sm123_Shift Miner Magazine

SHIFT MINERMonday 24th October 123rd Edition 2011 The Queensland mining community’s best source of local news

M A G A Z I N E

The Partners:John Taylor - LL.B

Sharon Smith - BEc/LL.B HonsCraig Worsley - LL.B

Greg Carroll

PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS Mining Accidents Work Accidents Motor Vehicle Accidents Insurance/TPD Claims

CONVEYANCING ESTATE LAW COMMERCIAL LAW

Phone 4957 2944 Fax 4957 2016 www.taylors-solicitors.com.au

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NewsYou and the Gladstone boom » page 8

NewsAlpha graziers say no deal » page 4

NewsNew dam just months away » page 9

LadderFancy some work in Mongolia? » page 10

Around TownAll of Blackwater’s rodeo action » page 15

Off ShiftSurviving family this Christmas » page 21

Money MattersIs now the time to invest in shares? » page 25

Locally Owned and Operated - www.shiftminer.com

By Greg Sweetnam

MINERS who are prepared to work on a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) roster will soon have unprec-edented choice over where they can live.

The Sunshine and Gold Coasts have both been vying for a piece of the mining pie and are competing for deals with mining compa-nies that would see them become the home base for FIFO workers.

The Gold Coast airport is expected to announce before Christmas that the former Tiger Airways terminal will be turned into a hub for mining services.

Last week, more than 10,000 hopefuls showed up to the first Work for Queensland Mining and Gas Jobs Expo held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

The acting Premier Andrew Fraser was held up for the official opening of the event, because of the large early crowds that had descended on the expo.

“This shows to me that there are plenty of people that want to get a piece of the (min-ing) action,” he told media.

Mr Fraser said the massive turnout also supported the coast’s case to become a FIFO mining hub. » continued page 6

Moranbah’s big expo » 4

ARMY OF 10,000 Gold Coast

greenskins swarm for jobs

The whole tooth...

- Shift Miner Magazine, 24th October 2011

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“If they go offshore, the jobs will have to go offshore.”

News

Boyne to go - but no job losses: RioGLADSTONE’S Boyne smelter and NRG Power Station will be sold off, as mining giant Rio Tinto sheds most of its aluminium business.

The Boyne site employs about 2000 workers, but the company says it doesn’t expect any job losses through the sale.

That hasn’t convinced local federal MP Ken O’Dowd who is concerned jobs could eventually move off shore.

“If they go offshore, the jobs will have to go offshore,” Mr O’Dowd said.

“Whether Australian jobs go to Indonesia or Africa or South America, the people here will either have to go with Rio Tinto to those foreign countries or stop here without a job.”

The Yarwun refinery will not be sold off.In total, Rio Tinto will divest 13 separate

assets including the Gove bauxite mine and

alumina refinery in the Northern Territo-ry, the Tomago smelter in New South Wales and the Bell Bay smelter in Tasmania.

The unions are calling on prospective owners to guarantee the current conditions and jobs security of workers.

“We of course want to work cooperative-ly with the new owners of Rio Tinto’s alu-minium assets, but we want to ensure our members’ rights and entitlements are pro-tected,” Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes said.

“Nearly 5000 workers are employed at Rio’s five facilities in Australia, and many of these workers have been with the company for decades.”

“We want to ensure the conditions of workers at all of these sites are transferred across and job security is guaranteed.”

COUGAR Energy is suing the Queensland government and three senior bureaucrats for $34 million over their decision to shut down the company’s Kingaroy power plant.

The company is suing the previous Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) chief executives John Bradley and Terry Wall, as well as the current head James Reeves for negligence and breach of statutory duties.

“Based on our legal advice, it is the actions of the Bligh government, these office holders, and their unreasonable deci-sions, that have inflicted a significant loss on the company,” said Cougar chairman Malcolm McAully.

“During more than 15 months we have attempted to resolve the forced close-down with the government and DERM in good faith.

“However, as all of our proposals have been rejected, the company is left with no option but to seek court intervention to redress the loss and confirm Cougar Ener-gy’s reputation as a world leading develop-er of alternative energy projects.”

Cougar Energy recorded two read-

ings of minute traces of benzene in ground water bore readings at its underground coal gasification project last year.

Another much higher reading of ben-zene was found to have been a mistake - resulting from a mix up of samples in the testing lab.

The Queensland government shut down the plant for good earlier this year.

A key plank in Cougar’s legal argument is that the state government applied inap-propriate water quality guidelines during its decision.

Cougar also argues that no significant action has been taken against coal seam gas (CSG) projects elsewhere in Queens-land despite much higher detections of chemicals.

But the acting Premier Andrew Fraser has dismissed claims of inconsistencies.

‘‘All these matters will be canvassed in the case and I am confident the govern-ment’s decision stands up here,’’ he said.

Cougar has also lodged an appeal in the Queensland Planning and Environment Court challenging the decision to shut the site.

