapped to the throne for hours on end, suffering the brown lament.

Just be thankful your gastric distress struck while you were close to home base.

I once indulged in a particularly

spicy vindaloo and then decided to play a game of golf.

Half way down the seventh fairway I was struck down by a crippling intestinal pain.

With very few options and a bollywood musical about to break out of my bowels, I made a snap decision which, in hindsight, was probably not a good one.

I tried to explain to a nearby greenskeeper that I was simply fertilising a patch of dead grass on the fairway but he didn’t believe me...neither did my sentencing judge.

We aficionados of spicy food know what we’re getting ourselves into. We readily accept that our culinary proclivities will likely see us wearing adult diapers to work ‘just in case’, but launching an unexpected all night assault on the porcelain as a result of your girlfriend’s cooking, well that’s something else entirely.

A woman who can’t cook is pretty much the same as a fish that can’t

Fair Dinkum!

“Streakin” good love advice

breathe underwater: they’ve both failed to adapt to their natural habitats.

Fortunately for you there’s a number of subtle ways to make your girlfriend a better cook.

You could get her a subscription to a cooking magazine or buy 20 seasons of ‘Masterchef’ on DVD. If you’re the kind of person who likes quick results, grind a few sleeping tablets into your girlfriend’s drink.

While she’s snoozing chain her feet to the stove and go out for a few hours.

Being stuck in the kitchen will instinctively encourage her to begin cooking, and as the old adage goes, ‘practice makes perfect’. Just repeat this process until her culinary skills are up to scratch.

If drugging women isn’t your thing you could simply adopt a policy where, if she tables an unacceptable meal, you tip it onto the floor and refuse to eat it.

This approach will have a twopronged effect, as it will also give her a

chance to practise her cleaning skills.

woman Jennifer Chirico chose option three.

She admitted to calling in bomb threats to three courthouses, but claims she was persuaded to do so by a friend who was supposed to drive her to the hearing but overslept.

She now faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Tel Aviv to London were panicked when they discovered a snake on their plane.

Unlike the ridiculous movie starring Samuel L Jackson, the snake on the plane was a non-venomous pet innocently brought on in one passenger’s carry on luggage.

He removed the snake from his bag midway through the flight to give it a drink of water, however it’s appearance was too much for some passengers.

Border officials questioned the man upon arrival, but he was let off with a warning, reptile in hand.

IN BRAZIL

SNAKES ON A PLANE: It may not have been quite like the movie, but when a passenger took his pet snake out of his bag to give it a drink, passengers reacted in a similar manner to those in the movie.

IN THE US - If you’re running

late for a court hearing, what should you do? Phone ahead and say you’re on your

way, show up, apologise and wear the punishment, or phone in a bomb threat in an attempt to delay your hearing?

For some mind-boggling reason US

- A 21-year-old woman is attempting to auction her virginity online for the second time.

In October last year Catarina Migliorini took part in an online auction as part of a documentary called ‘Virgins Wanted’.

She sold her virginity to a Japanese bidder for $780,000, but claims the deal fell through and was never consummated.

Migliorini has now launched her own website, which claims she is still a virgin in every sense of the word, and that “nobody can prove her wrong”.

She’s hoping to earn at least $680,000 at auction.

IN LONDON

- In a case of life imitating art, passengers on a flight from

Frank

SENSIBLE SUSAN Nathan, You could be jumping the gun a bit here in saying that your girlfriend’s a lousy chef; she may just have had a bad night.

Your upset stomach and night on the loo could also have been unrelated, especially if your girlfriend didn’t get sick as well.

I think you should definitely give her the benefit of the doubt and let her cook you another meal.

If the same thing happens again, then it might be time to start thinking about going out for dinner!

Susan

IN AUSTRALIA - A Facebook

page started by an Aussie mum reveals the cringe-worthy items that kids take to school for show and tell.

Dead owls, baby brother’s placenta and “mummy’s vibrating rocket ship” are among some of the hilariously inappropriate items kids take into school to show off.

Other outrageous items posted on the Facebook page include: bras, an empty tin of kama sutra lollies, a bone from grandma’s ear and a crocodile skull.

