SBN 25 Oct 2012 by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd

Surat BasinNEWS THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER 2012

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Budget bonanza Page 5

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SBNEWS The Team David Richardson General Manager Laurell Ison Media Sales Manager Beth Walker Graphic Design Jillian Poulsen Senior Journalist 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 — 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

www.suratbasin.com.au

inside this edition in theNews

pages 4-10

The close of the fincial year saw our governments’ focus turn to budgets. Check out Page 5 to see what the budgets mean for our region. Injune residents say their town is bursting at the seams. Find out why on page 6.

"The RSPT (Resource Super Profits Tax) has created significant uncertainty for the future of mining investment into Australia and would impair the value of previously approved projects and exploration to the point that continued investment can no longer be justified," Xstrata Plc chief executive Mick Davis said after Xstrata announced earlier this month suspending $586 million of expenditure.

down tobusiness

pages 16-21 This month we are talking coal. Find out about teh different types, what they are used for and what the industry adds to the Australian economy on Pages 16 and 17. You won’t believe how much a humble block of land in Wandaon sold for at auction. Find out on Page 21.

building theBasin

Placesandfaces

pages 22-27 pages 28-32 Santos offically opens thier new Logisitcs Hub in Roma. Read about its impacts on Page 22. The Apprenticeship Company continues to go from strength to strength. Find out the secret to their success on Page 24.

Peter Thompsoin is considered a thought leader went it comes to coexistence between landholders and CSG companies. Find out why on Page 28. Check out this edition’s Face to Face with Shane Charles on page 31.

advertisers index Agcare Engineering..........................................15

F K Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd ........................26

Ray White Rural Chinchilla ..........................23

Apel Consultants ............................................15

Infrastructure & Planning ..............................17

Rocla ..................................................................24

Brandon & Associates ......................................7

IOR Petroleum ..................................................6

Skyreach ............................................................13

Budden Contractors ......................................32

KJ'S Signs ..........................................................18

Speciality Services QLD ................................20

Chinchilla Fluid Power....................................26

Lawrence & Hanson........................................26

Sunwater............................................................18

CMS Hire ............................................................9

Loughlin Crane Hire ........................................9

Surat Basin Industrial Park ............................11

Coates Hire ........................................................3

M & P Services (Qld) Pty Ltd ........................1

Dalby Radiator ................................................25

Maguire Coaches and Travel............................6

Dalby Windscreens ........................................32

MI Helicopters ................................................14

Downlands College ..........................................7

Modular Queensland ......................................24

Downs Group Training ..................................17

Murilla Community Centre ..........................10

Tresed Liquid Waste ......................................18

Easternwell ................................................8 & 21

NJ Contracting ................................................12

USQ ....................................................................27

Extreme Diesel Services................................17

Osmac International..........................................8

Wild Desert......................................................19

Ezyquip Hire ....................................................20

PS & R ................................................................15

Workforce Advisors Group ............................7

Surat Basin NEWS

Trades and Services ........................................30 Trades and Services ...................................... 31

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.

Next Issue will be available

15 November 2012 Double your profile and build your exposure in the unique Surat Basin

Utilise our local knowledge to help you succeed in the Surat Basin Start now phone Laurell or David 4662 7368

Phone Laurell 07 4662 7368 and start building your business www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews PAGE 2

Toowoomba Truck Spares ............................10

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

this WEEK

Money talks in exploration T enders have opened for the first round of land available for petroleum and gas exploration through Queensland's new competitive cash bidding process. Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said the new process would ensure all Queenslanders benefited from the timely development of the state's most resource-rich areas. "From today, companies will be able to submit a tender to explore in two areas of potentially highly prospective land for petroleum and gas in the Surat Basin," Mr Cripps said. "The new competitive process to secure exploration rights will ensure the most appropriate explorers with a commitment to resource development secures access to available land." Companies will now bid to explore certain regions of the Surat Basin.

located eight kilometres west of Miles on the Warrego Highway. Area 2 is about 75sq km in size and situated about eight kilometres south east of Condamine and is east of the Leichhardt Highway.

"Both areas are surrounded by existing granted petroleum exploration and production tenures and existing infrastructure," Mr Cripps said. Expressions of interest for the competitive cash-bidding tenders close

Mr Cripps said the two areas included in the first tender had been identified by the State Government for their potential to be some of the highest quality gas reserves in Queensland. Area 1 is about 75sq km in size and

at 2.30pm on February 14 next year. Tender applications will be subject to the same rigorous State Government assessment and approvals process that applies to all applications for coal, mineral, petroleum and gas exploration permits, including land access laws. Mr Cripps said preferred tenderers would be recommended by an evaluation panel of senior officers from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Projects Queensland and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning. "I want to stress there will continue to be non-cash land releases in 'greenfield' and under-explored areas that promote Queensland's attractiveness for junior explorers," he said. "This will ensure that the government continues to encourage vital investment in greenfield exploration, while maximising benefits from the areas where geological knowledge is greater." A tender document has been prepared which contains detailed information on the geology of the two areas, other land uses that exist in the two areas, the tender process and application requirements.

For more information about the process and to download the tender documentation visit: www.mines.industry.qld.gov.au/mining/competitive-cash-bidding.htm

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PAGE 3

in the page 5 page 6 page 7 Green light for Miles airport

Future of the TSBE

Innovative washdown facility

BUDGET RESOURCE SECTOR HIT HARD

he resource sector has been hit hard in recent budgets in Queensland as well as the Surat Basin local government regions of Western Downs and Maranoa. It is not all bad not from Treasurer Tim Nicholls first LNP budget on September 11. Mr Nicholls announced the state budget would deliver the election promise of the $495m Royalties to Regions program. Mr Nicholls said WDRC and MRC are two of 14 local government regions that can apply under the program. "Funding will be contestable and directed to projects that build capacity and sustainability in regional areas," Mr Nicholls said. To pay for this, the Government is increasing coal royalties to raise $1.6b in four years. From October 1, coal royalty rates will rise 2.5% to 12.5% on the value per tonne between $100 and $150. A new tier of 15% will apply for values above $150. Rates for coal below $100 a tonne will not change from

the current 7%. Queensland Resources Council president Michael Roche said the increases would lead to job losses. "It risks further mine closures and there are many coal projects on the drawing board that will now never get off the drawing board," Mr Roche said. Disappointingly there was no funding available to fix the Warrego Highway, although there is $1billion for the Bruce Highway and a further $2 billion for flood damaged roads. Mr Nicholls also announced an analysis of migration visa requirements saying Queensland was responsible for less than 1% of the national total. "Onerous criteria are restricting Queensland business from hiring employees with critical skills," he said. Mr Nicholls said stronger growth in 2011-12 was driven by a record 42.3% surge in business investment, as construction ramped up on major LNG and coal projects aimed at servicing long-term Asian resource demand. In the same week as the

Queensland budget, Western Downs and Maranoa were introducing their own rate hikes to take advantage of resource riches. In WDRC, properties associated with intensive industries and resource and energy sectors face an average 50% increase to rates compared to the average residential rate rises of 13% ($99 a year). Mayor Ray Brown said the huge budget was adopted with a fair, responsible and equitable approach and he didn't want ratepayers to foot the bill for the resource sector. "We are experiencing a huge energy sector boom and it impacts on our region," he said. "We want to ensure the resources sector contributes its fair share to the future of the region." Over in Roma the average rate hike was 5% but resource companies will face a significantly higher impost. Maranoa mayor Rob Loughnan said the resource sector contribution would

jump from $1.7 million to $3.2 million to be one fifth of the total rate revenue in what he admitted was a difficult budget to sell. "The resource sector increase takes us towards a more equitable balance across the rates base," Cr Loughnan said. "Council is committed to ensuring the budgetary impacts on the local community are minimised, but without a doubt, this will be a tough budget for everyone." Cr Loughnan said Maranoa Council was determined not to jeopardise financial sustainability in an environment where its ability to adequately maintain infrastructure and roads was already being challenged."This budget will go a long way towards maintaining this capability," he said.

Royalties Program There are three Royalties for the Regions funds in the pilot first year: • The Resource Community Building Fund ($10 million for 2012-13) for community infrastructure, such as education and health facilities, community centres and sporting facilities. • Roads to Resources ($40 million for 2012-13) for safety, connectivity and capacity of roads servicing resource communities. • Floodplain Security ($10 million for 2012-13) for flood mitigation, through building levees, flood bypasses, flood mitigation dams, flood retention basins and other key projects.