Cougar sues Qld government

123rd EDITION. 2011

‘All these matters will be canvassed in the case and I am confident the

government’s decision stands up here.’’

123rd EDITION. 2011


CONTeNTs

That is how I would describe the avalanche of mining and indus-trial news in Queensland at the moment.

Shift Miner Magazine - and its sister digital production The WINO - are the only credible pub-lications dedicated to providing quality news on the sector in cen-tral Queensland.

I have been editor of this niche market for four years now, and during that time the quantity of news has grown exponentially.

The coal industry is rapidly expanding, with new mines and expansion projects in different stages of development across the

Bowen and Surat Basins.The coal seam gas industry -

which barely existed two years ago - could be one of the state’s biggest employers within the next decade.

Alongside the positive stories of economic growth and employ-ment come the social and environ-mental concerns.

The spiralling cost of housing in towns like Moranbah and the future of nature refuges such as Bimblebox are making headlines.

As they should be.Industrial and mining develop-

ment can’t go ahead without some social and environmental impacts.

FROM THE EDITOR14

Alex Graham

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The Bowen Basin’s premier magazine

SHIFT MINERM A G A Z I N ELocally Owned

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REGULARS

16 STUFF TO THE EDITOR

17 FRANK’S LOVE ADVICE

19 FIVE MINUTE FICTION

20 CLASSIC REVIEW

24 MONEY MATTERS

NEWS 5 Harbour woes Gladstone fish rejected

7 FIFO in depth Probe into rosters

11 Giant demands Adani wants manpower & machines

12 Bush camp Helping Emerald kids

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MINER’S TRADER

18

123rd EDITION. 2011


News

A Central Queensland grazier says no landholder agreements have been signed with the Indian infrastructure company GVK in the Alpha region.

Last month, GVK announced it would pay $1.6 billion to buy out most of Han-cock Coal’s Galilee Basin thermal coal projects.

Those plans include building a rail-way from Alpha through to Abbot Point coal terminal near Bowen, which effects 38 landholders.

GVK vice chairman Sanjay Reddy told media recently that while the company was still negotiating with those landholders, almost all had agreed in principle to sell.

But Alpha grazier Andrew Donaldson says that’s not the case.

“That is just absolute rubbish,” he said.“I don’t know one landholder in this

region that has agreed to anything. May-be they have said yes at the Abbot Point end, but no-one down this way has signed anything.”

Mr Donaldson’s property Surbiton South will be divided into eight sections under the plans for GVK’s behemoth mine project.

He bought the property in 2007, and less than six months later Hancock Coal came knocking.

“The last three years have been a waste of time, money and effort and I just need them to make a decision so I know where we are heading to,” he said.

“This announcement that landhold-ers have agreed to sell is just a strategy to apply pressure, no doubt about it.

“That might be how they do business in India, but it’s not how we do business in Australia.”

Local landholders are also furious that the three major developers in the region are all insisting on building their own rail lines to port, instead of sharing infrastructure.

“That is the biggest issue of the lot, and someone high up in the government needs to come out and say there will only be one line - end of story,” he said.

BOWEN Basin businesses are still in the dark about $5.5 million in new contracts that mining giant BMA says it has award-ed in the region.

Last edition, Shift Miner Magazine reported that BMA had announced 19 new businesses had been awarded con-tracts to supply goods and services through its Local Buying Program.

But when Shift Miner Magazine asked BMA to release the names of businesses - or the areas in which the contracts were awarded - a spokesperson said they were unable to for confidentiality reasons.

Local business leaders who have been involved in the program are still unaware of any new contracts that have been signed.

The Moranbah Traders Association (MTA) liaison officer Lyn Busk has written to BMA asking for an update on the pro-gram, but is yet to receive an official response.

Other businesses in the region have also emailed the Local Buying Program officer with no result.

One Moranbah business said more communication was needed.

“So we know what stage we are up to with the application process and if we even

stand a chance, or are we all wasting our valuable time which could be used in other areas of our businesses,” the business own-er wrote in an email to the MTA.

Ms Busk also emailed member businesses to see if any new contracts had been signed.

All responses were to the contrary.“Nobody has approached us and nor do we

have any new business,” one business responded.

“It’s not us, we don’t know anything about money or contracts,” said another.

Ms Busk said local businesses were los-ing patience.

“I would like BMA to release the infor-mation so every business in Moranbah knows what is going on,” she said.

“If they don’t release the data then the innu-endo and the cynical remarks will remain.”

Businesses ask BMA to please explain

“If they don’t release the data then the innuendo and the cynical remarks will remain.”

“I don’t know one landholder in this region that has agreed to anything. Maybe they have said yes at the Abbot Point

end, but no-one down this way has signed anything.”

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NEED PEOPLE SAFE, ALERT AND ON TIME?