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Off Shift

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MOVIE Review by Justin Carlos

Carrie remake is horror movie deja vu the latest candidate for reimagining is Carrie.

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Carrie tells the story of a shy, socially awkward teenager who is bullied at school and abused by her fanatically religious mother.

Unlike the average victim of bullying and

Can’t anyone in Hollywood think of anything new?

The number of remakes, reboots and rehashings currently taking place in the world of film is verging on the absurd.

Horror films are subject to being remade more than just about any other genre, and

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abuse, however, Carrie has telekinetic powers (i.e. the ability to move objects with her mind).

After being pushed too far by abusive classmates, Carrie unleashes her rage in the form of a telekinetic frenzy at the senior prom.

The film is basically a shot for shot remake of Brian De Palma’s 1976 version

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Across 1. Significant (event) 5. Convict fleet destination, ... Bay 9. Thug 10. Salad herb 12. Southern US state 13. Rupture 14. Cram (for exam) 16. Protest sign 19. Twirled 21. Uncluttered 24. Explosive weapons 25. Weather station gauge 27. Modern Jewish state 28. Infirmary 29. Awards 30. Gratifies

of Carrie, starring Sissy Spacek.

While the 2013 incarnation of the film doesn’t really attempt to reimagine King’s story, or even stray from the cinematic framework set down by De Palma, it is not without merit.

The real strength of Carrie (2013) comes from the performances of Chloe Grace Moretz in the title role, and Julianne Moore as her disturbed and fanatical mother.

Moretz creates real sympathy for misunderstood and mistreated Carrie, possibly even more so than Sissy Spacek did in her 1976 performance, which earned her an Oscar nomination.

Julianne Moore is particularly good as the demented Margaret White, whose fanatical and misguided religious ideals form the basis for Carrie’s social awkwardness and eventual rage-fuelled outburst.

Fans of gore driven horror films like Saw may not enjoy Carrie; the film is as much a drama about an abused teen craving human contact as it is a horror film.

By modern horror standards the film is extremely tame, with very little violence or suspense being created during the climactic prom scenes.

The film also lacks the iconic and chilling ‘final scare’ of Brian De Palma’s Carrie.

Most horror fans will appreciate Carrie (2013), but those seeking a splatter-fest or a heart-stopping fright flick should look elsewhere.

Down 1. Bargain 2. Lampooned (4,2) 3. Desert waterholes 4. Inaccurate 6. Jettison, throw ...

7. Deviating from standard 8. Christmas season 11. Sloped walkway 15. Profitably used (4-5) 17. Mopping 18. Coffee liqueur (3,5) # 59 20. Owed amount 21. Tumult 22. Sculpture 23. Metal grids 26. Was gloomy

LAST EDITION’S SOLUTIONS T E A MO E SW T C E L L U L A R

A C H I NG L A E B S T E R S E E V A I N D L I NG T N R SMUG A S O MP T I E R G R S E A E A P T A L L W N R L I L T E D ME E S O A D I S H ON

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Shift Miner Magazine

Off Shift

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Even more crazy Japanese inventions!

IT’S no secret that we at the Shift Miner are fascinated by all the weird and wonderful things to come out of Japan.

In our final edition for 2013 we felt obligated to once again delve into the pure strangeness that is the land of the rising sun.

Enjoy even more of Shift Miner’s craziest Japanese inventions.

Rapidly expanding mystery balloon There are few words to describe the sheer strangeness of this product.

Apparently you squeeze on the swan’s head and it inflates, making you the life of the party.

We’re far more troubled by how the swan is attached to your body...

Banashi ice cream It’s sometimes really nice to sit down after dinner and indulge in a big bowl of ice cream in front of the TV. The only problem is ice cream flavours are so plain, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry - talk about unimaginative!

Thank the heavens for Banashi ice cream, who make all your favourite flavours...like horse meat.

Yes...horse meat ice cream.

Ho, Ho, WTF? We Aussies are pretty conservative in our celebration of Christmas. Trees, lights, a roast meal or a barbie, the boxing day test, it all seems pretty tame compared to some of the holiday celebrations out there.