PAGE 4

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

QUEENSLAND BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS > > > >

> > > > > >

(statewide) Increase in coal royalties to raise $1.6b and a 10 year royalty guarantee $2.5 million to establish the Gasfields Commission Cabinet Committee will be established to reduce red tape and regulation for the resource industry Increase the payroll tax threshold from $1 million to $1.1 million in 2012-13 (regional) $5m for Dalby Saleyards upgrade $3.6m for social housing $3 million for Roma Hospital. $1.7 million for Roma State College, Senior Campus. $1.3m for Dalby swimming pool Develop business case for Toowoomba second range crossing

WESTERN DOWNS BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS > > > > > > > > > > > >

$33m for flood repair $15m for Miles aerodrome $10m for Miles roads upgrades $5m for Dalby saleyards upgrade phase 1 $4.75m for Wandoan treatment plant $4.5m for Wandoan roads upgrade $4.1m for West Regional Landfill and Transfer Station 2.3 Maranoa highlights $16m flood damaged roads $3.8 capital water initiatives $2.8 million Mitchell Multi Purpose Health Service $1.8m Roma community hub

NEWS page 8 page 9 Greens take aim

Business as usual

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise continues to move forward

Regional challenges considered ndustry, government and community representatives gathered at Parliament House last month to witness and celebrate the official launch of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Pty Ltd (TSBE). Following recommendations from the Toowoomba Regional Council Economic Development Advisory Board last year, the Toowoomba Regional Enterprise was formally registered in January 2012. Shortly afterwards, the organisation merged successfully with the Surat Basin Corporation and from May 1, 2012 the TSBE was born. The result has been the establishment of a unified voice for the Surat Basin. TSBE CEO Shane Charles said the organisation is focused on providing leadership and advocacy for the region. He said the benefit of merging the two organisations would mean the development of one clear, strong voice, as well as an organisation that has more resources available to consolidate work on behalf of the region. "As an economic development organisation, we are here to assist all sectors and help facilitate growth and prosperity throughout the Surat Basin region," Mr Charles said. "Whilst the early part of the year concentrated on setting up the organization, we already have runs on the board. "We have already met with around 80 companies interested in investing within the region; specifically assisted around 60 businesses with market entry strategies, supply chain engagement and strategic networking; linked a

growing number of organisations and agencies throughout the region." Mr Charles said the TSBE is committed to the betterment of the whole region, despite receiving the majority of their funding from the Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC). "The TSBE was established as a result of the vision of TRC and TRC are a significant founding member of our organization and should be commended for their commitment to this initiative," he said. "In relation to their membership, TSBE has responsibility for some TRC economic development initiatives. "However, the TSBE has been established as an independent organisation to best represent the region as a whole. "In order to achieve real sustainable economic growth, needs and challenges must be considered in a regional sense. "We are here to work with government and industry for the betterment of the whole region, I encourage all within the region to take a proactive approach and make the most of our organization." Mr Charles said the TSBE would be working to assist issues with skilled labour in the region. "There are many agencies in the workforce development arena and so we are keen to assist in industry liaison within this space and to be able to advocate strongly for the region based on real data," he said. "Housing availability and affordability is a key part of infrastructure needs across the region and significant spend from key proponents within the region is needed to meet requirements."

Funding breakdown Toowoomba Regional Council Western Downs Regional Council Maranoa Regional Council Industry Membership

Projects on the go

• Lobbied LNP when in opposition securing $5M for Range Bypass Business continuing to champion Case and regional needs and worki ng with all levels of gover progress the Western Fre nment to ight Corridor (Range By pass project) • Investment attraction - creating a dedicated pat h and strategic marketin in the region g of investment • Working closely with the Resource & Energy Sector to ensure meani the communities they op ngful investment in erate and build invest in their communities and bu within regional business ild capacity es to gain maximum bene fit from the energy boom • Provide up to date and relevant information of the regions data to busin community in order to ess and facilitate linking business with opportunity and pro leadership through inform viding ed and accurate business case proposals as well as government advice to • Development of marke ting material to assist in promoting the region • Partnering with indust ry and the State governm en t to progress the Food Resource Sector in the • Recently commenced a scoping exercise within the agricultural sector in identify key regional issue the region to s / challenges in this ind ustry • Working with all levels of government and indust ry to facilitate growth of businesses within the reg existing ion including identifying and prioritizing infrastructure across the region needs

Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Picnic Point Restaurant earlier this year, TSBE CEO Shane Charles was the guest speaker.

$450,000 $20,000 $20,000 $500,000

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 5

in the NEWS Upgrades to the Miles Airport have been given the green light

Miles ready to fly into action plan to upgrade the Miles airport has been given the green light with the Western Downs Regional Council signing the infrastructure deed to make way for construction. As part of Australia Pacific LNG's upgrade

works, the Miles Airport is now closed to all aircrafts. It is expected that the upgraded airport will re-open in March next year. The upgrade will be to full Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) standards and enable all weather and night/day operation,

improving access and safety not only for the gas industry but the surrounding community. Australia Pacific LNG CEO Page Maxson said the upgrade will support safer travel to and from the region for staff and contractors working on nearby construction sites, as well as provide the gateway for ongoing operations for decades to come. "When considering airports to provide access to operations, Miles was chosen as the safest and most cost effective option and followed a detailed assessment undertaken over several months," Mr Maxson said. "When completed, the upgrade will also provide the community with a much improved asset." Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown said upgrading the airport will reduce vehicle movements from local roads. "This will be a significant step in terms of maintaining the liveability of communities across the region as well as helping to

"When completed, the upgrade will also provide the community with a much improved asset." offset future costs associated with road upgrades and maintenance," Cr Brown said.While Australia Pacific LNG will undertake the upgrade, the airport will remain owned and operated by the Council. Consultation with emergency services such as the Royal Flying Doctor's Service and Care Flight has been undertaken to ensure alternative arrangements are in place during the upgrade period. When construction is completed in 2013 the upgraded Miles airport will be reopened to all other general aviation users. Miles airport is located approximately 20 kilometres south of Miles on the Leichhardt Highway.

Injune residents speak out he town of Injune is bursting at the seams due to the combined pressures of the oil and gas industry, October's meeting of Advance Injune heard. Situated in the heart of Surat Basin gas fields the town is unable to cope with the influx of workers. Advance Injune president Puddy Chandler read out a litany of complaints including the lack of water pressure, high rents, the closure of the airport, the state of the roads, the overloaded hospital and the congested telephone network, all of which were caused by the oil and gas industry. "Telstra have told us there is 500

people in town but 3000 people in the field so the 3G network is overcrowded, " Ms Chandler said. "Meanwhile the only time anyone can have a shower is at 2am and there is no pressure to water a garden." Santos GLNG Community Engagement Manager John Phalen had previously denied their subcontractor Saipem was drawing from town water. "We have been advised by Saipem Australia it is not drawing any water from the Injune town water supply and will use water for construction activities from alternative sources rather than tapping into the town's supply," Mr Phalen said. "Water currently being used for

dust suppression has been collected at existing construction sites and is treated before use." But most people at the Advance Injune meeting are convinced the resource companies are to blame. "Why doesn't Santos drill its own bores or use its reverse osmosis water instead of our water?" Injune resident Ray Klein asked. Maranoa Council Deputy Mayor Scott Wason told the meeting Council was aware of the water issue and there was an allocation in the budget to fix the problem with a new bore pump and switchboard by the end of January 2012. Meanwhile Injune Airport is also closed to all but emergency traffic and Cr Joy Denton told

the meeting repairs could cost in the region of $5-10m. "We are negotiating with the resource companies over it," Cr Denton said. Cr Peter Flynn said large planes had landed at the airport in the last two years that never should have been allowed to land. "They caused irreversible damage to the footings of the strip," Cr Flynn said. "It cost Roma airport $6m to replace the tarmac so $5m for Injune is not unreasonable." Mr Phalen said Santos GLNG was in discussion with the Maranoa Regional Council about potential to provide further funding towards the Injune Airport. Ms Chandler said Injune

residents were the "meat in the sandwich" when it came to the resource industry and she appealed for help from Federal member Bruce Scott who was present. "We need support from Government - this is only going to get worse," she said. Injune Hospital's Director of Nursing Janelle Stansford said numbers presenting at the hospital have increased dramatically in recent years. In 2008 the hospital was averaging 70-130 visits a month now it's up to 600 to 700 a month. "The hospital is a full house most of the time," Ms Stansford said. "There are 25 people lined up at the front door every day."

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

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in the NEWS

Taking care of our country I ndigenous employment supplier Muddy Waters has demonstrated its commitment to working with energy sector stakeholders to prevent the spread of obnoxious weeds in the Surat Basin. A subsidiary of the Roma-based Mandandanji Enterprises, Muddy Waters recently commandeered a state-of-the-art light vehicle wash-bay developed by leading environmental infrastructure engineer Enviro Concepts. Muddy Waters Employment, training and business development officer Bob Carlo said the facility will be used to serve the obligation of indigenous folk to protect their natural environment. "The threat of obnoxious weeds is everybody's concern and it's great to be doing our little bit, as aboriginal people, in preventing this threat and looking after our country," Mr Carlo said. "We are encouraging proponents and contractors to utilise this weed hygiene service with our assurance of quality and attention to detail." Enviro Concepts business development manager Joe Olejnik said the wash-bay, for which a space was provided by Coates Hire Chinchilla at its Taylor Street yard, is an engineering breakthrough. "We've spent seven years developing these facilities and are now manufacturing and

distributing them nationally," Mr Olejnik said. The unit now erected in Chinchilla is one of over fifty of its kind in Australia and he said their convenience and practicality would see more built in the great Surat

Basin region."This is completely independent; all of the water is completely recycled so you could be in the middle of the desert, washing vehicles," Joe Olejnik said. QGC indigenous relations business development manager Keith Williams said

"This will help QGC be more efficient with our need to look after our country and meet the requirements of our landholders," Mr Williams said

a new relationship with Muddy Waters would greatly assist endeavours to minimise the resource industry's impact on the environment. "This will help QGC be more efficient with our need to look after our country and meet the requirements of our landholders," Mr Williams said."There is huge demand for this kind of service, not only from us but from our contractors and other proponents in the area."

Muddy Waters employees conduct demonstrations on the operation of the new wash-down facility currently stationed in Chinchilla.

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in the NEWS

Dalby State Highâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact awarded alby State High School's Trades Futures program has again made waves, this time taking out a national prize of $30,000. The school was awarded the NAB Impact Award for their partnership with 23 local businesses to run school-based apprenticeships across a number of trades. Many of the trainee students are training specifically to work on the gasfields, with many working towards a Certificate II in Plant Processing Operating. In-school training takes place in the $3.5 million Trades Training Centre, while students also do a block of hands-on work experience with local businesses, including Arrow Energy. The mentor businesses have

" T h i s a w a r d 's m o r e about recognising the guys here (the businesses) than the school," Mr Marini said

Ostwald Bro's Rohan May, Arrow Energy's John Joyce, NAB anager David Crosby, DSHS vice principal Jason Marini and White Industries' Bruce White.