Alpha graziers say “no deal”

123rd EDITION. 2011


Miners could rebuild Mackay ApexMembership at the Mackay Apex Club is so low that regular meetings can be held around a single table and a handful of chairs.That’s all about to change, though, if the call for new members from the region’s mines and related businesses is successful.Club spokesman Shane Franettovich said that anyone - male or female - aged between 18 and 45 was welcome to join the club that boasted about 50 members just a decade ago.Further information is available from Shane Franettovich on 0418 727 437......................................................................

Great Wall extended to EmeraldAuto dealer, the Black Group, has added a third prong to its presence in central Queensland by finalising an agreement this week to become a retailer for Great Wall motors.The Great Wall dealership will operate alongside the Black Group’s already booming Toyota and Mitsubishi businesses in Emerald.Great Wall is the best known of Chinese car manufacturers selling low cost vehicles into Australia, with a range of dual and single cab utes.The Black Group is yet to make a formal announcement about the decision, however the deal was confirmed at a recent business breakfast in Blackwater......................................................................

CSG battle of truth continuesTHE public relations war continues to rage between the coal seam gas (CSG) industry and its opponents.The Lock the Gate Alliance has lodged an official complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau over the We Want CSG advertising campaign launched by industry.“We don’t want to see the community hoodwinked by phoney claims,” said Alliance president Drew Hutton.The Advertising Standards Bureau is yet to rule on the complaint......................................................................

Pipeline goes for Calliope upgradeA high pressure gas pipeline is being relocated to make way for the Calliope Crossroads upgrade, west of Gladstone.The pipeline needs to be removed before the major upgrade of the Bruce Highway and Dawson Highway intersection can get under way.The relocation is part of the $20 million of pre-construction works for the project, funded by the federal government.The funding also includes the design of the upgrade and property resumptions.

FAST NEWS

News

GLADSTONE tourism and water-related industries are losing thousands of dollars a day while the uncertainty surrounding fish and tur-tle deaths in the harbour drags on.

Gladstone Fish Market managing director Simon Whittingham continued a ban last week on accepting estuary fish and crabs from the original exclusion zone for fear they might be infected with the disease that is causing lesions and sores on fish.

In some cases there have also been severe crimson burn like markings.

One fisherman took photos of two fish with the markings after they were presented for sale and rejected.

“He was trying to prove his point,” Mr Whittingham said of the fisherman who is one of scores of small business owners who have been left stressed and uncertain over their futures.

For Mr Whittingham the losses are mounting.

He has less fish to sell through his normal wholesale and retail channels while the public appetite in the region and beyond has all but evaporated for any fish products labelled and sourced from Gladstone.

The loss in trade and reputation for his busi-ness and others may never be recovered.

“The industry is on its knees,” a despondent Mr Whittingham said.

“This situation is appalling. It has been going on for a long time, not just the last few months.

“This is costing me thousands and thou-sands a day.”

Josh Lunn at Pat’s Tackle World said trade had dropped off dramatically in the Lord Street shop while the fishing ban was in place.

He said the store was normally pretty busy most of the time with anglers buying tackle or dropping in to talk about fishing but the foot traffic had all dried up with the ban in place.

People are now slowly coming back in.No-one is certain about the cause of the fish

disease, Mr Lunn said, but there were “plenty of opinions out there”.

The three week ban was imposed on Sep-tember 16 after a series of unexplained fish deaths and lesions on fish.

Harbour users also reported sores and ill-ness after being around the water.

The ban has been lifted and initially govern-ment reports said red spot and a parasite was to blame.

It is now unclear if authorities know what is causing the disease after tests were carried out on barramundi, whiting, spangled emperor, mud crabs and other fish common to the harbour.

The interim Biosecurity Queensland report from these tests, dated October 6, ruled out red spot.

It also said crabs and prawns were carrying a bacterial infection.

Many have pointed the finger at dredging in the harbour, but the Gladstone Ports Cor-poration has strongly denied the suggestion - and water quality reporting does not show any clear link.

During a Senate estimates hearing recent-ly Queensland Nationals senator Ron Boswell said he wasn’t convinced.

“It’s just miraculous we happen to dredge and the fish happen to die and it all happens at the one time,’” he said.

Fish disease killing tourism and small business

REJECTED: Photos taken by a local fisherman of

his infected catch

123rd EDITION. 2011


“Given the demand, I would think it (the hub) will be a success,” he said.

“Look at the level of interest here. You have an airport here that wants to harness the opportunity.”

The response to the expo is a sign work-ers will travel for mining jobs, but are increasingly looking for lifestyle choices when it comes to a home base.

Capricorn Enterprise CEO Mary Car-roll said no-one could force miners to live where they don’t want to, and the real chal-lenge for all regions was to work together to provide choices.

“Adani alone wants 60,000 workers for its projects. I don’t think people under-stand how many workers the industry is going to need,” she said.

“Any one region can’t house all those people that are needed for these projects.”

“It is not about one region taking jobs off another region but these jobs will have to

shared around the regions and interstate.”The Moranbah Traders Association’s

Lyn Busk said while new home bases were coming online for miners in coastal com-munities, the choice to living in mining towns was becoming untenable.

