Mining industry proposes cutting unions out of negotiations

The lobby group for minerals companies says employees can benefit if the privileged role of unions is watered down in industrial relations law, according to the Australian Financial Review.

The Minerals Council of Australia, which represents one of the most unionised industries, wants awards replaced with a safety net system of minimum standards, without a special role for unions.

China disputes bullish Rio Tinto steel target

The Chinese government's top steel-industry forecaster has disputed Rio Tinto's bullish claim that China will hit 1 billion tonnes of crude steel production by 2030, arguing slowing demand from infrastructure projects will pare the rate of growth, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Rio, Australia's largest producer of iron ore, told investors at its first-half results the miner was “holding” to its internal forecast that steel output would reach 1 billion tonnes by 2030, despite growth moderating in the past 18 months.

BHP slashes hundreds more jobs at Olympic Dam

BHP Billiton is running its third and deepest round of job cuts in eight months at its massive South Australian copper-gold-uranium mine Olympic Dam, with another 380 positions to go as the copper price languishes near six-year lows and the miner continues its productivity and cost-cutting drive, according to the Australian Financial Review.

The latest round of cuts come on top of 140 redundancies at the BHP corporate office in Adelaide in June, and 220 roles scrapped in January this year, including contractors and Olympic Dam staff. It is understood this will be the last big round of job cuts at Olympic Dam at least for this year.