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including personal development. Mentor and Ostwald Bros maintenance manager Brian Ostwald said it was positive recognition for the program. "Dalby State High School would have to be one of the best managed training regimes we have seen," Mr Ostwald said. "We consider our relationship to be very constructive and we look very favourably on the school's applicants." Around 85% of students engaged in the program are already in school-based apprenticeships, and Mr Marini said he hoped to raise that to 90%.

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program would not have been possible without the businesses. "This award's more about recognising the guys here (the businesses) than the school," Mr Marini said. "The industry is on board with us, and we're on board with the industry. "We have 23 partner businesses across three industries resources, civil and manufacturing and engineering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They've hosted more than 1000 industry days." Mr Marini said the prize money would be used for human resources in 'the shed',

Chinchilla 07 4668 9103 chinchilla@osmac.com.au

THE QUEENSLAND Greens have taken aim at the LNP for failing to deal with the community's concerns over the coal seam gas industry. Senate candidate Adam Stone said he had failed to see any significant changes despite "pre-election" rhetoric about "appropriate balance" and "world's best social and environmental outcomes". "The industry still operates outside the Water Act, which means that unlike everyone else they don't have to remain within sustainable groundwater extraction limits," he said. "The industry's greenhouse footprint, especially as the result of upstream fugitive emissions from pipes, wellheads and processing infrastructure, remains unknown. "And landholders still lack the ability to refuse coal seam gas development on their land, meaning that they have no way of ensuring fair compensation."

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

in the NEWS

CUTBACKS strata’s cutbacks at mines around Queensland have left locals anxious about the future of the company's Wandoan Coal Project. However Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown said it is business as usual. "We have had no indication of any major delays to the project," he said."I know it is frustrating for people they want to see things happening, but it is a long process. "We are still going ahead with making provisions for roads, sewerage, waste and water." A spokesperson for Xstrata Coal told the Surat Basin News the company's focus is now on completing the coal analysis and resource modelling from exploration field work, completed earlier this year. "The Wandoan office remains open, staffed by project liaison and land access employees," the spokesperson said. "Minor drilling activities are continuing at one of our properties at Wandoan, as well as maintenance works on our properties such as installing fire breaks."

Following the Queensland Land Court's recommendation to award a Mining Lease for the Wandoan Project, the company is working towards the final grant of the lease by the Queensland Government. The spokesperson said final approvals are expected in early 2013. "The associated rail and port developments required for our 22 million tonne per annum mine have all received their necessary environmental approvals and we are progressing strategies to secure finance," the spokesperson said. "The mine development is continuing with pre-approval works to align it with the rail and port developments to position it to be able to trigger construction when their financing arrangements are complete. "If our Wandoan Project is approved, start of production remains approximately four years away."However, government approval will not mean the project is a sure thing."Feasibility studies into our Wandoan Project continue, to enable an investment decision once relevant approvals have been completed and market conditions permit," the spokesperson said.

Coal prices weak W eak coal prices mean any possible plans for expansion at Cameby Downs Mines will be put on hold. A spokesperson for Yancoal said the company is looking at a number of opportunities to grow production at the mine but the current market environment is not conducive to increase production. "This is an ongoing process and is likely to continue for some

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time," the spokesperson said. However Yancoal assured the Surat Basin News that there are no current plans to wind back production at the mine. "Yancoal does not have any plans to change the current production of the mine," the spokesperson said. The State Government's decision to increase royalties paid on coal will have no impact on the mine at the present time. If thermal coal prices move above $100/t then there would

be some impact as the royalty rate increases from 10% to 12.5%. Earlier this month Queensland Resource Council CEO Michael Roche said most thermal coalmines in the mining state were either running at a loss or struggling to stay in the black. The spokesperson was unable to provide any more clarity on Cameby Downs' situation but said the company does support the comments made by Mr Roche.

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 9

in the NEWS

APPEA in hot water

he nation's peak science organisation apology for misleading Australians." hit out at the coal seam gas industry Landholder group, the Basin Sustainability for an advertisement it aired claiming Alliance, was "outraged" by the claim the industry the CSIRO had shown ground-water had scientific proof that coal seam gas extraction was safe with CSG. is safe for groundwater resources. Last month, the Australian Petroleum Production BSA chair David Hamilton said the reference to and Exploration Association aired a television CSIRO to substantiate the claim is unfounded advertisement which claimed "CSIRO and and irresponsible. government studies have shown that ground Mr Hamilton said the BSA also has concerns water is safe with coal seam gas". about APPEA Chief Operating Officer Mr Rick The science agency released a written statement Wilkinson's ability to be impartial in his new role rejecting the claims made in the advertisement, as a Gasfields Commissioner when he is saying CSG was likely to pose a "low risk" to authorising industry advertising like this. ground water. In response, an APPEA spokesman said the It said the CSIRO was still researching the industry-body had "taken CSIRO's comments on impacts of the industry on ground water, and board", but stopped short of agreeing to while some impacts on aquifer levels were withdraw the ad. known, the research would continue. "The advertisements we run, where we run But a spokesperson for the gas industry released them, and when we run them will be determined a statement which said all of the association's ads were BSA chair David Hamilton said "approved as factual by the independent advertising the reference to CSIRO to regulator". substantiate the claim is The spokesperson would not unfounded and irresponsible comment on the specific claims made in the advertisements, and did not say whether it would pull the advertisement as a over the result of CSIRO's concerns. months ahead," Greens Senator Larissa Waters seized on the the spokesman CSIRO statement, saying scientists had not yet said. been able to establish the long-terms effects the industry had on aquifers. "Any statement to the contrary is completely false," she said. "APPEA must ditch their spin campaign and start being honest with people about the uncertainties and real risks of CSG to our land and water, and I look forward to their public

COMMISSION NEEDS MORE POWER THE Queensland GasFields Commission now has power to request information from government organisations and landholders. The state government has endorsed the proposed powers and functions of the GasFields Commission, giving them the power to penalise landholders who do not provide information within a requested time period. Commission chair John Cotter said this was a necessary step, as access to information was the top complaint he heard from landholders during the land access review. Mr Cotter said establishing the Commission was the first step to restoring the power balance between landholders and the CSG industry. "The power to assess the potential for co-existence, and make recommendations on this, and the power to request and publish information will help to level out the power balance," Mr Cotter said. Mr Cotter said one of the things he was especially interested in was ensuring the term land occupier was properly defined. He was commenting after Dalby-based solicitor Peter Shannon said amendments made to the Queensland Petroleum and Gas Act in August may have reduced the rights of landholders who operate under partnerships or family trust structures to access compensation from negative CSG impacts. Mr Cotter said the term 'land occupier' should not exclude people who are affected by CSG activities but are not the landowners. "There are a whole range of different business structures in place," Mr Cotter said. "People might have family on the place or there might be people who share farms, that all has to be clarified. "If you have got a particular entity being affected we would take a very dim view of them not being included in the discussions and negotiation."

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 11

opinions Planning welcome

Honourable duties

Budget blues

Infrastructure key

Michael Roche, CEO Queensland Resources Council

Bruce Scott Federal Member for Maranoa

Robert Loughnan Maranoa Regional Council Mayor

Ray Brown, Western Downs Regional Council Mayor

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

Editorial The Surat Basin News finally goes monthly In 2007 when the inaugural Surat Basin News was published in October, our aim had been to build a unique product that would highlight the changes in our region. Prior to this newspaper publishing there was a vacuum when it came to information on the developments in the resources that lie beneath our feet. The Surat Basin News was delivered to fill this void and allow for information from right across the former eleven local council areas to allow our readers to gain an understanding of what was coming. Originally our newspaper was published quarterly, and struggled to pull together information from such a large region, from many sources who at the time where reluctant to share information. As with most successful businesses the people behind the product or service are the true drivers for its success. Our newspaper has been fortunate to have had passionate custodians, starting with John Farmer our then editor; this newspaper quickly built a reputation as the voice for the Surat Basin. Laurell Ison and Beth Walker are the two other originals staffers who have stamped and continue to stamp their enthusiasm and ownership on this widely read product. Over the last six years, moving from quarterly to now being published monthly we would like to thank all of the custodians that have lead this award winning newspaper - our editors; Teneale Luckraft, Tegan Plant and now Jill Poulsen. Also, recognition for making this product a success must go to the people that saw and understood the vision and supported the Surat Basin News over the last six years, without their assistance our dream would still be a Nikko mark on a whiteboard.

What do you think? Drop us a line at editorial@suratbasinnews.com.au

Corridor lights the path he changes will make the development process clearer and easier for project proponents by defining exactly what they are allowed to do, and by ensuring their applications are processed efficiently. We want to see more activity in our SDAs, more jobs and more economic development. A big part of that is cutting red-tape and unnecessary paperwork. The changes to the local SDA include a voluntary but recommended pre-lodgement stage to help

COMMENT Campbell Newman Premier of Queensland

The Surat Basin Infrastructure Corridor has come under the Government's spotlight as one of six State Development Areas (SDAs) to have its development scheme streamlined to encourage future growth and future jobs proponents define the acceptability of a proposed use, to ensure applications are properly made when they are submitted and to minimise the need for information requests

from the government. The amendments will also change the definition of material change of use to provide clarity around different types of development.