“The fact is there is no land being released for people to build on and no-one can afford to rent unless a mining compa-ny is subsidising them,” she said.

“That is forcing long term residents who are operators or whatever to leave town because they can no longer afford to live here.”

Ms Busk said while previously the rents had made it hard for people working in small business and retail, they were now unaffordable even on mining pay packets.

“People aren’t saying poor me I’m on the bones of my backside.”

“They do have an alternative, and that alternative is to move, but as a town we don’t want that to be the solution.”

“Look at the level of interest here. You have an airport here that wants to harness the opportunity.”

News

FIFO evolves as workers chase sun and sand

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GLADSTONE Pacific Nickel (GPLN) has five years to raise the funds to buy the land needed for its refinery in central Queensland.

The sunset clause is one of several con-ditions set out in a binding contract with the Queensland government and the Glad-stone Ports Corporation to buy land for the project.

The parties have settled on a $33 mil-lion price tag for the land to build the refinery and residue storage facility within the Gladstone State Development Area.

Over the past four years, the $3.6 billion nickel refinery earmarked for the region has

fluctuated in line with the stock market.Back in 2007, the project seemed almost

a certainty, but two years later during the GFC when the price of nickel fell from $US54,000 a tonne to just over $US9000 the plans all but collapsed.

Now, the conditions of the land sale have been revised.

GPNL will no longer have to begin mining nickel at Marlborough by a certain date to secure the sale, but instead dem-onstrate by June 30, 2015, that it is “com-mitted to proceeding with the proposed development of the project”.

This deadline can be put back if all par-ties agree.

GPLN will also relinquish part of the area that was originally set down for the project and grant a licence to the adjoining landowner, the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal, to use it for lay down purposes,

landfill and the construction of bunds.The company is able to proceed with

the purchase of land any time.In a statement, GPNL said it considered

the modification of the conditions advan-tageous for its timetable to develop the project.

Revised conditions for Gladstone nickel refinery

FROM PAGE 1

LIFESTYLE OPTION: FIFO workers will soon be able to live on the Gold Coast

“Over the past four years, the $3.6 billion nickel refinery earmarked for the region has

fluctuated in line with the stock market.”

123rd EDITION. 2011


News

“The ratio has been described as unsustainable and unsafe for doctors and patients”.QUEENSLANDERS will have to

wait until February before a feder-al FIFO inquiry comes to town.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia is conducting the inquiry into FIFO work practices, and has so far received more than 100 writ-ten submissions.

From next month a series of pub-lic hearings, chaired by Independ-ent MP Tony Windsor, will be held across the country.

They will begin in Canberra on November 2, before moving on to South Australia on December 6 and 7.

At this stage, Queensland has been set down for February, but the

exact dates and locations are yet to be finalised.

Darwin and north western Aus-tralia hearings will be held in March; Perth and south western Australia in April; and Melbourne and Tasmania in May.

The inquiry will explore the issues and challenges created by FIFO and DIDO work arrangements.

These include the expected surge in FIFO/DIDO workforces and its impact on workers, their families and communities.

Most of the 100 submissions are available online at www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ra/fifodido/index.htm

MINING companies should not mandate fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workforces as a substantial proportion of workers want to live locally.

That’s according to CQUniversity Pro-fessor John Rolfe, who has made a submis-sion to the House of Representatives inquiry into FIFO, with help from colleagues Lind-say Greer and Dr Delwar Akbar.

Submissions closed on October 7 and regional hearings will soon begin, chaired by Independent MP Tony Windsor.

Resource economist Professor Rolfe said government policy should be framed around giving people freedom of choice about where to live and work, and transport options between locations where appropriate.

“While the majority of new workforce may prefer to commute to mines for block shift periods, a substantial core of workforce may prefer to live locally,” he said.

“The choices that employees make about whether to commute are likely to be influenced by the residential patterns at the beginning of their employment. Where housing is available and workers can live close to employment, there is greater likeli-hood that more employees will live locally.”

As that submission was tabled, Queens-land Mining Communities President Kel-ly Vea Vea was taking a swipe at the State Government over its decision to grant BMA a 100 per cent FIFO mine near Moranbah.

Ms Vea Vea presented Labor MPs with a giant voucher for a backbone check.

“Many families, small businesses and lead-ers in our communities have been left wonder-ing what the Bligh Labor Government stands for – because it is putting families and commu-nities last with each and every decision it makes on critical development issues,” she said.

Moranbah doctors have also shed light on the reality of FIFO pressures on small communities.

In its submission, the Moranbah Med-ical Clinic said its four GPs have a doctor patient ratio 1:2750 - well above the state average of 1:1824 and considerably higher than the national average of 1:1400.

The ratio has been described as “unsus-tainable and unsafe” for doctors and patients.

“This shortage is further exacerbated by the effects of the resources boom and the influx of population into the area,” the sub-mission said.