As our Christmas present to you, please enjoy the Shift Miner’s three favourite crazy Christmas traditions!

Mother’s milk No, it’s not baby formula, it’s a carton of synthetic breast milk.

We’re not even sure if this is meant for babies.

Either way we’re certain that somewhere in Tokyo right now there’s a Japanese businessman dressed up in a diaper and bonnet, drinking this milk. berries and sweets for two weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve the whole family sings traditional songs and beats the log with sticks until it excretes it’s delicious treats. The Catalonians have a weird fascination with poo, they also go crazy for caganers, defecating characters that appear in nativity scenes.

Horny candy

Fresh air mask

Eating this candy is supposed to make you horny. What does it taste like, you ask? Why, flavoured condoms of course! Let’s just pray that no-one was handing these out to children on Halloween.

Gone are the days when parents can tell their kids to go outside and get some fresh air.

Apparently harnessing the power of fresh air is a simple as putting a plant in a bag and connecting a gas mask to it.

The future is now!

Christmas demon

Kentucky Fried Christmas

If you’re on the naughty list in Austria, Santa doesn’t just leave a lump of coal in your stocking. His evil demon twin Krampus comes and terrorises you. December 5 is Krampus night, where men dress up in demon costumes and drunkenly maraud through town, hitting people with sticks and switches and scaring children. We’re not sure, but we’d say Krampus Night has traumatised many a young Austrian.

For a lot of Japanese people the traditional Christmas food is the Colonel’s very own Kentucky Fried Chicken.

It is so popular, and so well marketed by KFC, that reservations have to be made if you want to eat at a KFC on Christmas Day.

The Christmas log This peculiar Catalonian tradition of caga tio, which translates to ‘defecating log’ in English, involves creating a character out of a hollowed out log, setting on the dining room table, and ‘feeding’ it nuts,

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Shift Miner Magazine

Sport

www.shiftminer.com

Shift Miner goes to the Gabba

AFTER copping a mighty walloping at the hands of the poms in England, it was long forecast the first Ashes test on home soil would be a fiery encounter.

Knowing my fondness for cricket the Shift Miner commissioned a report on the first two days from the Gabba.

I arrived in Brisbane on the Wednesday night, feverishly excited for the following

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9th December 2013

day’s play. Unable to sleep I took my journalistic stipend to the casino and sought to increase it substantially.

Having twice read the Wikipedia article on blackjack I considered my gambling skill to be somewhere in the vicinity of Rain Man. Apparently I was correct as I proceeded to win 12 hands in a row, although in hindsight the dealer did appear to be

suffering some horrendous flu, which was no doubt affecting his dealing.

The next morning I set off for the Gabba, learning on the way that Australia had won the toss and elected to bat.

A resonating chorus of boos went up around the ground whenever Stuart Broad came on to bowl, and it was promptly and regularly followed up with what most Australian cricket fans consider to be the most factual chant in sports history, “Broad is a wanker.”

Unfortunately for our Aussie top order, that chant appeared to put fire in the belly of Broad, and practically every time it went up he claimed a wicket.

Seeing the Aussie top four fall to a bloke who looked like Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter was pretty upsetting, so I ventured to the concession stand for a cleansing ale.

I almost suffered a small stroke when I discovered that the cheapest beer available was $7.20 per cup, however it was still far greater than the alternative (not drinking beer), thank God for the ineptness of that blackjack dealer on Wednesday night.

Australia fought back from a middle order collapse and managed to survive the first day.

I had better seats on day two, looking straight down the pitch and ready to catch all the action.

Unfortunately I found myself sitting

next to Professor Cricket, an exceptionally annoying middle-aged man who felt it necessary to vocalise every single thought he had on the game.

He also severely encroached upon my personal space, which I found both odd and troubling.

With the Aussies all out for 295 it was time for the Poms to bat.

When Mitchell Johnson got the ball in hand the Barmy Army quickly fired up a chant, “He bowls to the left, he bowls to the riiiight, that Mitchell Johnson, his bowling is shite.”