For more information on the Surat Basin Infrastructure Corridor log on to http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/land-for-industry/suratbasin-infrastructure-corridor-sbicsda.html

Get in the Game At a more grassroots level, the new Get in the Game sports funding program is proving to be a real hit in country communities Information sessions have already been held around the state, including Roma, Dalby and Goondiwindi, giving people more details about the funding assistance which might be available to their sporting groups.

Get in the Game is made up of three programs Get Started will provide more than 40,000 vouchers of up to $150 to help with the cost of registration fees for children who are least able to afford it, or would otherwise benefit from joining a sporting club.

Get Going will see $10,000 grants paid directly to local sporting clubs to help them grow through the purchasing of new sporting equipment or promoting new membership initiatives.

Get Playing will provide $100,000 grants for clubs to upgrade or replace existing facilities and infrastructure. Get Going and Get Playing are open for applications until 1 December and applications for Get Started vouchers will officially open in January 2013, however clubs have been able to register their interest in participation since 1 October.

If you haven't had the chance to get along to an information session, you can always log on to www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/getinthegame or phone 1300 656 191 for more details

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 23 August 2012

Employmen t Opportunit ies

opinions

Infrastructure the key to region's economic future

o support strong economic growth in the region, investment in infrastructure by government and industry is more paramount than ever to ensure better outcomes for all our local communities and investing in the Western Downs future prosperity. A significant infrastructure project being generated at present in the Western Downs is the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Miles Airport by Australia Pacific LNG, a joint venture CSG to LNG project between Origin, ConocoPhillips and Sinopec. The airport was closed on October 2 to all incoming and outgoing flights for the next six months marking the start of the construction project. During the period of closure, Council and Australia Pacific LNG have put in place the necessary arrangements for emergency landing procedures. The project, which is in excess of $15 million, is being fully funded by Australia Pacific LNG and is an investment by the company in our region that will further stimulate economic development in the Miles district.The new-look airport will service all mining, energy, agricultural and other business operations in the local area. It will also make the airport more accessible and increase the potential capability of emergency services by enabling all weather and night/day operation. This much-needed upgrade will, in the long term, generate considerable economic benefits to the whole Western Downs region. Talking about infrastructure investment, at present there are a number of infrastructure agreements still in the

Brisbane

process of being finalised with Queensland Gas, Origin Energy and Xstrata.These projects, once approved, will be a win-win outcome for both our communities and the companies. In the meantime,Western Downs Regional Council is closely monitoring how developments unfold with Glencor and Xstrata, which could have significant impacts to the Wandoan coal project. Keep watching this space.

Glladstone G

Cr Ray Brown Mayor, Western Downs Regional Council

the social impacts occurring in the region stemming from the impacts of the energy sector boom.The Gasfields Queensland Commission travelled the Surat Basin and Western Downs regions to gain first-hand insights into the local coal seam gas

Since August,Western Downs Regional Council has been in significant dialogue with the State Government in relation to Royalties for Regions. As everyone is well aware of the energy sector impact occurring across the region at present, significant upgrades are desperately Mayor Ray Brown with Chief needed across many Executive Officer of the Australia infrastructure bases. Pacific the LNG Project Page Maxson One such at the signing of the infrastructure infrastructure deed for construction to get underway at the Miles Airport. project currently underway are upgrades to the Warrego Highway, although causing significant inconvenience for many motorists, these works are certainly needed and in the long run will benefit all motorists and contribute to industry and related issues that are a hot driving the region's economy forward. topic for our local communities. The Western Downs recently had put out In a move to ensure that the resources the welcoming mat for visits by the Local sector contributes its fair share towards Government Association of Queensland the future of the region,Western Downs (LGAQ) and the Gasfields Commission Regional Council has handed down it's Queensland. 2012/13 Budget announcing significant The visits were an opportunity to rate increases for local intensive showcase our region as one of the industries. nation's rapidly developing economies and During this year's budget deliberations to acknowledge the impacts and issues Council had introduced a new voiced by our residents. methodology and formula to address the The purpose of the LGAQ Executive staff significant impact of the energy sector in visit was to get a grassroots grounding of the region.This has certainly been

DALBY D ALBY A LBY

COMMENT

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supported by the State Government and the Local Government Association of Queensland in looking for a fair, responsible and equitable approach to rating the impacts of the energy sector to deliver the infrastructure that is very

much needed by our communities. On a lighter note, I recently had the pleasure of addressing several conferences in relation to workforce skills and infrastructure required across the Surat Basin and the Western Downs regions. Also, I was pleased to have the opportunity to address the Australian Syngas Association at the inaugural meeting for underground coal gasification. I would like to thank the organisers for giving me the opportunity to represent Western Downs Regional Council and the Western Downs community.

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PAGE 13

opinions Public feedback welcomed on green tape reduction COMMENT

Facelift for the Warrego elcome to spring and this edition of the Surat Basin News. Over the last few days some very welcome rain has fallen across the Electorate and hopefully reduced the very high fire risk across the region. October is about the worst month of the year for bushfires and I would like to thank the volunteers and Rural Fire Service staff who have diligently worked to ensure fire breaks have been burnt around many of our communities across the Warrego Electorate.

RURAL FIRE SERVICE

COMMENT

Whilst on the Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Rural Fire Services offices eg Roma, will not be closing under the new model being developed by the State Government. There will be no changes until the review is completed at the end of February 2013. The terms of reference for the review and members of Review Team Chaired by Ted Malone MP have been announced and are available at http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/ 10/10/rural-fire-service-review-terms-ofreference-finalised. The Review Team will hold a series of meetings across the state to

Michael Roche Chief Executive Queensland Resources Council

gather important information towards providing advice on the future of the RFS.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2013 2013 public holiday arrangements have caused a flurry of phone calls to my office about the arrangements for the Queens Birthday holiday in 2013. The Labour Day public holiday will move to the first Monday in October, commencing 2013. The move is designed to break up the concentration of public holidays in the April-May period, while also providing a break in the second half of the year. The Queen's Birthday public holiday will remain in June and be consistent with all other states and territories with the exception of Western Australia.

WARREGO HIGHWAY Nine kilometres of surface and drainage reconstruction works will be undertaken on the Warrego Highway around 30 kilometres west of Roma. This is a $7 million project of reconstruction works that is desperately needed on this section as it has deteriorated significantly due to wet conditions in past years. More than $110 million has already been spent to reconstruct the vital link between Jackson and Charleville with this

being the eighth contract to be awarded since 2010. In the State Budget $4 million is provided in 2012/13 for the $10 million construction of overtaking lanes on various sections of the highway between Toowoomba and Dalby.

GREEN TAPE The State Government is seeking public feedback on options to further reduce green tape for businesses. The proposed changes will cut green tape for motor vehicle workshops, boilermakers, small-scale manufactures and metal works as well as removing some regulations for the agriculture sector such as pig keeping and waste transportation. Small business owners who may benefit from changes to regulation around Environmentally Relevant Activities (ERAs) are urged to make a submission by 26th October 2012. Business and the public can comment on proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

and find out more information about greentape reduction by visiting: www.ehp.qld.gov.au/management/greentape/i ndex.html.

SPORTING GRANTS Applications are now open for Sporting clubs to apply for grants under the Get Playing and Get Going components of the $18 million Get in the Game three part initiative. Get Going will see $10,000 grants paid directly to local sporting clubs to help them grow, through the purchasing of new sporting equipment or promoting new membership initiatives. And the Get Playing program will provide $100,000 grants for clubs to upgrade or replace existing facilities and infrastructure. Get Going and Get Playing applications open from 1 October and close on 1 December. A series of information sessions for local sport and recreation club officials and volunteers would be held across Queensland in coming weeks.

Further details are also available at www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/getinthegame or phone 1300 656 191

New regional planning process welcomed by resources sector

s the peak minerals and energy industry body in Queensland we welcome the Newman government's new regional planning process. The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) sees it as a great chance for the industry to tell its story at a local level. The Darling Downs was selected as one of the two priority regions for this new process because the government was keen to reduce land use conflicts by providing certainty for landholders and tenure holders. QRC is very pleased to be a member of the regional planning committee and QRC members are falling over themselves to feed in information about the role they play in the Darling Downs. Probably the best example of the information that is available is features on QRC's website www.queenslandeconomy.com.au

On this site, you can enter any Queensland postcode and it will return details of the resources sector's employment, wages, and investments in your area. Visitors to the site are often astonished at the economic impact of the resources sector in their region. The website presents data from 2010/11 and we are just in the throes of compiling the 2011/12 data.

the QRC website. The challenge of regional planning is to think about how the Darling Downs might evolve and grow through time. That poses some fascinating questions: • What are the opportunities for the new resources industries to work hand-inglove with the existing agricultural industries? • What are the legacies in terms of

Visitors to the site are often astonished at the economic impact of the resources sector in their region As you would expect, with a number of coal-seam gas projects in the full flight of their construction stage, the resources sector's presence in the Darling Downs is almost ubiquitous. QRC has compiled many of these facts into a single fact sheet titled Coexistence - the upside for the Downs, which is available on

•

infrastructure, services and employment opportunities that the region's communities would like to see result from the resources sector? Can diversification help to drought-proof the region's economy to provide a buffer from the inevitable cycles of climate and price, which bedevil the region's

