One file april 2013 by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd

Surat BasinNEWS THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2013

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inside

Big win for women in construction Page 3 Water woes worked out Page 4 Miles is ready for the future Page 16

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SBNEWS

inside this edition down tobusiness

The Team David Richardson General Manager Laurell Ison Media Sales Manager Beth Walker Graphic Design Jillian Poulsen Editor The Surat Basin News will publish every month and will be delivered via the three dominant newspapers of the region: the Chinchilla News,Western Star and Dalby Herald. It will reach the homes and offices of almost 20,000 living, working and playing in the Surat Basin, connecting the business and mining communities throughout the booming region. Plans are to make the newspaper more frequent as the development increases. Surat Basin News is not a necessity. It was born out of a passion for Australia's fastest growing communities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a passion for a region of unbridled potential and a future of vast economic growth and opportunities.The newspaper, professionally designed and regionally topical, will be a must read for anyone associated with the exciting Surat Basin. Surat Basin News will allow local businesses to network and communicate with everyone in the 300 sq km basin, providing unprecedented access to new clients and markets. It will give a revealing insight into major industry while lifting the veil on current and proposed developments. It will be there for each and every announcement shaping the region's future while profiling the colourful characters that define our communities. With the Surat Basin region receiving national attention, Surat Basin News has gone online to ensure our readers in every corner of the country has the latest news sent directly to them. View our previous editions on www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews Regular updates on

pages 4-8

Water in Injune under pressure. Details page 4. Santos unveils its new affordable housing. Read the full story on page 5. Wandaon still weighing in as property powerhouse, page 6.

pages 14-19 The Miles Chamber of Commerce secures funding from council for master plan. Details page 16 International coal overview. Find out where it is at on page 17. Santos digs deeper. Full story on page 19.

pages 18-23 pages 24-28 Miles High training Centre oficially opened. Details page 20. Dalby industry update. Read more on page 21. Surat Basin Property Group talk presentation, Page 22.

This editionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Face to Face, page 24. Out and about at the Miles training centre opening, page 25. Crystal Vision Awards open, find out how to enter on page 27.

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30 May 2013 Double your profile and build your exposure in the unique Surat Basin Phone Laurell or Brooke 07 4662 7368 and start building your business

Published by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, Printed by APN Print Toowoomba, 50 Industrial Avenue Toowoomba Q4350 (2012) General Manager - David Richardson, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, PO Box 138 Chinchilla Q4413

Our unique position within the major centres of the Surat Basin allows this newspaper to supply relevant and required information to our local communities. This newspapers is staffed and driven by passionate locals who have an investment not only in their communities but also the people that reside in them. To gain a foothold in the Surat Basin talk to the people who will work as hard for your business as you do. Utilise our local knowledge to help you succeed in the Surat Basin Start now phone Laurell, Brooke or David 4662 7368

www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews PAGE 2

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

this WEEK Brand new Surat Basin subcommitee for National Association of Women in Construction launched in Miles to support women in construction

Constructive women omen working in construction in the Surat Basin will now have an even bigger support network after the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) launched the Surat Basin subcommittee in Miles on Monday night. Stakeholder and Communications coordinator for Leighton Contractors, Treasa

Taylor, was involved in setting up the subcommittee. "I met up with a couple of women who work in the industry in the area and we thought it was a fantastic idea to have a support network," she said. "We were worried about women being typecast into 'chick' roles and with a lot of local women joining the industry we wanted to make sure there was support there for them."

TREASA TAYLOR Stakeholder and Communications coordinator for Leighton Contractors

We were worried about women being typecast into 'chick' roles and with a lot of local women joining the industry we wanted to make sure there was support there for them Jeanette Rout, Hayley Terito, Maria Ninkovic and Kertin Hurle at the launch of the NAWIC Surat Basin subcommittee.

Treasa said she has been working in the construction industry for seven years and the number of women joining the industry continues to grow exponentially. "The ratio of women to men out here is better than what I have seen previously, in other jobs," she said. "The number of women working in traditionally male dominated roles when I first started to

now is amazing." NAWIC is a Not-ForProfit organisation formed in 1995 whose mission is to promote and improve the construction industry by the advancement of women within it. It aims to provide a forum for its members to meet and exchange information, ideas and solutions to problems. To launch the new subcommittee women from around the region

met in Miles on Monday evening for canapĂŠs and drink at Dogwood Crossing. Treasa said the interest in joining was remarkable. "It was fantastic, we had a really good turnout," she said. "We had a lot of really great feedback." Anyone who wants more information or is interested in being involved with NAWIC can email qld@nawic.com.au.

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in the page 5 page 6 page 7 Santos affordable housing

REGIONS REAP REWARDS QUEENSLAND'S use of royalties to revitalise infrastructure in mining communities will draw even more resource investment to the regional towns in the future, the state's local government leader believes. The Newman Government has allocated over the past few months millions of dollars to resource councils to build community, flood plain security and road infrastructure. A new medical centre in Dysart, sewerage augmentation in Roma and rail bridge flood mitigation in Emerald are among the recipient projects. In a keynote address at a Building Regional Australia summit in Armidale, Queensland Local Government Minister David Crisafulli outlined the recipient towns would be more attractive to investors in the future. "First of all there is the obvious (reason) and that is retaining workers," he said following the event on Thursday. "They want to know they can invest in somewhere and that town is going to be around for a long time. "What programs like this do is it says to someone looking to invest in Queensland, 'I can do it on the knowledge these communities will get the infrastructure they need'." Mr Crisafulli denied further resource activity was a State Government want rather than a community one. "These communities want mining in their town but they want it on their terms," he said. "They don't want to be treated like a giant sand pit while the government comes in to play, scratches around for the royalties and goes away." Royalties for the Regions will roll out $495 million over four years with a commitment for $210 million each year thereafter.

Powerlink problems

Four Corners fallout

Pipeline of water woes for Injune t T

he town of Injune is hoping for relief from its chronic water pressure issues when the town's new sewerage augmentation project goes online from mid year. For 12 months or more Injune residents have complained of poor water pressure during the day with progress association Advance Injune hearing of tales that some people could only take a shower at 2am. Those meetings put the blame squarely on the water usage of the large resource companies. Maranoa Regional Council also agreed the increased demand on Injune's water supply was "born from the energy sector" which meant the town had "experienced adverse effects on the potable water supply and pressure." The problem is caused by extreme pressure fluctuations when water carting contractors using the current stand pipe in Injune to fill the water trucks. Fire fighting flows and pressures

are also compromised during these times. Council estimated the cost to fix the problem is $200,000. That has been made easier now the Injune Water Augmentation project has won $160,000 from Royalties to the Region, announced in Premier Campbell Newman's visit in March. Maranoa Council has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Queensland Fire & Rescue (South West Region) to provide an acceptable method for improving the pressure and flow rates through the reticulated water supply main. Under the MOU, Council will provide on-call staff to operate the reticulated water supply pressure pump when requested by the QFRS, 24 hours per day. In Maranoa Council's general meeting of March 27, the council resolved to progress the water augmentation project which consists of two sub-projects: Bore 1 Investigation and upgrade, and the commissioning

THE FACTS • • • •

For 12 months or more Injune residents have complained of poor water pressure Maranoa Regional Council agreed the increased demand on Injune's water supply was from the energy sector Council estimated the cost to fix the problem is $200,000 Injune Water Augmentation project has won $160,000 from Royalties to the Region

of the Injune Avdata Facility. The new Avdata Standpipe Facility will be able to handle up to 5 ML a month cartage demand and not affect Injune's water pressure and flow. The Avdata Standpipe Management System will allow Council keep track of who uses the standpipe. Injune's yearly water allocation is 20.8 ML per month of which Council extracts 18ML of which 2ML is carted from the standpipe. In January and February 2013, consumption exceeded the monthly 20.8 ML target

indicator. Santos told Council they will use two bores for water extraction by their contractors instead of Injune's water supply. The major water carting contractors that use Injune have been consulted about the proposed changes to usage of the current and future facilities. They must curtail their current usage in Injune by 50% for the month of April. The standpipe will then cease operation completely from May 1 until the new Avdata Water Standpipe facility is commissioned.