As the day progressed they likely wished they hadn’t tempted fate, as Johnson found his rhythm and started sending down 145 km/h thunderbolts, terrorising the English batsmen.

When Johnson dismissed Michael Carberry on the stroke of lunch, Professor Cricket got so excited I thought he was going to wet himself. Thankfully he didn’t.

The English capitulation continued after lunch, and watching the Poms get skittled for under 150 made the expensive beers and even the constant ramblings of Professor Cricket endearing.

There’s nothing quite like seeing the old enemy skewered on home soil, and with an emphatic and fiery win at the Gabba you can bet the Adelaide test is going to be just as good.

Shift Miner Magazine

Bait Shop Banter

Jake Taylor caught this monster giant trevally while spearfishing recently.

YEPPOON

Sport

www.shiftminer.com

- Storms and other unfavourable weather conditions have kept the fishing reasonably quiet recently.

There’s still a few fish around, although they’re not jumping into the boat, Adrian from the Secret Spot Bait and Tackle in Yeppoon reckons.

“A lot of guys haven’t been getting out wide, but a few blokes have gotten out and got good catches of red jew at inshore spots like Finlays and the Pinnacles.

There’s also been a few mackerel around.”

Coorooman Creek and Corio Bay are

also fishing reasonably well for crabs, and the causeway is producing a good mixed bag of fish.

“I was talking to a bloke at the causeway the other day and in the space of 15 minutes he caught a mangrove jack, a trevally, a flathead and caught and released a barra,” said Adrian.

For best results at the causeway throw a line in during the run through tide.

Mackay - It’s all about the onshore fishing around Mackay at the moment, with

the weather preventing any offshore activity.

Nathan from Tackle World Mackay said despite the inability for anglers to get out wide the creeks and estuaries were producing some quality fish.

“The creeks have been fishing really well. There’s plenty of mangrove jack getting around. Black Rock or the Pioneer River are your best bets, look for good rock bars, they’re fishing better for jack given the warmer water.”

The hotter weather has also fired up the dams around Mackay, and they’re fishing extremely well.

Prawns and crabs have been slow to get moving, but recent storm activity should stir them up and see some better catches.

It’s not all doom and gloom out wide, with a bit of wind assistance there’s still some fish to be caught.

“If there’s a decent northerly there’ll be a few mackerel around, but you have to wait until the wind is right,” said Nathan.

and the Calliope River.”

With so many prawns around it’s well worth dusting off the old cast net and picking up some live prawns for bait.

The same weather that’s helping estuary conditions is unfortunately hindering the offshore fishing, with barely any action out wide recently.

“Offshore has been really quiet, but as an alternative a lot of guys have been fishing Awoonga Dam; it’s producing some good barra,” said Dylan.

If you have a good photo or fishing yarn send it through to our resident bait chucker-

angus.peacocke@shiftminer.com

Gladstone

- The weather in Gladstone has been a blessing and a curse recently, with storms and rain having mixed outcomes on the fishing.

Dylan from Pat’s Tackle World said the rain has stirred up the prawns in the creeks and estuaries, and that has the fish biting.

“After this rain there’s a lot of prawns moving around, as well as good numbers of grunter and salmon. The mangrove jack are starting to show up pretty thick as well.

Try fishing South Trees Inlet, The Narrows

9th December 2013

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Shift Miner Magazine

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www.shiftminer.com

Three Middlemount kids Tieri teeming with golfers off to state rowing comp at Movember Ambrose

L-R Allie Moran, Nicola Pickering and Jonathon Harris are off to the State Rowing Championships.

THREE Middlemount kids are off to the Queensland Club Rowing Championships and they just might win!

Coach Joe Jarvis said Nicola Pickering 12, Allie Moran and Jonathon Harris, both 13, are pumped and ready to go for the Queensland Club Championships (QCC) in Bundaberg at Bucca Weir this weekend.

“These kids are competitive, they have been training hard, they want to win. I would like to think the kids have a good chance,” Mr Jarvis said.