Head ofﬁce Roma PAGE 14

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

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

traditional agricultural base? Where should royalties be best invested on the region? These are just some of the questions that will be debated around the table as the draft regional plan is released early in the new year. The process of developing a clear baseline for the region is an important step in developing this regional plan. Unless the debate is based on clear facts, it's difficult for the different stakeholders to make clear recommendations to governments about a regional plan. That's the approach that QRC will adopt to regional planning - bringing plenty of facts to the debate and being willing to discuss difficult questions with all stakeholders. Regional planning is a great opportunity for all sectors to tell their story to their local communities, and as the new kid on your region's block, the resource sector can't assume that the Darling Downs understands the resources story. •

opinions

Budget blues I T ' S B U D G E T T I M E F O R C O U N C I L S AG A I N A N D A S A LWAY S T H E R E I S P L E N T Y O F D I S C U S S I O N A RO U N D T H E A P P RO P R I AT E N E S S O F R AT E R I S E S

COMMENT Cr Robert Loughnan Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council

nevitably simplifying the discussion to just rates, often expressed as a percentage increase, drowns out the merit underpinning the figures and more commendable expenditure initiatives. In Maranoa's case, the 2012 -13 budget will never be called popular, however I think we will look back on it as equitable and even progressive. Obviously the major talking point has been our decision to impose a one-off separate levy of $186 on all rates assessments to build the Multi-Purpose Health Service (MPHS) facility at the Mitchell Hospital. This levy will pay for approximately half

the cost of constructing a new facility and more importantly, will allow Council to decommission the Mitchell Retirement Village, which currently operates with an annual operating loss of close to $500,000. The option of a separate levy is not a perfect one and the argument can always be made that Council should have just increased the general rate by enough to fund the MPHS project. It was Council's opinion that this option lacked transparency and would have disadvantaged our larger and rural ratepayers far more than this one-off levy. My view is that we all need to share a little of the load so we can move onto

other pressing challenges, such as flood mitigation, which also needs to be funded in future years. There has also been plenty said about the increases to petroleum leases and the resource sector.This budget is again about equity and Council cannot sit back and watch the increased impact on our roads and streets go without a more equitable sharing of the burden to repair the damage.The resource sector will now be contributing almost 20 per cent of our total rates revenue; this may sound exorbitant to those involved, however it is a lot more palatable to those ratepayers who have previously been subsidising those impacts.While nobody

Honourable mention The new role will not affect my work representing the Maranoa electorate, the largest electorate of any federal seat in Queensland. I will retain my deliberate vote for the Coalition in the Parliament and I will continue to be the voice of my constituents.

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The electorate now has mining camps housing 3000 workers all trying to access the mobile wireless network. During a recent Advance Injune meeting I attended, we spoke about the massive challenges facing the community. About four years ago, 70-130 patients I was honoured to be elected to the role of Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives last week

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COMMENT Bruce Scott MP Federal Member for Maranoa

would present to the hospital per month. In January 2012 this number increased to 1000 patient presentations during that one month period. This example illustrates the massive increases we are experiencing in communities over short periods of time placing increased pressure on services and communities. There are unique challenges facing many parts of the electorate and I will continue to advocate for the Maranoa.

Surat Basin News published by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla General Manager David Richardson

I wish to thank the House for their vote of confidence and I am truly humbled by the support I received. My new role means I will support the Speaker, the Honorable Anna Burke MP, in her role in Parliament and together we will lead the parliament by example in an effort to return the Chamber to a position of respect and integrity.

Recently I took the electorate's telecommunications concerns to the top of Telstra due to the rapid population expansion as a result of the resource sector.

on line www.issuu.com\suratbasinnews

I was honoured to be elected to the role of Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives last week.

doubts that the substantial investment into the local economy is beneficial to us all and that the proponents are offsetting their major impacts, we still have a long road to travel. The new government is presenting some real opportunities to progress resource councils such as ours.The whole concept of returning royalties to offset some of the resource sector's impacts is a refreshing change and something many of us in local government have been calling for. I am hopeful some of those royalties will make their way to the Maranoa and Surat Basin this year; we may have to wait a little longer, however we can do that knowing that help is on the way.

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

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down to page 17 page 18 page19 Coal prices take a dive

APPEA’s Gas Expo

Our two speed economy

Coal Hard Facts: Coal mining is Australia's largest export and is mined in all Australian states

here are 6.3 billion tonnes of thermal coal reserves in the Surat Basin. The only coal deposits in the Surat Basin are thermal. The Surat Basin has four open cut coal mines they are;Wilkie Creek (between Dalby and Chinchilla) owned by Peabody, Cameby Downs (Between Chinchilla and Miles) owned by Yancoal, Kogan Creek (near Chinchilla) Owned by CS Energy and New Acland coal mine (between Toowoomba and Dalby) owned by New Hope Coal. There are currently around seven proposed coal mines for the Surat Basin, including Xstrata's Wandoan Coal Project which if approved, would be the largest thermal coal mine in the Southern Hemisphere. Coal is exported from the ports of Brisbane, Gladstone, Abbot Point, Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay.

Thermal vs. Coking Fast Facts about coal  The five largest coal users are; China, USA, India, Russia and Japan. They    

account for 77% of total global coal use. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter representing 65 of the coal exported worldwide. The Bowen Basin contains nearly all of Australia's coking coal. In Australia there are currently 42 operating open cut coal mines and 12 underground coal mines. Around 76% of Australia's electricity use is generated from thermal coal.

PAGE 16

Thermal Coal Thermal coal is used to provide heat energy. The main use for thermal coal is in power stations where the heat is used to make steam which spins turbines to generate electricity. In 2011 148 million tonnes of thermal coal was mined and exported. It was valued at $16 billion.

Coking Coal (black coal) Coking coal is used to make coke. Coke is an ingredient used in steel production. The steel is used in items such as; cars, bridges, fire engines and refrigerators. Coal is also used to make plastic, explosives, cosmetics, nylons, bricks and tiles. In 2011 348 million tonnes of black coal was mined. Of this, 133 million tonnes of metallurgical coal (used for steel making) was exported and valued at $31 billion.

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

BUSINESS page21 page22 Affordable housing for Miles

Santos opens hub

Coal industry hits hard times T hree days after the State Government revealed they would increase royalty rates to 12.5% for coal valued between $100 and $150 a tonne and 15% thereafter, debate over the decision raged. The hike in coal royalties announced in the Queensland budget means more job losses, the risk of further mine closures and the near certainty that numerous major new coal projects will not see the light of day, Queensland Resources Council CEO Michael Roche said. "The Newman Government inherited from Labor the highest coal royalties in Australia but their own hike could see Queensland grab the dubious honour of being the highest taxing coal jurisdiction in the world," he said. "The combination of company income tax and the new royalty rates will mean Queensland carries an

effective taxation rate of 50 percent on a typical coking coal operation." Mr Roche said the coal industry had been given many opportunities over recent weeks to explain to the government the current parlous market situation and the implications for jobs and investment of increasing coal royalties. "The trouble is the Newman Government seems to have been listening to industry but not comprehending what they were hearing," Mr Roche said. "The government was told that the average cash cost for Queensland coking coal mines - before imposts such as carbon tax, company tax and depreciation - is now over $US100 per tonne. "Yet they have deemed fit to lift the royalty rate for coal sold above $100 per tonne by 25 percent and introduce a new levy of 15 percent once the price hits $150 a tonne - a whopping 50 percent increase."

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Mr Roche said his fear was that the new royalty structure would drive coal industry investment away from Queensland and into the arms of competitors. BHP Biliton has forecasted job and production losses as a result of the extra tax and mining magnate Clive Palmer has labelled the move "stupid". In defence of the royalties hike, Mr Newman outlined the financial success of BHP in Parliament last month. He said BHP coal had brought in revenue of $10.9 billion, achieved $6.5 billion in earnings before tax and interest and produced 40.9 million tonnes of coal. "We had a good look at this with treasury officials, we have had discussions and a lot of soul searching about it," Mr Newman said. "Yes the royalty is high, yes we respect the right of companies to argue for their shareholders but at the end of the day there is a lot more in this issue about viability of

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coal mines then has been drawn to." Mr Newman went on to blame BHP for the carbon tax."As I understand it we would not have the carbon tax if the CEO or managing director did not get behind the carbon tax as well," he said.The Newman government's royalties hike will raise $1.6 billion over four years. In a speech delivered to the 8th Coaltrans Australia Conference

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in Brisbane in August Mr Roche expressed his concern for coal miners in Queensland. "The reality is that most QRC coal members are well down the track of extensive cost reviews, further job losses are a certainty," he said. "The bottom line in 2012 is that many Queensland coal producers are now generating cash losses." Treasurer Tim Nicholls has promised no more hikes for 10 years.

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Toowoomba | Chinchilla | Goondiwindi Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

PAGE 17

down to BUSINESS News from the inaugural APPEA CSG Conference and Exhibition

Queensland cements its position as a world leader

follow that level of advancement." Gas firms are prospecting, particularly in northwest NSW near Gunnedah and Lismore but they face loud and powerful opponents in the form of the Lock the Gate campaigners.

he inaugural APPEA 2012 CSG Conference and Exhibition put the CSG industry in the spotlight after two information-packed days at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition

Centre. More than 650 attendees from 10 different countries participated in the conference which took place on October 9 to October 10. Representatives from all levels of government were featured across two sessions, prompting renewed discussion about the future of the industry in Queensland and New South Wales. APPEA CEO Eastern Region Rick Wilkinson said the conference exceeded his expectations. "Queensland is clearly leading the way in the CSG industry not only in Australia but globally," he said. "There was a terrific cross-section of speakers including; farmers, agricultural groups, university professors and researchers and coal seam gas companies." Resources Minister Andrew Cripps celebrated the industry for employing 18,500 people. "A massive 88% of the near 6000 strong construction workforce on Curtis Island (in Gladstone) are Queenslanders," Mr Cripps said. "Queensland's companies have also benefited from this investment by winning supply contracts worth about $6 billion." He also announced the cash-bidding system, putting the most lucrative gas fields into a type of auction so savvy entrepreneurs are unable to snap them up then on-sell them at a premium. Meanwhile in NSW, just 200 are employed in the industry. State resources minister Chris Hartcher said he wanted to see the state follow the lead of their northern neighbours, replicating the resources boom that transformed Queensland into a national powerhouse. "New South Wales clearly has a long way to go if it's going to successfully and responsibly develop its CSG," he said. "Queensland has advanced and we wish to

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That power appeared muted on Tuesday October 9 during the conference as a group of 100-strong protestors were kept well away from the conference entrance of Brisbane's exhibition centre. Their chants of "lock the gate" and "leave it in the ground" were mostly heard by the patrolling police teams. Federal Minister Martin Ferguson told the conference that to improve the reputation of the much-maligned industry, they had to earn a "social licence" to operate, something relying on the goodwill of the communities they access. Mr Ferguson ended his speech saying CSG was not just an option for the future, it was the future. "There is a strong government and industry commitment to realise the true potential of CSG in domestic and international markets," he said.