“It has unfortunately been our experi-ence that the development of new mines and projects is not necessarily coupled with development of the town and its services.”

Prof Rolfe believes the enquiry can help to alleviate some of the problems expe-rienced by those who made submissions including in the areas of services, housing and social impacts on towns.

“Appropriate housing stocks should be developed in local communities to match the potential inflow of new employees, and high housing costs that can generate per-verse impacts on local town development should be avoided,” he said.

“FIFO services and facilities should be integrated into local communities to max-imise economic development.

“There should be better integration poli-cies to overcome perceived social differences between FIFO workers and local communities.

“There should be better guidelines . . . for workforce accommodation options that encourage a higher level of liveabili-ty, encourage family-friendly practices, and provide different accommodation choices.”

FIFO flaws exposed in submissions

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“The fly-in, fly-out workforce is contributing little to our communities.”

Councils want cap on travelling workersTHE issues surrounding staffing remote mining sites is hotting up with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) continuing its demands for a cap on non-resident workers.

The call for the proposed cap was made at the LGAQ’s annual conference and comes as a House of Representatives inquiry starts assessing submissions to the FIFO/DIDO enquiry.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Cedric Marshall told the conference on the Gold Coast that building sustainable mining com-munities was becoming untenable with the current increase in non-resident workers.

“The fly-in, fly-out workforce is contrib-uting little to our communities apart from extra pressure on our services,” Cr Marshall told delegates.

Without a cap the organisation believes some communities will become unsustainable.

Queensland Treasury figures provided by the LGAQ show the current percentage of non-resident workers within the Isaac Regional Council area is at an average of 30 per cent across the whole region.

The total estimated residential popu-lation is 22,650 and the total non-resident worker population is 9,903.

Central Highlands is registered at nine percent non-residential population, with Bowen at six per cent and the Whitsunday

Regional Council at three per cent.“If current practices continue where

mining companies engage non-resident workers rather than provide for growing and sustainable communities, Isaac and other resource communities will reflect an imbalance to the point where communities become unsustainable,” Cr Marshall said.

Councils also want the State Government to impose a buffer zone around towns to stop mining activities encroaching on communities.

LGAQ President Paul Bell said the asso-ciation would explore the appropriateness and potential of resolving these issues.

“In 2010, we developed the Supporting Queensland’s Resource Regions Position Paper, which contains 29 recommendations on issues related to infrastructure man-agement and funding, engagement of local government and environmental/social con-cerns,” Cr Bell said.

“The paper was presented to the State Government for action in late 2010 and since then the LGAQ has been working with Government agencies to progress the recommendations.”

“It is vital that communities aren’t sacri-ficed in favour of resource industry growth.”

Association members used the confer-ence to again highlight the recommenda-tions and demand the State Government implement the suggested solutions.

FIFO probe months away

123rd EDITION. 2011


News

Boom “ticket to the dance” says Golding boss

“History never looks like history when you’re living through it.”

ANOTHER 24 coal mines are expected to come on line within a 100 kilometre radius of one of Queensland’s oldest mining towns.

It seems Blackwater is set for another production boom.

At a recent business breakfast in the town, DEEDI geologist Phil Ferenczi said the local workforce of around 11,500 would grow by at least 3500 over the next decade.

There are currently 17 mines within 100 kilometres of Blackwater, but another nine expansion projects are under way and a further 15 new projects are in various stag-es of development.

One of the most advanced expansion projects is at the Wesfarmers-owned Cur-ragh mine, where nearly $300 million is being spent on expanding production by around two million tonnes a year.

A new coal handling and preparation

plant is being built, as well as a new fleet of mining trucks and shovels.

The biggest expansion project in the region weighs in at almost $1 billion and is under way at Rio Tinto’s Kestrel mine.

Ensham mine’s board and pillar under-ground expansion is also being constructed at the moment, as well as Macarthur Coal’s Middlemount open cut development.

Other projects in the pipeline for the region include: Aquila’s Washpool coal mine; Bandanna Energy’s Dingo West; the Springsure Creek and Arcturus mine developments; the Minyango underground project by Chinese company Guangdong Risin; Orion Downs by Endocoal and Bar-alaba North by Cockatoo Coal.

The remaining seven new develop-ments are still in the pre-feasibility and scoping study phase.

MORE than 150 business people have been told how to harness the boom, during the opening morning of the two-day Golding Industry Conference in Gladstone.

The conference sold out this year and has eclipsed all previous events in terms of the number of people attending and the volume of trade displays.

The annual conference is organised by the Gladstone Engineering Alliance (GEA) and seeks to explore the issues affecting industry in the Gladstone area.

According to major sponsor and Gold-ing CEO Geoff Caton, Gladstone is enter-ing its biggest boom in history as the coal seam gas (CSG) industry gears up.

However, Mr Caton said the city had experienced booms in the past, and point-ed to the 1960s when the aluminium indus-try was first established.

