Both the Labor and Liberal camps made promises to address 100% FIFO policies in the lead up to the Queensland state election in January, with Labor’s Palaszczuk now making good on the commitment.
State Development Minister Anthony Lynham announced the four-person panel which is to be chaired by former Gladstone Ports Corporation chair and CEO Leo Zussino.
Zussino is also chair of the Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board and chairman of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Joining Zussino will be the mayor of the Isaac Regional Council Anne Barker. Isaac is the largest mining region in Queensland, with Barker having been part of the council for eight years.
Mayor of Mackay Regional Council Deirdre Comerford was the third panel-member to be announced – Mackay being the base for many workers in central Queensland.
Lastly, Queensland Exploration Council chair Geoff Dickie will bring more than 40 years of experience in mining and petroleum to the table.
“We are committed to working in partnership with resource communities, local governments and industry to introduce choice for resource sector workers who want to live in the regional communities near to where they work,” Lynham said.
“We want to see vibrant and thriving communities right across our state, whether you live in regional Queensland or our metropolitan centres.”
The panel will consult with local governments, unions and peak body industries and will also take in mines where the FIFO workforce is 90% or higher as it examines the economic impact of FIFO work practices in regional resource communities and also the communities where the FIFO workers live.
The findings of the panel’s review are to inform the Queensland Parliamentary inquiry into FIFO and other long-distance commuting work practices throughout regional Queensland.
The Queensland Resources Council cautiously welcomed the panel selection, warning it should tread gently.
“The panel review process must not be a stalking horse for reversing prior-approved workforce arrangements at Queensland mines,” QRC CEO Michael Roche said.
“Retrospective changes to conditioning of resource projects represents a huge sovereign risk issue for the state.”
Roche said that the terminology used by the state government in describing the panel’s objectives suggested that it would be chasing a fact-based review and had not already made up its mind on the outcomes.
The QRC’s trepidation on the issue followed a run-in with the chair of the parliamentary inquiry into FIFO and state member for Mirani, Jim Pearce.
“I am concerned that at this time in the history of coal mining in Queensland I am unable with confidence to point to any mining company that deserves the right to mine,” Pearce told parliament.
“It is a shambles at the moment. They need to be pulled back into line and only the government can do that.”
The comments shook the QRC’s confidence in the Palaszczuk government’s intentions for the coal industry, causing it to seek assurances.
“QRC members were prepared to give the Member for Mirani, Jim Pearce, the benefit of the doubt up until his extraordinary attack on the coal mining industry,” Roche said.
“QRC welcomes the wide-ranging rejection of Mr Pearce's intemperate statements from across the political divide.
“In particular QRC welcomes Minister Lynham's rejection of Mr Pearce's demonisation of the Queensland coal industry.”