Western Downs Ma yor Ray Brown (left) Barrat. and Orica's Julian

Fast facts: • • er

Cotter (left) and Condamine farm Gasfields Commissioner John nce. Simon Drury at the CSG Confere

•

CSG provides one third of Eastern Australia's natural gas. Around 35 new people are hired in the industry per day. Latest APPEA figures show more than 18,000 people are employed by the industry

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down to BUSINESS The Surat Basinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two speed economy explored

Local economy hits overdrive A s the mining and energy sector continues to dominate the economic landscape of the Surat Basin, the implications of a two speed economy are worrying for smaller businesses. Despite the energy sector's level of involvement in the region, the traditional economic drivers such as agriculture are still operational and still major players. Their financial turnover is outweighed by that of the energy companies however many argue that the traditional industries will be sustained long after he energy boom. Regional manager of the South West Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Roger Gorrel, said the challenges facing small business owners are not confined to the unbalanced twospeed economy. "Is to some extent responsible, there is a lot of work revolving around that (energy) sector," Mr Gorrel said.

"But traditional employments like education, agriculture, retail, construction still play a major part." Mr Gorrel listed other challenges raised by the small businesses he represents as the high Australian dollar, taxation and employment costs and excessive government regulation. "The mining boom will continue for some years to come," Mr Gorrel said. "A lot of people forget agriculture played a role of success in our region for so long. "It will still be there after the mining has finished and we need

to find out how both industries coexist." Mr Gorrel also noted that access to finance was placing mounting pressure on small business as it became harder to obtain. He said business owners and governments must find ways to invest in businesses to help

growth and diversification if they wanted to survive in a two speed economy. "That's what it comes down to; businesses want to diversify and grow but they get a little hamstrung with that government regulation." he said. "They want to go beyond that

but can't afford to." With 95.7% of Australian businesses classified as small, employing 19 staff or less, the concept of a two speed economy creates challenges for business owners. Their challenges are not confined to or dictated solely by the energy sector however.

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PAGE 19

down to BUSINESS "We are working closely with landholders to construct the pipeline to ensure they know what to expect as we work on their property," he said.

Pipeline dreams ork has started on the Santos GLNG Project's 420km underground gas transmission pipeline from its Surat Basin gas fields to Gladstone. Santos GLNG Project Pipeline Manager Greg Jones said the pipeline would be finished in less than two years. The sod has been turned on around 20km of the pipeline route and the team is now undertaking stinging and bending of the pipe. "This represents an important milestone as it means the pipes will be lined up along the route in preparation for trenching and burying," Mr Jones said. Mr Jones said Saipem Australia was constructing the pipeline, which was scheduled for completion in less than two years.

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"Saipem Australia has started work on the pipeline in Arcadia Valley with fencing, and clearing and grading well underway," he said. Mr Jones said burial of the pipe was due to start in Arcadia Valley in early November and once this was completed the area is backfilled and rehabilitated. "We are working closely with landholders to construct the pipeline to ensure they know what to expect as we work on their property," he said. "We are looking to be on a landholder's property for a period of three to four months, dependent on weather." Pipeline work will continue north from Arcadia Valley and then turn north-east to cross the Expedition Range. Santos GLNG is building temporary camps along the pipeline route.

down to BUSINESS

Work begins on new homes for Miles he first sod was turned at a major affordable housing initiative in Miles recently, which forms part of Australia Pacific LNG's $10 million funding package to support communities surrounding the project with affordable housing. Origin manager approvals, land and stakeholder Rebecca Pickering joined Western Downs Deputy Mayor George Moore and other community representatives to celebrate the milestone. Funded by the Australia Pacific LNG Project, the initiative involves a partnership with Horizon Housing Solutions to develop nine, two- and three-bedroom homes targeting young couples, families and individuals. Australia Pacific LNG has committed $10 million to an integrated housing strategy developed to address accommodation impacts associated with the construction phase of its CSG to LNG project. Ms Pickering said the housing strategy was developed in consultation with local councils, community groups and businesses

and featured practical solutions to tackle housing issues. "While the gas industry will bring many benefits and opportunities to surrounding communities, it has contributed to a housing challenge and we're working to address this," she said. "The Miles housing initiative is about meeting an immediate need to assist people to find affordable accommodation within the community. "It's the first of its kind in the Western Downs and demonstrates our commitment to delivering practical solutions to housing across the region." Horizon will own and rent out the housing stock at affordable rates and liaise with the local community centre to ensure they are managed to meet specific local needs. Horizon Housing chief executive Jason Cubit said the project would be a great boost for locals, with new, affordable housing in short supply in Miles and surrounding regions. "In particular, there is a real shortage of apartments on the market for

Hot property

sale and rent to meet the needs of single workers and small families looking for a safe, contemporary and affordable place to live in Miles,” he said. "Our aim is to deliver a new type of small-lot triplex product, which ticks all of these boxes, and to complete construction within six months to help fill the gap for affordable housing as quickly as possible. "We will be working with community groups to sell or tenant and manage the dwellings once they are completed, to ensure the housing is utilised by those who really need it. "Pricing for the market for sale and rental apartments will be finalised closer to the time of completion, but it is expected that these dwellings will offer significant savings for residents." WDRC deputy mayor George Moore welcomed the announcement, saying it was a great opportunity to be part of the solution to address affordable housing in the region.

A FEW years ago it would have seemed inconceivable to locals that a simple block of residential land in Wandoan would fetch more than $100 000 at auction. Try doubling it and that is closer to the prices 14 block of residential land sold for at auction last month. The average price was $199,000, the lowest price was $177, 000 and the highest a jaw-dropping $251,000. Ray Mortimer of Wandoan Realty said the auction was incredible. "The success of the auction was well above our expectations," he said. "We were proud to be selected as the agent on behalf of the Western Downs Regional Council and are glad we achieved a great result on behalf of them." There were over 150 people in attendance at the auction WDRC CEO Phil Berting said the council was extremely pleased with the outcome of the auction held on Saturday. "Whilst there has been an acceptable profit margin the purpose of the exercise was to bring land onto the market to start addressing land shortages, more so than profits,” he said. "Council is pleased that we have covered our costs and that gives us some confidence with moving forward to develop more land in Wandoan. "We must acknowledge the work Ray Mortimer and his team at Wandoan Realty put into this campaign." The land was sold to investors right across Australia, not surprisingly no locals bid. Mr Berting said plans are underway to develop and release more land. "Large parcels of land which were State Government owned have now been acquired by council, as part of that arrangement council must develop the land," he said. "Obviously we would like to see land prices in all our communities at an affordable level."

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building the page23 page24 page25 Dalbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business of the Year

The Apprenticeship Company

Thiess wins contract

A hub of activity

Santos Logistics Hub offcially opened in Roma

he new Santos Logistics Hub on the outskirts of Roma is impressive, standing 11 metres tall and covering an area of 11 Olympic swimming pools. The building has been operating since July 1, and Santos staff, Maranoa councillors and guests gathered at the building on

PAGE 22

Wednesday October 3 for its official opening. Santos GLNG Queensland vicepresident Trevor Brown said the location of the new hub, situated on Kimbler Road just off the Canarvon Highway, would help to minimise Santos' impact in Roma. "The hub is located ten kilometres outside of town which means that trucks can

avoid the main part of town," Mr Brown said. "This is part of our commitment to minimising our impacts on the local community." Santos GLNG Regional Manager Sam Klaas said some staff would still be based in Currey Street in Roma, including the land access and cultural heritage staff. At the launch, Maranoa mayor

Robert Loughnan said Roma had a longer affiliation with gas than anywhere in Australia and Santos had been there for much of that time. Cr Loughnan said the construction of the new hub was another great step in Santos' story in the Maranoa. "It's just as significant as a lot of the other milestones we've seen and will continue to see from

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

Santos, like further along the route the laying of the pipeline," Cr Loughnan said. Santos GLNG has also announced they had started construction on a 420km underground gas transmission pipeline from its gas fields to Gladstone, which is scheduled for completion in less than two years.

BASIN page26 SBPGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s repeat success

Ostwald Bros wins Business of the Year efying the recent downturn in the resources sector, Ostwald Bros proved its endurance taking out Business of the Year at the 2012 Dalby Business Excellence Awards in Dalby of last week. The company won five of the seven categories that define business excellence, winning an overall Gold award before being

announced Business of the Year for 2012. Ostwald Bros executive general manager Matthew Ostwald congratulated all businesses especially those that were winners on the night. "I want to acknowledge the other winners and all businesses that entered the Business Excellence Awards," he said. "This is an opportunity to

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showcase the strength and outstanding qualities of businesses in Dalby." Mr Ostwald also thanked the company's 850 staff for helping to make Ostwald Bros the success it is today. "We are nothing without our people and they all share the credit for this award.We are very proud of the entire Ostwald Bros team," he said. Mr Ostwald said the company continued to expand through the strength of its partnerships with clients and the community. "As a contractor to the resources and agricultural sectors, being a Dalby business has proved one of our greatest strengths," he said. "Dalby is at the centre of Queensland's energy, resources and agricultural industries - all of which we service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a great place to live and do business and we are committed to providing opportunities for people in this region."