Soaring property prices, lack of infra-structure and the accompanying social issues were also a problem 50 years ago.

Mr Caton said, this time round, the city was better prepared.

“Unlike the 1960s, both the Queensland government, and the major industrial play-ers have been more pro-active in dealing

with the effects of the boom,” he said.“There is going to be a skills crunch,

and we can expect it to have a more international flavour, and in fact we are already seeing that.

“So there will be a large amount of people coming into the town to work on a fly in fly out basis, so people have to prepare for that.

“History never looks like history when you’re living through it.”

For business he said the single greatest challenge will be matching the needs of the big proponents with capacity of businesses in a skills shortage environment.

“My advice to local companies, is that you need to be more than just local, that is not enough,” he said.

“It’s your ticket to the dance if you like, but these people want a professional work-ing for them, and you need to understand their corporate values.

“You need to be able to show your licence to operate, you need to be able to show a good safety record, you need to have systems in place.

“Opportunities will come, but you need to step up.”

Miners’ builder backs nrl bid

BUILDERS Gary and Theresa Kuhn are relative newcomers to central Queens-land - but they love it, and they’d love to see an NRL team based here.

The husband and wife team run Craftsman Homes at Yeppoon, after moving to the region four years ago.

“We’re from Toowoomba and we moved up here because there were too

many builders down there and there was a lot more opportunity in this region,” said Gary.

“Most of our business is building homes for mining families at Yeppoon and Zilzie, but we have also built a few at Alton Downs.”

When he’s not running his business, Gary’s other great love is league.

“I absolutely love it,” the die-hard fan admitted.

“I used to play for Newtown in Toow-oomba, and while I wasn’t ever much of a player, I loved it,” he said.

“I have been a Penrith and Broncos supporter for years.”

“I tell you, if we get a team up here I would be at every game.”

Gary’s love of league and business nose is what led him to come on board as one of many local businesses supporting the CQ NRL Bid.

As a fellow supporter, Shift Miner Magazine asked Gary why he’s backing the bid.

Gary, why is Craftsman Homes behind the bid?I think there’s a bright future with the young league players in this region, and this gives them the chance to be a part of a local team. This region is a growth area and a lot of that is thanks to min-ing. It has given us the opportunity to start up our own business. A local NRL team would help the region continue to grow, and help provide another stream of revenue.

What would it do for the region?

The money generated would flow through the entire region. You would have people travelling from all over to come and watch the games. The benefits would be enormous.

Is it really a possibility?I’d say we have a 90 per cent chance. There is a lot of backing from some major players like QR and Stanwell and virtual-ly every major local business in town. We are also producing plenty of good players that are proving we could have a good quality team up here.

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Craftsman Homes’ Gary & Theresa Kuhn are behind the bid

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123rd EDITION. 2011


News

“It is expected that all project contracts will be awarded when the final investment decision is made.”

“We’re hoping that given the resounding rejection of the company’s document it is possible they will come back to the table with a different attitude.”

March start date for Connors River DamCONSTRUCTION is expected to begin within six months on a project to provide vital water supplies to mines and towns in the Bowen Basin.

John Holland Queensland has just been announced as the preferred tenderer for the construction of a 133-kilometre pipeline that will link the proposed Connors River Dam to Moranbah.

The dam will be built on the Connors River, near Mount Bridget, about 110 kilo-metres east of Moranbah and 70 kilometres south of Sarina.

SunWater Chief Executive Peter Boet-tcher said the final stages of the design work are now being carried out.

“As preferred tenderer, John Holland Queensland will work alongside SunWater over a six month period to finalise project design and approvals,” he said.

“It is expected that all project contracts will

be awarded when the final investment deci-sion is made by SunWater’s Board in March.”

The dam will provide boosted water supplies to the Moranbah and Nebo com-munities, as well as to new and existing mining projects in the northern Bowen Basin region.

Five properties and two homesteads will be flooded under the proposed 373,000 megalitre dam.

The pipeline component of the project will deliver water from the dam to a smaller storage near Moranbah, where it will be dis-tributed to customers.

John Holland’s Gavin Stubbs said the job included building a reservoir, several bored and open creek crossing, several water-course and road crossings and storages.

“The delivery of a construction camp and associated road works are also included in the project scope,” he said.

UNIONS have again been in talks with min-ing giant BMA to negotiate a new pay and conditions deal for central Queensland miners.

Three days of the latest negotiations con-cluded today in Rockhampton. The outcome was not know at the time of going to print.

Earlier this month, 92 per cent of BMA employees in the region voted down a new enterprise agreement.

BMA had taken the proposal straight to the vote, after nine months of negotiating with the unions failed to reach an agreement.

The new agreement covers BMA employ-ees at all of its seven Bowen Basin mines.

CFMEU vice president Steve Pierce said before the talks that he hoped they would be productive.

“We’re hoping that given the resound-

ing rejection of the company’s document it is possible they will come back to the table with a different attitude,” he said.