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Employmen t Opportunit ies

NEWS page 8

Shining a light on legal

Easing the pain S

"The Rent Assistance program goes hand in hand with our plans to roll out more than 50 new rental properties in Miles and Roma over the coming years," Mr Cubit said. "It will help us identify residents who need extra help and who may therefore be eligible for one of our properties." The rent assistance program

antos GLNG and Horizon Housing are working to ease inflated rental prices in the Maranoa. In the past three years, as the CSG industry boomed, the average rental price in Roma has increased by almost $100 a week- and many residents have been feeling the pinch. Santos and Horizon have now funding an assistance program in Roma to combat the region's inflated rental prices. The housing stress assistance is aimed at those who spend more than 30 per cent of their household income in rental payments. Horizon Housing's Chief Executive Jason Cubit said they have finished building 12 affordable rental homes in Miles, and are now be looking to expand out to Roma.

will provide short, medium and long term assistance. Horizon Housing and Santos is offering four different streams of rental assistance aimed at different groups in the community- Rent Supplement, Rental Aid, Bond Assistance and Temporary Accommodation. Rent Supplement provides ongoing assistance for people

experiencing severe financial difficulties, while Rental Aid for tenants who are unable to meet weekly payments due to unexpected circumstances, like an illness, injury or accident. Bond Assistance is available to those who need a helping hand to get into the private rental market, and Temporary Accommodation can be offered

in emergency cases while longterm accommodation is secured. Santos GLNG Social Performance Manager John Phalen said the project would help with the attraction and retention of workers to the region. "We received feedback from community leaders that there was a shortage of affordable accommodation to

support low income workers. We believe this will make a considerable difference to help ease housing pressure for these workers," Mr Phalen said. The Roma apartment project is expected to be completed by June. It will comprise of two secure complexes with eight studio apartments with shared living, kitchen and laundry areas.

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in the NEWS

Colossal confidence ining operations and resources developments in Wandoan have driven up house prices by about 30% in the past 12 months, according to a new report. The small town reportedly had the highest growth of any rural suburb in the nation, a February Residex report found. Wandoan Realty owner Ray Mortimer said the report confirmed what locals already knew, and admitted things had gone "over the top" in the rental market.

RAY MORTIMER Wandoan Realty owner

We ' v e t r i e d t o c a p ( r e n t s ) a t $200 a bedroom for older homes and $250 to $270 for the new homes, so we're seeing rents from $600 to $1500 a week "We've tried to cap (rents) at $200 a bedroom for older homes and $250 to $270 for the new homes, so we're seeing rents from $600 to $1500 a week," he said.

Project up for

discussion owerlink’s draft environmental impact statements on the Yuleba North substation and the Wandoan South to Yuleba North transmission line are now out for public review. The controversial project will link the substation to Powerlink's Wandoan South substation (south of Gadsby's Road) for the coal seam gas industry, but landholders are furious they won't be compensated in the same way as landholders with CSG tenements on their properties. Landholders have launched an e-petition calling for the power project to not be designated as community infrastructure.The e-petition will be tabled in the next session of State Parliament. Now Powerlink has engaged GHD (a company also advising Maranoa Council on their Roma flood mitigation) to undertake the environmental impact assessment and they are seeking written submissions by May 3 (on the substation) and May 10 (on the transmission line) EIS's. The EIS's are on the Powerlink website. Powerlink has said no decision about the final location of the proposed substation or transmission line will be made until the environmental assessment is complete.

"But when you run out of houses like we have now, they'll pay anything, so we have owners saying 'I want 300 a bedroom.' "It worries me a bit, people have done very well but they're going over the top." The colossal confidence in the real estate market remains despite speculation Xstrata's mega mine may not proceed following doubt over the proposed merger with commodities company Glencore. Properties listed for sale on domain.com.au flag mining accommodation as a selling point. One property was listed for sale as a five bedroom, two bathrooms individually winged fully furnished home asking $820,000, promising a rental return of $3500 per week. "Rental return $100 per man, per night," the listing noted. Vacant 868sq m blocks are selling from $279,000 and 13 three-bedroom townhouses due to be completed by June are being advertised for rent at $100 per room per night.

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Southern Queensland

in the NEWS

QGC denies claims GC has denied claims raised in the Four Corners program by the Monk family which lives near QCG wells near Kogan. The family complained of health problems including rashes, nose bleeds and seizures, caused from gases in their bore. In a written response QGC said they had no wells on Monk family properties and their nearest wells, which did not producing water or gas, are 3km or more from Mr Monk's bore. "Mr Monk's bore taps the Westbourne formation that contains coal (and therefore methane) and is regarded as a generally poor water producer,"

Four Corners fallout he gas industry is still reeling following Four Corners' damaging assessments on the industry this month. The ABC investigation shown on April 1 featured public servant whistleblower Simone Marsh who made claims of a rushed and seemingly shoddy approval process for the gas projects of Santos GLNG and QGC. Her allegations were backed by 900 pages of confidential Queensland Government documents. The claims were referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission in February and it was still assessing whether to investigate. Santos chief executive David Knox has slammed the report as a "misleading impression" and said their project was subject to an "extremely comprehensive" approval process. "We seek to operate safely and responsibly and we abide by the robust regulatory conditions and stringent approvals processes set out by state and federal regulators," Mr Knox said. "Rather than being rushed, as claimed by Four Corners, this process took over three years to complete between 2007 and 2010, involved 20,000 pages of environmental assessment and resulted in 1200 specific environmental conditions." Despite Coordinator General Barry Broe approving more projects in 2012 than any of his predecessors, the spokesman said this was a result of streamlining , not cutting corners. The Queensland Government would not comment on claims made in the Four Corners report while the issue was being assessed by the CMC. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said questions on CSG were an issue for Queensland but would not comment on whether his department felt they were up to standard.

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the QGC statement read. "We do not see any geological link between our operations and Mr Monk's bore. "Our offer of independent health tests, made also to other landholders who have complained of symptoms, remains open to the Monks.

QGC said the Monk complaints were similar to those of residents in the Wieambilla estates outlined in the March Queensland Health report which found no links between health impacts and gas. QGC dismissed reports of illhealth in the Tara region for the same region. QGC also dismissed the work of Southern Cross University researchers. "Significant historical and anecdotal evidence supports the view that methane seepage from the Surat Basin is a natural phenomenon, which is not surprising because methane seepage is common in hydrocarbon basins around the world.â&#x20AC;?

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in the NEWS

Shining a light on legal rights he latest in a series of coal seam gas information session run by a Dalby law firm was well received by a strong crowd at the Dalby RSL this month. Peter Shannon of Shine Lawyers, the main driver behind CSG legal services for landholders in the Surat Basin, was one of the guest speakers at the forum. Addressing the crowd he spoke of the need for landholders to know their rights, in order to tip the balance of power back from the gas companies in what he described as a David-Goliath battle. "People not understanding their rights, and sign whatever

is put in front of them or succumb to pressure from company representatives, who are often themselves under pressure," Mr Shannon said. One couple attended the forum on behalf of their two sons, who farm at Cecil Plains and Injune - thus dealing with Arrow Energy and Santos. The Winters have had legal representation from Mr Shannon before and said it was absolutely necessary to have a lawyer who understood the corporate nature of the csg industry. "If you are on poor country you might make money from having wells on your property," the Winters said. "But if you are on productive country, or raising cattle, you

PETER SHANNON Shine Lawyers

People not understanding their rights, and sign whatever is put in front of them or succumb to pressure from company representatives, who are often themselves under pressure lose money through the disruption caused." The second guest speaker was a land-valuer who spoke of the need to be aware of the effect CSG could have on the worth of a landholder's property. The forum covered the top 10 CSG issues for

landholders and included a question and answer segment. The first of these sessions was held by the Shine firm in 2010, and resulted in the formation of the Basin Sustainability Alliance.