Nicola, Allie and Jonathon will take will make up the 16 doubles and 32 singles team races held over Saturday and Sunday.

The Middlemount crew will compete in heats, fingers crossed the semi’s and onto the finals.

“We said if the kids went well in the School State competition early this year and they were prepared to do the training for the QCC we’d go and here we are!” he said.

Mr Jarvis said Bundoora Dam, near German Creek mine is a great training ground.

“We’ve been out at the dam at 6.00am two or three morning a week and Kylie Pickering and the other parents have helped by putting the kids through mini triathlon’s to help with endurance training.

“If it weren’t for the parents there wouldn’t be kids ready to go to the QCC.” Training isn’t the only thing rowers, parents and coach have been busy doing, they’ve also been busy raising over $10,000 to buy boats and equipment but the club is growing and more equipment is needed.

“We’ve bought one second hand boat, borrowed some from Rockhampton Rowing who we’re affiliated with and I’ve boat some boats.

“If we could find a naming rights sponsor for our boats and trailers, that would also help us to buy more boats, so that more kids in CQ can get rowing,” he said.

“Rowing is pretty new to Middlemount and we want kids in CQ, particularly nearby Dysart, to know they can give it a go at the six week learn to row course at the start of March 2014.”

So what does the future hold for Nicola, Allie and Jonathan and the the 12 registered Middlemount?

A whole lot of training and a few wins in 2014 comps. Fingers crossed!

For more information about joining the Middlemount Rowing Club contact Joe Jarvis on 0408 260 102

Tony Windsor, Brendan Wright and the Mo Bro Team at the Tieri Movember Golf Day

GROWN men were crying into their beer when $10,000 went begging at the the third annual Tieri Movember Golf and Family Day. The Movember Golf Day, held to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research and Beyond Blue men’s depression clinics, was an outstanding success with $15,000 raised.

But, alas, proprietor Mick Cutts couldn’t give away the Tieri Bi Rite Electrical $10,000 Hole In One, and he went home with the money burning a hole in his pocket.

Movember golf day organiser Tony Windsor said more than 120 golfers turned up from Townsville, Mackay, Moranbah, Dysart, Middlemount, Capella and Tieri to play the Movember Four Ball Best Ball Ambrose, coined by some the Mo Bro event.

“The winning team on the day by count back was Shaun from Capella’s Team from Glencore Xstrata’s Oaky Creek Coal North over East 17. We’re still looking for his last name!”

And it seems the Movember facial hair didn’t impede the golfers success.

“On the ninth hole the longest drive was won by Middlemount local Charlotte, on the fifth hole the Longest Drive, sponsored

by Sandvik was won by Logan Mohr.

“Nearest to Pin on the third hole sponsored by SDV Longwall Supports was won by the mysterious Sibby.

“It was a great day every one really got into the spirit of the day and we have to thank our sponsors without them the day wouldn’t be possible,” Mr Windsor said.

Twilight markets and kids sporting fun added to the day including; sack, three leg and egg and spoon races and quiet beers were drunk to performances by the Tieri Dance Academy and band Short and Curly.

Seems the day has a bright and hairy future, with a lot of money to be raised and fun to be had in years to come!

For more information on any Tieri Golf Club events contact Tony Windsor on 0438 931 413.

Thank you to our community partners Hail Creek is proud of our community partners and recognises your contribution in building stronger and more sustainable communities in the Central Queensland region.

We support a range of local projects through the Hail Creek Mine Community Development Fund. hailcreek.cdf@riotinto.com

The Hail Creek Mine Community Development Fund was established in 2006 and has contributed $950,000 to the communities of the Nebo, Mackay, Mirani and Sarina Shires.

The fund continues with $150,000 to distribute next year to eligible projects as part of a three year $450,000 commitment from 2012-2014.

Pictured: The Mackay Children’s Holiday Camp is one of many community partners recognised for their contribution, as CDF board member Kirsten Gollogly thanks coordinator Matt Hodge.

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9th December 2013

www.riotintocoalaustralia.com.au

Proud to be a part of the central Queensland Community and committed to the future.

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