Ostwald Bros chief Ostwald Bros exec executive officer Brendan Ostwald an uti d received the Dalby Ch ve general manager Matthew Ostw ald amber of Commerce of the Year' award at and Industry 'Busines the recent 2012 Dalby s Awards. Business Excellence

A deal between Ostwald Bros and Hastings Deering saw 12 scalemodel Cat machines auctioned off at the awards night raising $1640 for the Dalby Family Support Centre.

Ostwald Bros specialises in regional and remote service delivery incorporating coal seam gas services, mining support and regional infrastructure.

" We a r e n o t h i n g w i t h o u t o u r p e o p l e a n d t h e y a l l s h a r e t h e c r e d i t f o r t h i s a w a r d . We a r e v e r y proud of the entire Ostwald Bros team," he said.

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Rural Chinchilla Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

71 Heeney Street Chinchilla QLD 4413 P 07 4669 1911 F 07 4669 1912 www.rwrchinchilla.com rural.chinchilla.qld@raywhite.com PAGE 23

building the BASIN basin

The Apprenticeship Company

From strength to strength T he Chinchilla-based field officers of The Apprenticeship Company Sam Martin-Evans and Angie Pritchard have been working flat out to meet the

many local employers who create valuable work and skills development opportunities for young people in the region. The Chinchilla office currently manages 77 apprentices in a wide variety of trades,

ranging from engineering and construction, through to dental, hospitality and agriculture. Angie and Sam recently joined The Apprenticeship Company and have spent the last two months meeting all employers, apprentices and trainees. As part of this process they have been promoting Origin's Community Skills Scholarship to employers and prospective first year apprentices.The Origin scholarship contributes up to $13,500 a year to help young people stay and learn new skills in their local community. Sam said local employers were very positive about providing the region's local young people with employment and skills

"I've been really quite blown away with how much interest there is from businesses in putting on apprentices," Sam said.

development opportunities through apprenticeships. "I've been really quite blown away with how much interest there is from businesses in putting on apprentices," Sam said. "There are so many benefits when you can keep young people in their local communities and build opportunities through skills development." The Apprenticeship Company manages all recruitment, paperwork, payment, support and mentoring activities associated with engaging apprentices. In addition to Sam and Angie, the Chinchilla office of The Apprenticeship Company is staffed by administration officer and field officer support Melissa Moon. With plans to increase numbers of locally managed apprentices up to 180,The Apprenticeship Company is looking at adding a third field officer to the Chinchilla office in the future. Downs Group Training (DGT) is a Toowoomba-based company, that established The Apprenticeship Company in 2006 to cater for the growth in demand for apprentices in southern Queensland, and has offices in Toowoomba, Chinchilla and Goondiwindi.

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building the BASIN

SBPG surat basin property group

RESIDENTIAL SUPPLY AN ISSUE IN SURAT BASIN By Jason van Hooft CEO SBPG The issue of low residential vacancies and a shortage of properties available for rent in the Surat Basin was graphically depicted recently when construction workers were found to be sleeping in tents on the sites where they were building homes. This situation obviously has potentially serious workplace, health and safety implications for the workers themselves and it also cannot be a positive for the actual quality of the finished product these people are producing. The Surat Basin's resources wealth combined with the local area's diverse economy, covering not only mining, but also agriculture and retail means that there is continual pressure on authorities to provide more residential land and housing.

to be more in the order of $750 a week for a four bedroom property if you could fine one. Unfortunately we see this situation only getting worse until there is a significant supply of new land and on the current approvals and construction schedules we cannot see that problem being alleviated before the end of the year. Surat Basin Property Group can provide turnkey housing solutions priced from $390,000 to $452,000, but we are restricted in the number of homes we can produce purely by the supply of available 'ready to build on' residential land. Chinchilla and Miles are not only appealing because they provide a wealth of choice in terms of work, but also because housing here is well priced, which is a corner stone of the region's success. At the Surat Basin Property Group we can sell homes as fast as we can build

A month ago you could rent a house for between $550 and $650 a week and now because of the shortage the rent is likely to be more in the order of $750 a week for a four bedroom property if you could fine one. Unemployment is at record lows and more and more people are relocating to the Surat Basin to capitalize on the work opportunities and to also enjoy the lifestyle which in towns like Chinchilla is the quintessential Australian small community, friendly environment. This impacts on the demand for housing. At the moment there are only a handful of properties available for rent on real estate websites and there are virtually no four bedroom homes to be had at any money. A month ago you could rent a house for between $550 and $650 a week and now because of the shortage the rent is likely

them and for our investor clients the extremely low vacancy rates mean an excellent return virtually from the moment that we hand the homes over. We need to fast track the processes to see more appropriate residential land made available and we need to do it quickly.The answer isn't dongas it is in the supply of quality, affordable housing for our workforce. Note - Surat Basin Property Group employs more than 60 people in Chinchilla and has a team of other consultants and staff engaged on projects in the Surat Basin who are located in Brisbane.

Tunnel expertise leads Thiess to $134 million contract hiess has been awarded a $134 million contract by Saipem Australia Pty Ltd, the Australian company of the worldwide pipeline specialist Saipem, to construct a tunnel for the Santos GLNG Project in Gladstone. Thiess will construct a 4.3 kilometre tunnel under a section of water known as The Narrows to connect the mainland near Gladstone to the Santos GLNG LNG Plant on Curtis Island. The 3.4 metre internal diameter, segmentally lined tunnel will serve as the conduit for the Santos GLNG gas transmission line. Thiess will construct the tunnel using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) and the concrete segments used to line the tunnel will be cast onsite. Thiess managing director Bruce Munro said the contract with Saipem is a strong endorsement of the company's marketleading tunnelling expertise. "Thiess' versatile tunnelling capability is already being deployed in the LNG sector in Western Australia and we're excited to now bring our tunnelling expertise to Queensland's LNG industry," Mr Munro said.

"LNG is the clean energy of tomorrow and this contract dovetails with our objective to become an integral part of the industry's development." Thiess is currently executing contracts in the LNG industry in the diverse areas of worker accommodation, site preparation, tank construction, gas processing facilities and tunnels in both Western Australia and Queensland. Tunnelling activities are expected to commence later in the year.

"LNG is the clean energy of tomorrow and this contract dovetails with our objective to become an integral part of the industry's development."

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building the BASIN basin

Greg West, Director Surat Basin Property Group and Jay Wilms, General Manager Surat Basin Homes at The Pines development.

in Miles. at The Pines ay rw de un n Constructio

Repeat business helps rocket SBPG to great heights he old adage that repeat customers are the best measure of success is ringing true for Surat Basin Property Group (SBPG), with an increasing number of buyers snapping up multiple homes through the company. While the Surat Basin's solid potential for growth, underpinned by the resources boom, employment opportunities and demand for housing, is the initial hook for buyers, repeat purchases with SBPG are a testament to the team's unique business model. SBPG CEO Jason Van Hooft said

consistent and open communication had been the key to maintaining a good relationship with customers. "A lot of our purchasers are investors who live both locally and interstate, and the fact that we are able to work with them right from the start, and then continue to manage their rental property on completion if need be, is a great confidence booster," he said. "This year has been very productive in terms of sales, and this has mostly been due to repeat buyers, which is something we are proud of, as it shows that we are delivering in

terms of our product and service." Mr Van Hooft said one of SBPG's most active new land projects was The Pines Estate in Miles, which was about to welcome its first residents. "At the Pines Estate there will be 37 homes completed by the end of this year, with 21 already underway.We are just about to commence our first handovers at the estate, and for some of our clients this will be their second, third and even fourth handovers with SBPG," he said. "We have just recently completed all civil works on the

estate including water, landscaping, retaining walls, underground electrical and road surfacing, so the area now has the look and feel of an established community. "The Pines Estate at Miles has really hit the mark with buyers because it is well located close to the centre of town, and offers affordable family homes located

in a green, fully serviced environment ideal for the family. Mr Van Hooft said he anticipated some current purchasers would attend the upcoming auction of five lots in The Pines and 18 lots at the Sovereign Park estate in Chinchilla. He said the auction would take place on October 27, giving an instant boost to the availability of land in the fast-growing Chinchilla and Miles townships.

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places and page 29 page 30 page 31 TSBE social pictures

FKGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest award

Face to Face

Echo Hills leading the way orth Roma grazier Peter Thompson has come to a successful accommodation with the gas industry and is widely regarded as an innovative thought leader in the field. The Thompson family has grazed the rich country of Echo Hills, 80km northeast of Roma since it was subdivided from nearby Durham Downs at the end of World War II. Peter inherited the property from his father John and with clever management and hard work has turned it into a prosperous farm enterprise with his wife Nikki.

One of their many farm enterprises is gas with Origin APLNG having an authority to prospect on the land. There are 19 gas wells on Echo Hills with two types of gas leases on the property. Fourteen wells are on so-called Minimum Disturbance Leases (MDL)

Peter Thompson delivered and informative and inspiring speech as the guest speaker at the Rural Press Club's Where the Bush Talks Business breakfast at the Toowoomba Ag Show this year.