Fluid conditions ater resources will be included among the environmental conditions large coal mining and coal seam gas projects must address. Environment Minister Tony Burke announced that groundwater and surface water would now be included among the Matters of National Environmental Significance for such projects. The announcement came after growing pressure within the Labor caucus to make the changes, led by New South Wales north coast MPs Janelle Saffin and Justine Elliot, as well as Laurie Ferguson. It also comes after a Greens bill,

introduced by Senator Larissa Waters, failed to garner Labor's support after 18 months in the Senate. Mr Burke said the influence of both Ms Saffin and Ms Elliot, who sacrificed a parliamentary secretary role over her beliefs, were imperative to making the change happen. Mr Burke said independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott were also instrumental in lobbying for the change in parliament, after the pair made significant in-roads in the creation of the independent Expert Scientific Committee as part of the agreement to form government in 2010.

While Mr Burke said the new criteria would be included for any future CSG or large coal mining assessments, existing approved projects, such as the three major projects in Queensland, would not be subject to the new conditions. He said any applications for such developments which had not yet been assessed by the IESC, would now be subject to water conditions. Mr Windsor, Mr Oakeshott, fellow independent Bob Katter and Greens Senator Larissa Waters all welcomed Mr Burke's announcement, but most still had several concerns about other issues regarding the CSG industry and large coal mines.

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Both Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott said the new laws were a step in the right direction, but more needed to be done to ensure the scientific basis for the environmental effects of new developments was sound before approvals. Senator Waters said she was pleased with the result, but said it was convenient that Mr Burke has already approved some of the largest CSG projects in Australia, projects which would not be subject to the new criteria. It is understood the new laws will be introduced in parliament within the next fortnight.

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PAGE 9

opinions

SBNEWS

12 Mayne Street Chinchilla, QLD 4413 PO Box 138, Chinchilla, 4413 Phone: 4662 7368 General Manager: David Richardson Advertising: Laurell Ison Editorial: Jill Poulsen Design: Beth Walker

Editorial THE ABC Four Corners program on coal seam gas raised important questions about the approval process of the CSG/LNG project but the questions exposed are not new. In 2011 journalist and author Paul Cleary was warning about the conflicts of interests in the dual role of the Queensland State Government as a regulator of the coal seam gas industry and a beneficiary of the industry's royalties. Four Corners exposed the extent of this conflict of interest in a brief from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure asking for the Coordinator General's report on the Santos GLNG project to have a "bankable outcome". As whistleblower Simone Marsh said, the Government "basically just wanted an approval".This is not to suggest Santos GLNG did not do groundwater studies as suggested by the program and the largely benign impact was backed up by subsequent studies by the Queensland Water Commission. The problem is more to do with the timeliness of those studies and the need for an early government approval so that Santos's backers could sign on the dotted line and large-scale construction work could begin. With $20b of high stakes investment at risk, the Labor state government was not willing to jeopardise it with an adverse finding.The Campbell Newman Government has talked tougher on industry regulation but is no less keen for the royalties to keep coming so it can pay the bills.There is no easy solution but one obvious way forward is to remove the regulatory oversight function from the same level of Government that gets the royalties. While the current scenario continues we remain at the mercy of 'bankable outcomes'.

Red tape cutbacks

Taxing times

Howard Hobbs Member for Warrego

Michael Roche Queensland Resources Council

Looking at the big picture ne year on from the local government elections and now is as good a time as any to reflect on some of the major influences and the 'big picture' achievements of the past twelve months. Appropriately, I'll start with last year's elections with the observation that election time is by far my least favourite part of the electoral cycle.The years immediately after an amalgamation are without doubt the hardest work anyone in local government will ever endure. Fortunately we were spared the wipe-out experienced by some of our colleagues in other councils,

however our voters did refresh things by electing some bright new faces. The arrival of Julie Reitano as our Chief Executive Officer a few months later reinforced our confidence, and has resulted in a Council that is correcting many processes and procedures to run as efficiently as possible into the future. The more parochial and extreme views that surrounded most Council meetings in the last term have now quietened to some extent, as we work to regain the trust and confidence of our community. Another major commitment for Council has been the continued progress of the

plans to mitigate our towns from future flood events. Stage 1 of the Roma Flood Mitigation Project was endorsed by Council unanimously which was a great achievement. We have also worked together with the resource sector to ensure the consequences of their actions are considered in their planning and activities. To end this busy first year of term, Council finally debated the merits of deregulating the Roma Airport.The airport has seen numbers expand from 14,000 to over 200,000 in just six years and the question of deregulation has long been seen as the opportunity to

Cr Robert Loughnan Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council

bring down the cost of airfares through competition. That suggestion is balanced by the view that regulation and the capping of fares is the only thing that keeps fare prices down. The result was a tied vote. So in conclusion, it has been a busy year and after nineteen years in local government, I have rarely felt more satisfied than I am now with the direction and performance of this Council.

Exciting news for the Surat Basin

Education

We will continue to consider the information we receive and work out whether any Queensland schools will miss out under these reforms. Ensuring they don't is my most important consideration.

ll Premiers and Chief Ministers were recently in Canberra for the latest COAG meeting.There were many things on the agenda including the Gonski education funding model. Sadly these meetings have become more about headlines and politics than making real decisions that will benefit the people of Queensland and Australia.

Readers may have seen some exciting news recently that will provide a major boost to the economy in the Surat and Bowen Basins. Queensland's CoordinatorGeneral has approved the Terms of Reference for the environmental assessment of the Santos-led gas field expansion project. If approved, the multi-billion dollar project could create 1,700 construction jobs and

COMMENT Campbell Newman Premier of Queensland

Coal Seam Gas

200 operational jobs. It's part of an industry worth $60 billion with the potential to create more than 18,000 jobs. That is fantastic not only for the region, but also for Queensland and highlights how important the Surat Basin is to the State. The project involves plans to progressively develop coal seam gas reserves in the Surat and Bowen Basins by drilling additional wells over the next 20 years.The project covers 35 petroleum tenures across 11,190 square kilometres, taking in parts of the Maranoa,Western Downs and Central Highlands Regional Councils and Banana Shire Council in the vicinity

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of Roma,Wallumbilla, Miles, Surat,Wandoan,Taroom, Injune and Rolleston.While we are excited about the potential of the industry we are also very mindful of the environmental concerns. 35 submissions were received from the public and advisory agents. The environmental impact statement assesses the potential environmental, economic or social impacts of the proposed project and provides strategies for avoiding, minimising or mitigating any impacts. The resources industry is very important to Queensland and I am excited about the great opportunities it provides to this great state.

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COMMENT

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

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opinions

The pleasure is all mine elcome to the Surat Basin News for this month. It has been a privilege to work for the Warrego Electorate over the past 12 months since being re elected on 24th March 2012. We were elected to office to be a good government and to reduce the cost of living, ease the burden on business and revitalise frontline services. To reduce the cost of living we have frozen car registration, scrapped Labor's stamp duty slug on the family home and eased the burden on business by cutting red tape, scrapping the waste tax and raising the payroll tax exemption threshold.

Clubs who wish to sell liquor on a temporary or one off occasion conducted between 7am and 12 midnight for no longer than 8 hours on a single day, will no longer be required. The sale of liquor must also be secondary to the event and all proceeds must be used for the benefit of the community. The changes will also enable not for profit groups

to include alcohol as a prize in raffles under $100 without the need to apply for a permit.

Vegetation management laws overhauled We are making the most significant reforms to legislation affecting agricultural production in almost 20 years by overhauling the Queensland Vegetation

Red Tape Cutback for business and farmers We have deleted 20 environmentally relevant activity (ERA) thresholds as at 31st March. Benefiting 9 400 small business and some farming enterprises, such as motor vehicle repair shops, smaller scale cattle and sheep feedlots, piggeries, boilermakers, printers, concrete batching plants, powder coating businesses and cabinet makers and joiners. This means that these small business and farmers will no longer need to apply for a licence or pay an application fee, and no longer need to submit an annual return, saving $6 million in annual fees.