Over the past three months there has been rolling strike action at all of BMA’s Bowen Basin mine sites.

BMA president Stephen Dumb-le said the company wanted the issue r esolved quickly.

“We want this over with and the step that we’ve taken in the last two weeks to put this in front of our people was the result of our frustration with the endless delays that we were having with the process up to that point,” he said.

“We want to put this back in front of employees before Christmas if that’s possible.”

Back to drawing board for BMA & unions

THE Mackay Area Industry Network (MAIN) has warned businesses the chal-lenges of a boom are far harder to deal with than those of a bust.

MAIN deputy chairman Alan Ruming says as companies get busier with work they still need to think about the bigger picture for their sector.

“How many businesses have we seen enjoy meteoric rises in boom times, only to wither on the vines?” he said.

“Having seen booms and busts before, I can tell you that the busts are far easier to manage than the booms.”

Reflecting on the purpose and direction of MAIN, Mr Ruming said the organisation was still enjoying enormous growth, with more than 137 paid member companies.

That figure is up from 120 members a month ago.

“You would be amazed at the number of companies that have come to us for membership over the last few years who then disappear when it’s good, and then they reappear when it’s bad, asking what’s in it for them.

“Well I can tell you now, if all you’re look-ing for is what’s in it for me - rather than what’s

in it for us - then we will never succeed.”While Mr Ruming said finding the time

to reflect on broader issues was difficult, successful businesses had a responsibility to be involved in MAIN.

“MAIN is here for one specific reason and that is to represent the membership’s issues,” he said.

“We need to go to government as MAIN, we need to kick them in the shins and make them aware this is a massive organisation.

“I challenge business to think about, we all have a responsibility to be part of the organi-sation that represents the broader industry.

“Not to just walk away because you are doing really well, in fact it is the exact reverse of that.”

Business urged to manage for boom and bust

R

“I can tell you that the busts are far easier to manage than the booms.”

Miners’ builder backs nrl bid


THE Bowen Basin’s “hidden workforce” will be encouraged out of hiding with a series of workshops to link job seekers directly with employers and training opportunities.

Over the past 18 months a similar program has been run in Mackay, co-ordinated by the Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDC).

REDC’s economic development manager Laura Sorensen said while retailers and the hospitality sector were crying out for staff, there was a hidden workforce in the region that just needed a confidence boost.

“We’re talking about those people who are not technically unemployed like stay-at-home mums, retirees and students,” she said.

“They are people who are looking for flexible employment but aren’t quite sure how to go about it.”

Ms Sorensen said many businesses are now

willing to accommodate working mothers.“A lot of mums want to work only during

school hours, at nights, on the weekends or around their husband’s shifts,” she said.

“We are finding more and more business-es are happy to fit into that mining roster, but many people don’t realise that flexibility is available.”

The workshops have been so successful that people from the Moranbah have been travelling to Mackay to take part.

Now, in collaboration with the Isaac Regional Council, similar events could be held in the Coalfields.

“We are looking at putting on a similar event for people in Moranbah, Nebo, Cler-mont and Dysart,” said Mrs Sorensen.

A date has not been set for the events, but the first could be held before Christmas

Mums and retirees manning the tills

“We are finding more and more businesses are happy to fit into that mining roster.”

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SICK of coming home every night to your donga in the central Queensland heat?

Maybe you’d prefer a yurt in the freez-ing Mongolian desert?

If that’s the sort of adventure you’d like, Macmahons could be the company for you.

They’ve just won a $500 million contract, in partnership with the German company Operta, to run the day-to-day operations at a massive coking coal mine in Mongolia.

The five-year deal will see the pair run the large scale open cut mining operations at the Tavan Tolgoi mine, in the Gobi desert.

The mine is owned by a state-owned

company, and the contract was signed in an official ceremony last week, attended by both the Mongolian Prime Minister and the German Chancellor.

Mining will begin in January next year and will use existing equipment to produce three million tonnes of coal per annum.

In its second year production is expected to double to six million tonnes, before hitting 15 million tonnes per annum once the entire mine and transport infrastructure is established.

The joint venture partners are currently in discussions with financiers about raising funds to buy the mining equipment need-

ed when production ramps up.The financing is expected to be finalised

during the first half of next year.Macmahon CEO Nick Bowen said the deal

placed the company at the forefront of one of the world’s largest emerging mining regions.

“This is an enormous opportunity in a market with great potential and is a big step forward in Macmahon’s international expansion,” he said.

“Our operations in Mongolia pave the way for developing a long term business in the region and will see our world class min-ing expertise on show through this project.”

Macmahons man Mongolia


GALILEE Basin would-be miner Adani will begin ordering machines before Christ-mas as it starts developing its recently pur-chased Carmichael mining lease.

The Carmichael mine project sits 160 kil-ometres west of Clermont, and is current-ly waiting for environmental approval from both state and federal authorities.