PAGE 28

"Without any rehab done to it, it nearly rehabs itself, the buffel grass has taken off," he said. Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

which have a small footprint while the remaining five are the larger Civil Construction Lease (Full Civil) "There is a stark difference between the two types," Peter said. Peter said the way it was always done before Origin came to his place was to always do a Full Civil with laser levelling. "We were very unhappy about that and spoke to them when they were doing the scouting," he said. "Look I'd dearly love flat ground to farm on but you didn't leave me that so why do you have to level the hill, couldn't you level the rig and the dongas instead? "No, no, they replied, we don't do that." But Peter kept asking why and initially got fobbed off with reasons such as health and safety. "But to their credit, they went away and thought about it and realised we can level the platform." The result was an MDL. "In an MDL all they do is they fence it out, and then just slash it. "There's no earthworks, it might cost $500,000 maximum so they are saving $100,000 per site." It is also better for the land, Peter said. "Without any rehab done to it, it nearly rehabs itself, the buffel grass has taken off," he said. The concept of MDLs is now spreading. Next door to Echo Hills is Lighthouse, the property of the late Jim and Jill Baker and still owned by the Baker family. Shortly before her recent death, Jill Baker went to Sydney to sign the compensation agreement with Origin CEO Grant King. The work Peter Thompson had done played a vital role in that negotiation. Peter said Origin have planned 35 wells on Lighthouse of which 33 will be MDLs."A whole lot more were originally going to be full civil - so this is far less impact on the environment," he said.

FACES page32 MPC reads all about it

TSBE networking in Chinchilla

Ron van Manen from C.R Kennedy, Enterprise Connect Business Advisor Joe Ippolito and TSBE Board Member John Moncrieff.

Jane Harmon from Epic Employment and Kerry O'Brien from Thiess.

CV Services Group Executive Director Ed Phelan, Graham Sweetlove from Opus International Consultants and Wyley & Co Project Manager John Martin.

QGC Local Content Manager John Abraham and Steward Flinders from Manufacturing Skills Queensland.

Shell Lubricants Business Development Manager Justin Hennessey and Pricing Analyst Lana Dobric.

Logan City Council Business Development Executive Garnet Radford and Kosny Corporation National Marketing Manager Dean Harman.

Troy Martin from Ausfuel Goal and Boodles Concrete General Manager Ben Boodle.

Andrew Bowden from Queensland Survey Pegs and Bernie Ford from Petro Industrial.

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

Adrian Harding from Maranoa Motors and Mark Crampton from Crampton Automotive.

PAGE 29

places and FACES Another big win for FK Gardner and Sons

Entreprenurial spirit awarded he accolades keep rolling for FK Gardner and Sons with managing director of the company Gary Gardner announced as the Northern Region winner of the 2012 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the services category. Ernst and Young's prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are an annual accolade that recognises an entrepreneur's contribution to the industry and their ability to inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. Nominees in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards were evaluated based on their entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, personal integrity, financial performance, strategic direction and national and global impact. When announced the winner of the Northern Region Services category, Mr Gardner said he felt humbled by the award. "As I was nominated alongside several

other well respected business leaders, the win was an unexpected surprise," he said. "I am extremely honoured to have received such a high level of recognition from Ernst and Young." Gary Gardner has been at the helm of FK Gardner and Sons Group for over 36 years, beginning with the vision of turning the local family construction company into a multi-divisional organisation that could service the demands of the growing civil and construction industries. Under Gary's leadership, the FKG Group has grown from a small family business to a 650 strong workforce geographically dispersed across multiple project sites. The company has office's based in Toowoomba, Brisbane, Mackay, Cairns and Roma. Following his success in the first stage of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Gary Gardner qualifies for the national judging held in Sydney later this year. If successful, Gary will travel to Monte

Carlo in 2013 to compete in the international arena amongst successful winners from over 50 countries, of which the overall World Entrepreneur of the Year will be announced.

building

concrete services

employment

"I am ext re honoured mely to have received such a h igh level of r ecognitio n from Erns t and Young."

TRADES and SERVICES

Chinchilla’s Largest Builder House and Land Packages Custom Design and Construction Your Land or Ours

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Marty’s CONCRETE SERVICES CONCRETE PUMPING CONCRETE CUTTING CORE DRILLING PRESSURE CLEANING Marty - 0408 196 131

Are you interested in making your mark in the Surat Basin?

then contact Laurell on 4662 7368 or advertise@suratbasinnews.com.au

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PAGE 30

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

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places and FACES Shane Charles

facetoface

CEO of the Toowoomba & Surat Basin Enterprise

Shane Charles is a Toowoomba boy through and through. A Lawyer by trade Shane now sits as the CEO of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Every year he takes his 1972 Ford Fairlane (The Red Bull) in the Endeavour Rally, a trip he always looks forward to. When he is not engrossed in the local rugby comp you can find him spending some quality time with his family. Surat Basin News journalist Jill Poulsen caught up with Shane to learn a bit more about what makes him tick. Where did you grow up? Our family history is in small crop farming on the lockyer valley. I left school and worked at a law firm at Goondiwindi, achieving my law degree through external studies. My parents became ill and as such I moved back to Toowoomba in 1995. How did you get where you are today/ what is your background? Lawyer. I was fortunate enough to be on a few boards. I have been on the board of the Endeavour Foundation for eight years and the work that this organisation does with people with intellectual disabilities is inspiring. I have also been

president of the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. It was from an idea born out of the Chamber that Toowoomba Regional Enterprise (before the merger with Surat Basin Corporation) came into existence. I was the managing partner of a law firm for 10 years until I sold that practice to one of my employees. I was then fortunate enough to be asked to lead this fantastic organisation and have loved every minute of it. What do you love most about your job? Making a difference. The mayors and Councils across the region have been excellent is saying that our region is "open for business". We have ridden on the back of that and the level of investment enquiry has been positive. What do you see as the biggest challenges in your role? Communication, and we have not got this right yet. We have a number of stakeholders and rightfully so, lots of people

right through our community have strong interest in what's happening. Its hard to please everyone all of the time but the board and I are focused on ensuring that we achieve sustainable growth and diversity in the region. What do you see as the greatest benefits of living and working in the Surat Basin? We have everything we need - except perhaps the surf. First and foremost we have a wonderful sense of community. The energy sector does challenge that from time to time but at the end of the day, the people make our community. The floods were a great example - let's hope that doesn't happen again for a long time, but it was heartwarming to see the community pull together. Do you have a family? A beautiful wife, Carmel and 3 children Lucy, Laura and Tom. I recently finished construction of the chook pen so we now have 5 chooks to add to the collection.

What do you like to do in your spare time/hobbies? I am a bit of a sports nut so that is always of interest. In the early days it was watching the mighty Goondiwindi Emus dominate but on my move to Toowoomba saw my allegiance witch to the USQ Rugby Club. Other than that, my favourite way to relax is by camping or fishing on a western riverbank.

TRADES and SERVICES

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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 .

www.raywhite.com 07 4622 2688 Roma

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Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

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48 Colamba St, Chinchilla PAGE 31

places and FACES

operate in. Last month MPC struck a deal with local newspaper, the Chinchilla News

for the new newspaper initiative. "Many of our workers appreciated knowing what was going on in town each week and some said just having the papers personally `donga delivered' to their door made life at camp just a little more like home," he said. Surat Basin Publications, publisher of

this newspaper, general manager David Richardson said MPC were a great example of a company committed to working with the local community. "I think it is great for a company like that to show their intention of bringing their workers closer to our community by buying our newspapers and not only distributing to their workforce but to the whole camp," Mr Richardson said. "They should be applauded for their effort in not only this endeavour but also in their regular sponsorships of local school and community events."

www.suratbasinnews.com.au

Zeller St Camp workersWinston Cividin, Debbie Jarrett, Tom Fuller and Alisha Ousby get up to date on everything that's happening in Chinchilla.

and Murilla Advertiser, to provide residents at the Zeller Street camp with a newspaper every week. That is around 700 newspapers delivered to every door at the camp on a Thursday. MPC Community Relations Manager Glenn Pfluger said he was confident the newspaper delivery to all Zeller St residents would result in a positive community outcome. "It's important that people who are new to Chinchilla know what is going on in their community so that they can become a part of it," Mr Pfluger said. "Working out in the gas fields and living in camps is sometimes a little isolating but hopefully reading the local paper each week will keep our camp residents up-to-date with all that Chinchilla has to offer and see an increase in their participation in the wide range of community events that run each week." Mr Pfluger said he had already received positive comments from MPC workers

"It's impor tant that people who are new to Chinchilla know what is going on in their community so that they can become a part of it," Mr Pfluger said.

BUDDEN CONTRACTORS

the news online

urphy Pipe and Civil are leading the way in their efforts to involve their workforce in the communities they

www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews

Read all about it

ISSN 1835-6400

View the back editions on line read all the back issues on the internet www.issuu.com/ suratbasinnews

The latest news on line keep in touch with the latest news with a just a mouse click

www.suratbasinnews.com.au

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

Chinchilla Rest & Relaxation WEEKLY

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Secure off-street parking

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Floats available Can move 40ft containers & site huts

•Keep It Local• PHONE STEVEN 0429 346 876 NOEL 0428 457 871 PAGE 32

Lois Fields Mobile 0458 331 952 Email dlfields@bigpond.com www.chinchillarandr.com.au

Surat Basin NEWS Thursday 25 OCTOBER 2012

Machinery Glass cut to size Direct Insurance Billing

Ralph & Cheryl Donpon Shed 2/5 Winton St, Dalby Phone: 4662 1622 Fax: 4662 1494

Mobile Service: 0429 644 102