Red Tape reduction for not for profit groups From the 1st July the requirement for some not for profit organisations to apply for a community liquor permit will be removed. Those permits that cost $57 and are used by P&Cs, sporting clubs, Rotary and Lions

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Management laws. Key reforms proposed under the Vegetation Management Framework Amendment Bill 2013 include: • The introduction of new clearing purposes under the Act for high-value agriculture and environmental works (such as land rehabilitation); • The removal of regrowth regulations on freehold and indigenous land, but the retention of controls on regrowth control on leasehold land and in reef watercourses; • New provisions to allow for the creation of selfassessable codes for routine management activities such as weed and pest management, fodder harvesting and thinning; • The creation of simplified statewide vegetation maps to clearly define areas where regulations will apply; • The removal of unfair offence and penalty provisions in the existing laws. The amendments will restore a long-overdue balance to Queensland's vegetation management framework, while retaining key environmental protections. These reforms aim to address that issue, and grant landholders more freedom to operate as responsible stewards of their land. The introduction of selfassessable codes for routine vegetation management activities, such as weed and pest

COMMENT Howard Hobbs MP Member for Warrego Shadow Minister for Local Government and ATSI Partnerships

management, fodder harvesting and thinning, will save landholders time and money, while still requiring them to abide by a code stipulating sustainable land management practices.We are creating the opportunity for farming businesses to expand cropping operations and build necessary infrastructure without the burden of unnecessary regulation. The legislation proposes to remove regulations regarding regrowth control on freehold and indigenous land, these regulations will still apply to leasehold land and in reef watercourses.

Legislation to convert wells to water bores We have introduced the Land, Water and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 to enable unused petroleum wells to be converted into water bores for use by farmers and graziers. The conversion amendments apply to petroleum wells where drilling of the well commenced on or after 1 January 2012. A Code of Practice addressing safety and health issues and governing the conversion of wells to water supply bores will be developed by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines.

The amendments will restore a longo v e r d u e b a l a n c e t o Q u e e n s l a n d 's vegetation management framework, while retaining key environmental protections. Civil

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opinions

Taxing times in a sea of uncertainty Followin g M a r t i n Fe rg u s on ' s re si gnat i on i n March, t he Q ueens l and Reso u rces Co u n c i l w as a mo n g a l ar ge num ber of res ource s ect or org a nisa tio ns to ex p re s s p u b l i c re g re t at h i s d epar t ure from t he Mi ni s t r y

PAGE 12

Against this backdrop, governments are increasingly desperate for cash and I doubt there's much chance of the resources sector dodging a bullet in next month's federal budget. Somewhere between thin capitalization rules, accelerated depreciation, exploration deductibility and fuel tax credits a pocket is waiting to be picked. What the past few years of government squabbling over the economic rents from resource extraction have shown is that we're still to sight a nationally binding agreement on preferential tax/royalty approaches or sharing arrangements. As the GST Distribution Review Final Report handed down in October 2012 concluded: "...the current impasse between state royalties and the Commonwealth's resource rent taxes are harmful and unsustainable." As things stand - and we have a recent example in Queensland the states have an incentive to increase royalties credited against federal resource rent tax obligations. Fiscal federalism has another flaw with the GST redistribution regime's undue emphasis on mining revenue over other more significant sources of state revenue. It's estimated that mining contributes around 9 percent of aggregate state revenues, yet represents 85 percent of the GST redistributed as a result of revenue assessments. In effect, state governments are losing more of their royalties, and perversely, are encouraged to keep increasing them to protect their diminishing revenue base.

Michael Roche Chief Executive Queensland Resources Council

COMMENT

he constant theme of the tributes was that you always knew where you stood with Mr Ferguson because he was genuinely interested in good policy and he was the Minister for Resources and Energy. His successor - Gary Gray appears to be following in his footsteps with a strong understanding of the sector, further informed at a meeting with QRC members earlier this month. In farewell remarks, Martin Ferguson made two comments of particular relevance to Queensland and the Surat Basin. "The mining tax is actually working the way it was designed," he told an almost incredulous press gallery journalist, which provided a perfect segue for the following observation. "Many coal mines are now operating for one reason.They are losing less by mining and transporting because of take or pay rail contracts. If they didn't mine and transport they would be mothballed. "I just hope we're able to keep those mines open and keep places such as the Hunter Valley and the Bowen Basin going," he said. There are tough times ahead for the coal industry with 6,000 Queensland jobs lost in the past 15 months, which I fear may be a conservative estimate. Queensland is fortunate in having the coal-seam gas industry to help cushion the blow. It is now employing more than 27,000 people, contributing $100 million to community projects and has signed 3,500 land access agreements with landholders.

Let us also remember that resource companies make substantial contributions to social amenity in host communities. In many cases they substitute for - or at least supplement government responsibilities while also paying very high effective tax rates. Social expenditures in Queensland run into hundreds of millions of dollars annually. QRC members are keen to explore development of agreed policy principles whereby a substantive percentage of royalties are removed from the GST redistribution assessment. The time is ripe to end the feud and agree on a progressive national model to equitably distribute the proceeds of the nation's minerals and energy wealth.

Dollars and sense The QRC and its members agree that there is a need for strong corrective fiscal action in Queensland. The state's deteriorating performance since 2007-08 and resulting high levels of debt are on the record from the official Queensland Commission of Audit and various credit rating agencies. One of the obvious responses to shrinking state revenues is to make a bigger call on the resources sector. In tough financial times, governments should be following the private sector in reducing costs but they should also be preparing the ground to seize

new opportunities as they arise. Reforms at all levels of governments should be in train now to help build production volumes and, in turn, revenue contributions from a larger resources sector. Governments also need to be especially attuned to potential hurdles and roadblocks to that growth. Global competitiveness as an issue is a given with the simple realisation that neither Queensland nor Australia is guaranteed a supply role in an increasingly crowded global minerals and energy market. The 'rivers of gold' have dried up, which makes you wonder why governments appear so determined to make it worse. In 2008, the Bligh government introduced a tiered coal royalty rate regime without consultation with the industry. The royalty rate rose from 7 to 10 percent, applicable to coal sold above $100 per tonne. At the time, that covered almost everything.The failure then to index this threshold meant that the real effective royalty rate has risen year on year. In its first budget, the Newman government lifted the baseline royalty by another 25 percent to $12.50 a tonne for coal sold over $100. It also announced an additional marginal rate of 15 percent on prices above $150 a tonne. Once more there is no commitment to index the royalty rate thresholds, but rather an underwhelming commitment to Queensland's uncompetitive royalty rates remaining unchanged for the next 10 years. The problem is that an unindexed tax threshold just keeps taking more over time.

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

For wage and salary earners, it's known as bracket creep To restore the coal industry's global competitiveness and Queensland's attractiveness as an investment destination, indexation of royalty thresholds is critical. The current Effective Taxation Rate for a new coal mine in Queensland is 50 percent - the second highest among competing jurisdictions behind Indonesia (50.6). While paying slightly higher taxes, Indonesia has the competitive advantage of much lower per unit extraction costs as well as a freight cost advantage over Queensland. Under the weight of these external factors, Queensland coal companies are finding it difficult to make the case to globallyfocused Boards for further investments here despite forecasts of strong long-term global demand for coal. The QRC appreciates initiatives such as the Resources Committee of State Cabinet created to develop measures to lower industry costs and drive investment towards the minerals and energy sector. However, the new coal royalty regime and its now embedded rising effective royalty rates is harming Queensland's chances of attracting new coal industry investment. One of the strong messages coming out of public opinion polling is that Queenslanders are becoming concerned about losing the contribution made by their minerals and energy sector. Last year the sector generated $28 billion for Queensland in operational and capital expenditures, paid and paid $8 billion in wages to 64,300 direct workers.

opinions

How the coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBN Policy will work for forgotten communities ederal LNP Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott said forgotten communities are at the forefront of the Coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBN Policy released this month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Regions and towns with the poorest services will receive top priority. Blackspots in the electorate will be identified and targeted,â&#x20AC;? Mr Scott said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rural areas and small communities, which have been sorely neglected under Labor, will receive much-needed attention so we can bring reliable internet services to these regions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For too long metropolitan areas have

been spoilt for choice while people from the bush stand on one foot, on top a hill in the back paddock to pick up a signal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Surat Basin has been at the forefront of unprecedented growth as a result of the mining industry. You can tell when a plane lands at the Roma airport because you have trouble picking up mobile service because as soon as that plane taxis to a stop, everyone onboard makes a phone call, checks their

Facebook or sends a text with this sharp increase of activity clogging our network.â&#x20AC;? Mr Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge electorate, which spans 42% of Queenslandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landmass, is set to blossom under the Coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBN Policy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In many parts of my electorate, a lack of access to reliable communication can mean the difference between life and death,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our policy will use a combination of fibre to the node, wireless and satellite technology to deliver

COMMENT Bruce Scott MP Federal Member for Maranoa

For too long metropolitan areas have been spoilt for choice while people from the bush stand on one foot, on top a hill in the back paddock to pick up a signal infrastructure in the bush and his advocacy is represented in the Coalitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBN Policy for fast broadband and an affordable NBN. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a matter of who you trust to deliver for regional, rural and remote

Australia,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Laborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBN has been plagued by endless delays and cost blowouts. Latest estimates reveal Laborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy will cost more than $90 billion and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be delivered for decades.â&#x20AC;?

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PAGE 13

down to page15 page16 page17 Tremendous turbines

The benefits of CLM

On the coal face

Construction phase heating up our massive gas turbine alternators have arrived at a gas compressor hub in the Maranoa as SANTOS GLNG's construction phase heats up. Santos Vice President Queensland,Trevor Brown, said they were assembling the alternators, about the size of mobile offices, at one of the hubs in the Fairview field.

detour route since the start of the year. Meanwhile Santos have completed road maintenance works on Mt Saltbush Road between Warooby Lane and Ferguson's Creek with major maintenance works to commence on the Injune-Taroom road around the middle of April between Injune and Bonnie Doon Rd. Santos GLNG also say the

TREVOR BROWN Santos Vice President Queensland

Five additional gas turbine alternators due to arrive across our other hub sites will be assembled in coming months "A 250 tonne heavy lift crane was used to collect these kits from trucks and place them in position, where 10 personnel will take approximately six months to assemble them," Mr Brown said. "When assembled, these pieces of equipment weigh up to 115 tonnes and reach a height of 15 metres." Mr Brown said the alternators would power wellhead pumps in the gas fields and hub and plant utilities. "Five additional gas turbine alternators due to arrive across our other hub sites will be assembled in coming months," he said. Meanwhile large roadworks continue around the hub areas. Warooby Lane, 12km east of Roma, is expected to re-open to the public next month which will be a great relief to residents of that road and also to residents of Freeman's Rd which has been the

Head ofďŹ ce Roma PAGE 14

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

development of the 420km transmission pipeline was progressing well as the project worked towards first exports of LNG in 2015. Santos GLNG Pipeline Manager Greg Jones said they had now buried 60 km of pipe in Arcadia Valley and while 170 km has been cleared and graded, and 120km of pipe has been welded. "Rehabilitation work has started in Arcadia Valley which involves reinstating topsoil, sowing grass seeds and establishing pasture back on disturbed areas," Mr Jones said. Mr Jones said they were working along the pipeline route, and undertaking clearing, grading and stringing work in the Banana Shire area in anticipation of pipe burial in coming months. "Clearing and grading work in the Central Highlands area has also commenced," he said.

BUSINESS page18 page19 National Partnership

Santos update

Hot topic...

armers in the Wallumbilla/Yuleba recently learned how certified land management could help them in negotiations with coal seam gas companies. Certified Land Management (CLM) is all about recognition for land management and a local group has been set up to spread the word in southern Queensland with an information evening in Wallumbilla on March 27. CSG development is a very hot topic in the area and the information evening heard how well-known local landholder Peter Thompson has used CLM certification in his management and to successfully negotiate with and guide the operation of gas activities on his property. Mr Thompson said CLM certification which is backed by ISO14001 management standard was "language the gas companies understand". Australian Land Management (ALM) Group spokesperson Jock Douglas said there were many highly efficient and innovative producers in the district and he outlined at the Wallumbilla evening how implementing CLM could benefit them. "I'm hopeful of starting a Certified Land Management Group in the Wallumbilla area," Mr Douglas said. Mr Douglas said CLM was developed by the ALM Group and first began in the Maranoa before spreading to other regions and States. "It is designed to provide recognition and reward for good land and animal welfare management and is now being implemented by over 160 landholders in Qld, NSW,Victoria and South Australia," he said. Mr Douglas said that the ALM Group was aiming to expand the CLM uptake in the Maranoa Region through a 'Recognition for Land Management' project. "Support for the project is provided by the Biodiversity Fund , the Maranoa Regional Council, the Queensland MurrayDarling Committee and Elders", Mr Douglas said. "This provides a great opportunity for Maranoa landholders to benefit from participating in CLM at minimal cost".

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PAGE 15

down to BUSINESS Chamber of commerce seeks input from community

Big plans in store for Miles

he Miles Chamber of Commerce is seeking input from local businesses, community groups and residents for the development of a Community Investment Plan to manage growth and development in the town. Chamber of Commerce president John Hoffman said six months of preliminary work had gone into outlaying the plan, which secured council backing last week. "Now that the project is gaining momentum and we are confident it has legs, we would like to hear the views and seek support from the broader community," Mr Hoffman said. "The massive expansion and change we are going through is here to stay, but we want to make sure that we're driving our future and development at a community level." Kylie Bourne from the chamber addressed the council lsat week on the topic of "One Vision: A Proposal for Miles" in conjunction with town planning firm URBIS. She said the business community had already raised over $30,000 of their $50,00 target towards the $100, 000 plan. They wanted Council to put the

remaining $50,000 towards the plan, with $10,000 to get the ball rolling in this financial year and another $40,000 in the next financial year. National consultant Resource Partnerships and town planner Urbis have been engaged for the project, which will oversee and manage huge growth expected in the town. Cr Andrew Smith moved a motion to that effect and said Council should get right behind it. "This is what we want to see, local communities taking ownership of issues," Cr Smith said. Cr Ray Jamieson lauded the work of the Miles chamber but cautioned that other towns would want a similar deal if this was passed. He suggested they allocate the $10,000 and consider the other $40,000 in the next budget considerations. Cr Jamieson said it was highly unusual to allocate money in the next financial year before budget considerations. Mayor Ray Brown said it was important the chamber got the people of Miles and surrounding areas involved. The motion was passed 6-2 with councillors Jamieson and Brown voting against.

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down to BUSINESS

On the coal face Exploration company International Coal has signed a deal to develop 130 sq km west of Injune for thermal coal

International Coal and Coal Face Resources have signed a joint venture to start a drill program at the Don Juan project site 80km North West of Roma. International Coal's chief executive Glenn Simpson said the Joint Venture would provide a relatively low cost entry into the Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin. "Development of this project is expected to yield an inferred resource in a target area with known thermal coal export potential," Mr Thompson said. The joint venture will work with its preferred supplier, the Moultrie Group on the drilling program which will comprise two chip holes with down hole geophysics. They are hoping to find between 20 to 435 million tonnes of thermal coal and Mr Thompson said they were conducting an environmental audit, cultural heritage work and engaging in finalising final landowner clearances. International Coal currently has a number of prospective Coal Projects in the Bundaberg and South Blackall regions which it plans to explore in the next 12 months.

The facts •

International Coal Limited and Coal Face Resources Pty Ltd sign joint venture contract to develop 43 subblock (around 130km2) Surat Basin thermal coal project (EPC2286).

•

International Coal will earn up to a 71% stake in EPC 2286 (Don Juan) through two phases of exploration investment.

•

The exploration target is in the range of 20 435Mt identified with up to 10 210Mt expected at depths of less than100m.

•

The companies are finalising clearances for an initial phase of drilling but bad weather has delayed the expected commencement of drilling.

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PAGE 17

down to BUSINESS

National Partnership T

Qld meets its commitments but NSW continues to disagree with the Commonwealth

he COAG Reform Council has released its first assessment report under the Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development National Partnership Agreement. Queensland has met its commitments but disagreement between the Commonwealth and NSW the major hurdle. The National Partnership Agreement report looks at whether participating governments have completed their actions under the agreement which reviews CSG and large coal mining developments and

NSW would decide which projects to refer to the IESC for advice outside of land it has identified as 'Strategic Agricultural Land'. This delay may defer the provision of NSW project applications to the IESC for advice until the protocol is published and will also affect the period to which the benchmark to refer all project applications to the IESC for advice before amending legislation, regulations and guidelines applies. Queensland signed the National Partnership on February 14, 2012 (under the Bligh Government) and the state's protocol for

JOHN BRUMBY Reform Council chair and former Victorian premier

Coal seam gas mining has an important role to play in A u s t r a l i a 's f u t u r e e n e r g y s e c u r i t y and economic development their potential impact on water resources. Of the four States participating in the agreement-New South Wales,Victoria, Queensland and South Australia - only NSW has not completed its milestone to publicly release a protocol for referring projects to the new Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC). The issue is that the NSW and Commonwealth Governments have not agreed on NSW's draft protocol.The report said it remained unclear how

project referral commenced on October 1 2012 (under the Newman Government). The protocol requires Queensland Government officers to refer a proposal if it is deemed a 'project application' (that is, it requires an Environmental Impact Statement) and it is 'likely' to have a 'significant impact on water resources'. However as of October 2012 Queensland has not referred any projects to the IESC, though the Commonwealth has referred several

Queensland projects. The aim of the IESC is to give Australian governments solid scientific advice on the potential effects of CSG and large coal mining developments on water resources. On November 27 last year, federal environment and water minister Tony Burke announced its creation as a statutory body under amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The six-person committee's role is advisory only and it has no responsibility for issuing approvals for projects or recommending whether a project should or should not be approved. At the time, Mr Burke said the Committee was created to provide advice on coal seam gas proposals and large coal mining developments. Releasing its first report this month, the COAG Reform Council chair and former Victorian premier, John Brumby, said CSG mining was a contentious issue. "Coal seam gas mining has an important role to play in Australia's future energy security and economic development," Mr Brumby said. "This agreement aims to improve the community's confidence in decisions on coal seam gas and large coal mining development by informing those decisions with substantially improved science and independent

expert advice." Mr Brumby said in the five years to 2010-11, CSG production increased from 2% to 11% of Australia's total gas production. "Coal seam gas is an important source of natural gas that has the potential to strengthen Australia's long-term energy security and to further expand energy exports to meet growing global demand for energy," he said. The report said the community was concerned about potential environmental impacts of new developments including the volume of water produced as a byproduct of CSG extraction. It identified three priority areas to strengthen decision making: 1. more closely identifying potential and actual impacts on water resources, and

avoid or minimise significant impacts through a transparent process that builds public confidence 2. substantially improving governments' collective scientific understanding of the actual and potential effects of CSG and coal mining developments on water resources 3. ensuring the best

scientific information and expertise underpins all relevant regulatory processes and decisions. The Surat Basin is one of the priority areas identified for bioregional assessment. The National Partnership program will provide $50m over three financial years.

Fast facts: • • • • •

Commonwealth-referred Surat Basin projects under consideration include: Stanmore 'The Range' Open Cut Coal Mine being considered Santos Future Gas Supply Area Project advice provided Taroom Coal Project, Surat Basin advice provided Collingwood Coal Project,Wandoan advice provided

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NEWS

Established 1912

PAGE 18

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

down to BUSINESS

Digging deep for special link

antos GLNG has launched tunnelling works underneath the Narrows Crossing in Gladstone Harbour. The tunnel will encase the gas transmission pipeline used to link the mainland to Curtis Island. Santos GLNG Pipeline Manager Greg Jones said the tunnel would allow connection of the 420km underground gas transmission pipeline with the LNG Plant. "A team of 12 people worked for around six weeks to assemble a 100 metre-long and 277-tonne tunnel boring machine on-site which will be used by Thiess to excavate through rock and soil and install the concrete tunnel lining," Mr Jones said. "This is a complex process that will take around 12 months to complete and will involve the creation of an approximately 4.3 km tunnel with a 3.4 metre internal diameter, and then placement of pipe." Thiess Tunnelling general manager Steve Wille said the expertise Thiess has developed on Australia's major road and rail tunnelling projects is now being applied to benefit of the oil and gas industry. "The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is a precision tool and our highly skilled team will guide it with pin-point

SMK

accuracy to its destination across The Narrows," Mr Wille said. "The TBM cuts and removes the soil and rock, then lines the tunnel with pre-cast concrete segments in a remarkably seamless operation." Mr Jones said once the tunnel had been constructed, Saipem Australia the main contractor constructing the pipeline would pull the pipe through the tunnel. "The tunnel will be flooded with water once it has been completed, and then the pipeline strings will be joined together and pushed through the length of the tunnel," Saipem Australia Project Director Giuseppe Tassinari said.

GREG JONES Santos GLNG Pipeline Manager

A team of 12 people worked for around six weeks to assemble a 100 metre-long and 277-tonne tunnel boring machine on-site which will be used by Thiess to excavate through rock and soil and install the concrete tunnel lining

CONSULTANTS

Surveying Irrigation Environmental & Planning

Phone 07 4627 2882 Fax 07 4671 2561 â&#x20AC;˘ Mobile 0417 782 475 Email miles@smk.com.au www.smk.com.au PO Box 335 - 49 Murilla Street Miles Q4415

Situated 5kms from the Roma town centre, Diamantina Village is a purpose built accommodation facility designed to provide modern, well equipped accommodation facilities for people working away from home. At Diamantina Village we recognise that some people can be away from their home and loved ones in excess of three weeks at a time, this is why we have strived to develop an accommodation solution that features many added luxuries to make time away from home more comfortable. The village features spacious individual ensuited rooms with reverse cycle air-conditioning and impressive recreational facilities including:

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PAGE 19

building the page21 page22 page23 Dalby industry update

SBPG column

Cameby’s community fund

Sparks fly at centre’s opening T he opening of the Miles High Training Centre on Saturday spelt an exciting new chapter in education for local students. Students will now have access to industry-standard lathes, drill presses, and welding bays and as well as a full range of tools for wood and metalwork. To top it off, a corporate conference room and

graphic design training room - complete with touch-screen style whiteboards - will keep advanced theoretical training accessible and current. With full safety accreditation, the teens will don fluoro shirts and set about building furniture and structures the Miles community can use, like park benches for new estates and display cases

for the Miles Historical Village. Miles High School principal Sean Maher was ecstatic about the new centre, which he saw as a potential

community hub, an opportunity to work with nearby towns and a pathway into local or national level trade positions.

"The purpose is to provide young people with realistic pathways into trades," he said. "We're hoping to work in partnership with Wandoan and Taroom, and also hoping to build links in the local community." So far the Murilla Community Centre, Surat Basin Property Group, Origin, Miles Engineering and Miles Historical Village are directly involved with

SEAN MAHER Miles High School principal

The purpose is to provide young people with realistic pathways into trades

Chinchilla Rest & Relaxation

projects. One student was blown away by the extent of the facility. "It's a useful asset to the school...I'd like to do some work for Miles Engineering," he said. On Saturday's official open day the community was invited to tour the facility and enjoyed a full demonstration of its capabilities.

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BASIN

WALTER SIMPSON QGC Operations Director

Dalby industry update

espite bleak reports in 2012 that the mining cash cow was headed for a bust, the Surat Basin continues to churn out a healthy profit for the energy sector in the Dalby and surrounding region. Major players Origin Energy and QGC continue to cement their prominence in the Dalby region. The Queensland Curtis LNG project, which will see coal seam gas converted to liquefied natural gas on Curtis Island, off Gladstone, is creating a growing

demand for gas sourced from the Surat Basin. With many sites around Dalby now feeding that demand, QGC has beefed up its community and safety priorities. In an address to the Queensland Petroleum Exploration Association, QGC Operations Director Walter Simpson said that keeping employees safe was necessary to work well with others. "Our approach to safety and how we deal with our neighbours sets the tone for how the community

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around 8,600km2. eAfter having its Environmental Impact Statement completed in 2010 and petroleum pipeline licence granted in February of 2010, Arrow has been working towards linking its Surat Basin fields with its LNG plant on Curtis Island. At this point for Dalby there will only be further development and construction on the cards, in a sector which is continuing to grow with the Surat Basin as a major hub.

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which will eventually link Gladstone to the Surat Basin. Smaller player Arrow Energy has increased its brand name in Dalby with continued community involvement through its new centre in Dalby's main street. Arrow's Surat Gas Project, which is based in and around Dalby but stretches in an arc from Wandoan through Dalby in the east to near Goondiwindi in the south, including areas around Chinchilla, Miles, Kogan, Cecil Plains and Millmerran, covers

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at large views our industry," Mr Simpson said. "With our 1,600 landholder agreements we must be doing something right - but we know there is much room for improvement. "In a practical sense, we have to conduct our operations as if our children were watching us." Origin Energy also continues its presence in Dalby. A joint venture partner in the Australia Pacific LNG project, Origin continues to work in the Dalby region with contractor MCJV to build the gas pipeline

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PAGE 21

building the BASIN basin

Liquid gold for Veolia A

gas firm will spend $800 million for its water plants in the Surat Basin to be run for 20 years, treating up to 200 megalitres of groundwater a day.

The salty water is pulled from the ground during coal seam gas extraction, treated, then according to QGC, most would be reused by the community QGC has given the contract to water firm Veolia, which will operate the three plants, two of which were under

construction at Kenya near Chinchilla and Woleebee Creek near Wandoan. A third smaller plant near Chinchilla is already operating. Veolia will have 55 staff running the plants. The salty water is pulled from the ground during coal seam gas extraction, treated, then according to QGC, most would be reused by the community. QGC is building a multibillion-dollar gas refinery near Gladstone, which will begin operating in 2014. It will convert CSG from the Surat Basin into liquefied natural gas for export.

SBPG surat basin property group

PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING By Jason van Hooft CEO SBPG In the property development business we know the importance of presentation and that is why companies like the Surat Basin Property Group and others operating in this sector put in a great deal of time and effort in presenting new estates and housing in the best possible manner. Stylish entry statements leading into new developments, landscaping, parks, professional signage, curb and channeling and properly presented blocks of land and houses all come together to promote sales. It is also a question of pride in the product being offered to the public and ultimately pride in the company behind it. The principles that drive the property development sector in terms of presentation and pride are the same that exist in the community and unfortunately at the moment in Chinchilla we have a very real issue that must be dealt with. Vandalism, damaged streetscapes, poorly maintained parklands and a

PAGE 22

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

general lack of attention to detail have seen some areas of Chinchilla look decidedly ordinary. As a community we should be asking our civic leaders why this is being allowed to happen. I know you cannot stop vandalism and you will never be able to instantly repair every piece of infrastructure when it is worn or damaged, but for the sake of community pride we should we striving to maximize our town's presentation. If we allow our town's overall presentation to wane we will only serve to encourage further deterioration. Council and the community must work together to fix damage, clean up vandalism, improve our parklands and streetscapes and repair or replace damaged or worn community infrastructure. Just as with property development , presentation is everything and as a community we should be demanding and expect nothing less than top presentation of our town and its community facilities. Council must ensure the funds and the manpower are sufficient to achieve this outcome. Lets lift our game Chinchilla.

building the BASIN Cameby Downs announces fourth round of sucessful applicants for community investment program

Community groups to benefit from Yancoal

ix community groups are set to benefit from the fourth round of the Yancoal Cameby Downs Mine Community Investment Program. The Cameby Downs Community Reference Group has approved applications from the Chinchilla SES Group ($4,150 for catering equipment); St Joseph's Primary School P&C ($4,560 for the 2013 reading resources program); Chinchilla Student Association ($3,500 for Leichhardt House security

DARRYN TRACY Cameby Downs Manager

A s a m e m b e r o f t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y, w e are delighted to be able to give back to the community in a way that reflects the sustainability of the Cameby Downs project and our long term commitment to the region equipment); Miles SES Group ($3,276 for emergency portable lighting); Miles State School ($3,000 for students to attend the 2013 'Expanding Horizons'

Brisbane camp); and Miles Holy Cross Catholic Church ($4,588 to air-condition the community hall). To receive funding through the

Community Investment Program, applicants need to provide services or benefits that contribute to the wellbeing and livability of the communities in and around Miles and Chinchilla. Cameby Downs Manager Darryn Tracy said that preference was given to organisations who could demonstrate good governance and performance, and a high

degree of self-help and leadership by the people involved. "As a member of the local community, we are delighted to be able to give back to the community in a way that reflects the sustainability of the Cameby Downs project and our long term commitment to the region," Mr Tracy said.

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

PAGE 23

places and page 25 page 26 page 27 Out and about

facetoface

Are you local to Dalby? I've been living with my family in Dalby for almost two and a half years now so while it's not our home town, it is our current home. We moved here at the beginning of 2011 and had previously been living in Tamworth NSW and Brisbane for a number of years prior to our time in Tamworth.

How did you get there? I'd been working as a civil engineer for five years when I was offered the chance to work for Ostwald Bros and explore opportunities within the south eastern Queensland. My previous projects have involved the building and construction sector but my main area of focus had been within the utilities industry and managing water based projects. Is this role/town where you had expected you would end up? Although I lived in Brisbane for a number of years, I grew up in country New South Wales. I am used to living regionally and we wanted a country lifestyle and upbringing for our family. Working in bulk earthworks offered another facet of engineering and project management that I had yet to explore. Upon working in the Surat Basin I have learnt what opportunities, career challenges and interesting

When did you start with Ostwald's and what is your role? I started with Ostwald Bros in the middle of the 2011 floods. Since that time I've worked as Project Manager on a number of Ostwald Bros bulk earthworks projects throughout the region. What are your favourite things about your job? PAGE 24

Michael Yeo Ostwald Bros Project Manager

I enjoy delivering successful project outcomes and working with staff to help them progress their careers.

What are the greatest challenges you face in your role? Meeting client expectations and timeframes is always a challenge but that's all part of the Project Management role. Do you have a family? I have a very supportive wife and three young daughters all living in Dalby. We've settled in really well and have made lots of good friends since we first moved here. Dalby has a wonderful community feel and some really friendly people which has made it easy to settle here. What do you love about living in Dalby? We have been very impressed by the school and the facilities of the town. For a country town, Dalby has plenty to offer families. There is always something on and something to partake in should you wish, and with three young children, we've been particularly impressed with the array of activities available for kids in Dalby. How long do you see yourself staying in Dalby? Life is always subject to change but for now Dalby serves us well. We first moved here thinking Dalby would be home for a year or two, but can comfortably say that we could easily see

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dalby has a wonderful community feel and some really friendly people which has made it easy to settle here.â&#x20AC;? projects that exist right here on our doorstep.

Every day is game day

TSBE update

ourselves living here for many years to come. Have you noticed many changes in Dalby since living here? I've noticed Dalby now has a number of new sporting facilities such as the renovated Dalby PCYC and the indoor aquatic centre pool which are very impressive facilities for a small regional centre. It's great to have such a wide range of activities available so close.

Where do you see the town headed/where does its future lie?

quiet streets or just playing sports in the backyard with the kids.

I think in the future we'll see a balance between agriculture and maintenance of the CSG infrastructure.

What is your ideal holiday destination? My job requires high-level attention and commitment so when I go on holidays I like somewhere that offers peace and quiet with no phone reception! We're considering an upcoming overseas holiday but we haven't yet decided on a destination. Our time in Fiji a year ago was just wonderful and its high up on the list of options again.

The construction phase of CSG will change to maintenance of the facilities which provide gas delivery and this will provide long-term employment and business opportunities. What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time? I like to chill out with my family - going to the park, riding our bikes around the

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

FACES page28 Sport flourishes

Miles Training Centre Open Day

Experienced plumber John Mullins gives the new equipment the thumbs up.

Andrew and Kari Salisbury admire the new training centre in Miles with daughter Summa in tow. Sean Maher proudly shows his daughters around the new facility.

Gavin Priest and Earl Wallace go over the finer details of the new training centre on Saturday.

Robyn Allen, Shanon Salisbury, Kylie Salisbury, Amity Salisbury and Vince Allen.

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013

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Chinchilla PAGE 25

places and FACES

Development status report out now

oowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise distributed its first biannual Development Status Report to bronze and above TSBE members. Early indications are that the figures highlighted in the report are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the significant amount of investment that has been proposed, is ongoing, completed and on hold in the Toowoomba region. "This publication aims to improve the knowledge of development projects in the region and this first edition also provides a sound insight into the extent of development activity," Mr Charles said. "We are confident that as businesses embrace the powerful nature of this report and the holistic view of development in our region that it provides, there will be an increased contribution of project information for future editions." The TSBE report approved by the TSBE board of directors late last week, is a document that captures significant developments in categories of mining and energy, property and construction and Infrastructure and services, as of the December 2012 quarter. The total developments spend for the region currently exceeds $5 billion. TSBE plans to bring the second edition out following the June quarter later this year and said it particularly looks forward to beginning to witness and be able to measure the growth seen in the region.

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investment opportunities Buying - S elling Jo int Vent ures • Sovereign Park Estate • Bottle Tree Estate • Surat Basin Industrial Park • The Pines Estate Miles C o n t a c t u s fo r a l l y o u r I n d u s t r i a l , Commercial, Retail & Residential needs Warrego Hwy Chinchilla P. 4669 1066 F. 4669 1460 Warren Daniells 0427 468 591 Jim Strongman 0418 734 256

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places and FACES Nominations are now open for the 2013 National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Crystal Vision Awards

Women in construction celebrated with NAWIC

he Crystal Vision awards recognise outstanding achievements made by women in the construction industry. Now in its 15th year, the Crystal Vision Awards will showcase inspiring

Queensland and Northern Territory women, who play a vital role in encouraging fellow women to pursue a career in the traditionally male dominated industry. NAWIC QLD/NT president and partner at Holding Redlich, Janelle

Kerrisk said industry leaders should look around their organisations and encourage the outstanding women within their teams to nominate themselves. "The awards provide the opportunity to celebrate

JANELLE KERRISK NAWIC QLD/NT president & partner Holding Redlich

In previous years we have received an overwhelming number of nominations and our aim this year is to attract even more nominations

the outstanding achievements of many of our members and reward their enthusiasm, skills and commitment to the construction industry," she said. "In previous years we have received an overwhelming number of nominations and our aim

this year is to attract even more nominations." Diversifying our Skills Pipeline is the theme of the 2013 Crystal Vision Awards which will be judged by a panel of industry experts across 12 categories. To nominate yourself or a

colleague visit www.nawic.com.au by Friday 26 July. The awards will be presented at a gala dinner on Friday 18 October 2013 at the new Royal International Convention Centre at the RNA Showgrounds.

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Joy Byrnes - Principal & Sales 0428 223 380 joy.byrnes@raywhite.com Kerri Collins - Sales & Marketing 0428 153 720 kerri.collins@raywhite.com Desley Oates - Finance/Office Manager Jessica Stansbie - Senior Property Manager Sarah Hancock - Property Manager Maree Mitchell - Reception Sam Schefe - Real Estate Trainee With the district thriving, the Roma office has been exhibiting success across all fronts of the property business. For an office that specialises in residential and small acreage sales, commercial and business sales, industrial sales and property management, contact Joy and her team at Ray White Roma .

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• Dongas • Transportable buildings • Site huts • Demountables These are a vital, cost effective solution to any industry. If you need more room you can hire it or buy it, custom made for your business Phone 4955 4444 or 4933 3833 generalmanager@mpservices.net.au

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In safe hands with Darren Lockyer

n football terms, a player with 'safe hands' can always catch and control the ball, even under great pressure. It's a simple idea that Australian rugby league legend Darren Lockyer uses to great effect when talking about workplace safety to Australia Pacific LNG project employees and contractors. Darren is using his extensive experience at the highest levels of professional Australian competitive team sports as part of Australia Pacific LNG's Every Day Is Game Day workplace safety campaign. 'Safe hands' drills, which draw on the high pressure team training tactics of professional rugby league, are part of the many workshops and activities Darren conducts with project employees and contractors. The only way a team can win in this fast-paced exercise is for all team members to support each other with

careful delivery and clear communication. If you drop the ball, that's an 'injury' and you have to stand on one leg - drop the ball again and a team member has to stand on one leg illustrating that if one of the team gets hurt the whole team suffers. Teams that rush the task are quickly caught on the hop, and the inevitable hilarity this provokes in spectators and players alike elegantly underscores the serious safety messages that drive the Every Day is Game Day campaign. The Australia Pacific LNG Project is approximately 30% complete, and safety is a primary workplace focus as the number of employees and contractors reaches a predicted peak of around 9,500 workers. "We're rolling out Every Day is Game Day so everyone on Project sites knows what is expected when it comes to doing their job," Darren said. "We try to get the guys to think the

'game' is the work they do every day, and the 'opposition team' is the risks and hazards that can occur on site. "You should only ever start a job when you have a game plan, the right training, and the right kit to get the job done properly." To date the Every Day is Game Day workplace safety program has reached over 3,200 Australia Pacific LNG project employees and contractors. A key theme of the recent tours was a focus on team leaders and safety - what the 'captains' (supervisors) can expect of work teams, and what work teams should expect from their captains. Last month Darren completed a fourday tour of the three pipeline construction camps south of Biloela and north of Miles, and spoke with drilling and gathering crews, before finishing up with frontline supervisor Q&A sessions at Origin's Spring Gully gas processing facility.

the news online

Rugby League great and Australian Pacific LNG Project Safety Ambassador Darren Lockyer speaks to Origin staff at Spring Gully Camp as part of the Every Day is Game Day event tour. Picture by Paul Harris.

ISSN 1835-6400

View the back editions on line Read all of our back issues on the internet at: www.issuu.com/ suratbasinnews

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Surat Basin News Published by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413 Printed by APN Print Toowoomba 50 Industrial Avenue Toowoomba Q4350 2012 General Manager - David Richardson, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, PO Box 138 Chinchilla Q4413, Phone 07 4662 7368

Winning Confidence. Doing Something Right. Tresed Liquid Waste is locally owned, reliable and delivers services with excellence. Our personnel are qualified, trained and inducted with leading companies. Tresed Liquid Waste currently has an excellent safety record and remains incident free.

Sumpless Drilling Support Tresed Liquid Waste can provide sumpless drilling support with specialised vacuum equipment all designed in house. All units are purpose built to suit client needs.

Waste Removal

Reliable Fitters anywhere anytime

MINING

Get Fresh Water

Grey water, septic, porta-loo, grease traps, wash down silt traps & bulk liquid waste removal. Provide Hydro Excavation Services for trenching, potholing and service location.

Provide potable water delivery of up to 50,000 Litres per delivery.

Target your advertising to always hit dead centre

AGRICULTURE

EARTHMOVING ENERGY Andrew Callow

Marnie Callow

Katie Burke

Damien Mansfield

Danielle Walton

Tom Alexander

Dwayne Garland

Marietjie Moolman

Managing Director

General Manager

Administration Support Officer

Business Development Manager

Office Manager

Operations Manager

Safety Officer

Accounts

Mitchell Road, Roma - PO BOX 535 Phone: (07) 4622 2119 Fax: (07) 4622 2116 Email: admin@tresedliquidwaste.com.au Website: www.tresedliquidwaste.com.au 4914704ab

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Dalby Office +61 (07) 4662 2008 xdiesel.com.au

SURAT BASIN NEWS

Joel Sweet 0429 080 024

07 4662 7368

Dan Shepard Field Supervisor

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 APRIL 2013