At full production, the project could pro-duce 60 million tonnes of thermal coal a year for Indian power stations.

Under current plans, just 20 per cent of that coal will be washed, with the remaining being fed directly into specially engineered power stations in India that can handle high ash coal.

In a wide ranging presentation to mem-bers of the Mackay Area Industry Network (MAIN) recently, Adani Executive Director Samir Vora outlined the company’s multi-pronged development plans for the region, which will cost around $7 billion.

Adani has increased drilling explora-tion at the Carmichael mining lease by more than 500 per cent in the past year and next year will begin further explora-

tion of the underground component.Mr Vora told MAIN members they have

plans for a large truck and shovel operation at Carmichael mine.

“Our current timeline is for first produc-tion in 2013,” he said.

“In the open cut operations we are planning for three drag lines doing 25 per cent of the overburden removal, with the remaining 75 per cent undertaken using 11 shovels and more than 80 dump trucks.

“We all know that there is huge demand for mining related equipment with long lead times, and we will be placing orders for this equipment in the next couple of months.”

To the east of its above ground oper-ations, Adani has plans for four massive underground long-wall operations.

Each panel will be five kilometres in length and 4.5 metres in height.

As well as developing the Carmichael mine, Adani also plans to spend more than $1billion on a railway line to connect the mines to both the Abbot Point and Hay Point coal terminals.

Adani looking for machinery

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INDIAN mining hopeful the Adani Group says it will source workers from overseas and high unemployment pockets within Australia to meet the needs of its mining projects in Central Queensland.

Those staffing needs are expected to be immense, with the company proposing around $6 billion worth of projects in the Galilee Basin.

Adani recently acquired the Carmichael mining lease, west of Clermont, and for that project alone a 3000-room mining camp is on the table.

While the peak workforce for the

project is not expected to materialise until 2018, within three years a 1000-person construction camp is planned for the site.

A 2000-metre international airstrip will also be built, so workers can fly directly in and out of the site.

Adani will also build water infra-structure to supply 6000 megalitres of water a year, as well as a 330 megawatt power station.

However, building and running the mine itself is only part of the skills challenge for Adani.

To get its coal to port it will have to

build hundreds of kilometres of dual gauge railway capable of handling a 3.5 kilometre train travelling at 80 kilometres an hour.

To accommodate this, a rail construc-tion workforce will be housed in another three camps, with the first two to be built at the mine site itself and the already packed town of Moranbah.

Adani chief operating officer Samir Vora told the MAIN business breakfast meeting in Mackay recently that it was close to making a start on accommodation.

“We will be doing the design and con-

struction next year, as well as having all the meetings regarding the camps,” he said.

“Finding the workers is a big challenge.“But every challenge has an answer and

I am sure we will find an answer.“Within Australia there are some pock-

ets where the unemployment rate is slight-ly higher than the average, and we will be looking at those.

“But we are working with government on migration projects, and there is enter-prise migration, so there will be some amount of workforce from overseas, which we will use to fill the gap.”

Unemployed Aussies & migrants key to major project

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123rd EDITION. 2011


Bush camp lights up Emerald boys NO phones, no electricity, no shops, no takeaway.

It’s all partt of the experience of a 10-day camp in the heart of the Northern Territo-ry for Aboriginal boys from Emerald in the Bowen Basin.

The primary school students have recently returned from the camp where they learnt traditional survival skills, as well as modern day life skills.

It was the eleventh trip of its kind, organised by local Aboriginal resident Mick Parsons, with the help of funding from the Kestrel mine Aboriginal Community Development Fund.

Mr Parsons said the camp, held at Elsey Station near Katherine, helps Aboriginal boys reconnect with their cultural identity.

“On the trip they don’t have access to a telephone, electricity, shops, or takeaway restaurants like McDonalds,” he said.

“They are literally removed from all the comforts of modern technology and have to rely on their own skills and the natural resources around them.”

“Some of the activities include learning how to track different animals from the snake to the crocodile, how to catch and cook animals for eating, learn where the sun is positioned at any point of the day so they can determine the

time, and learn to navigate by the stars.”Mr Parsons said the students were also

taught how to be self-reliant, and often had to cook their own meals.

Emerald State Primary School student seven-year old Jakory Blanco said he saw lots of animals on the trip and learnt how to catch them.

“It was so much fun - we saw buffaloes, snakes, and pigs and we were shown how to catch a kangaroo for dinner,” he said.

“We learnt how to make and pack up a

swag and we were told how to let the water spirit know you’re around – you place a rock under your armpit and throw it in the river.”

Kestrel Aboriginal Community Devel-opment Fund spokesperson Patrick Malone said he was pleased to help support the trip.

“The camp provides the boys with more confidence and self-belief that they can find a positive pathway in their life, while enjoying an eye-opening experience learning about traditional Aboriginal customs and culture, and the world at large,” Mr Malone said.

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News

Resources dominate project conferenceKey players in the Australian resource sec-tor will feature this week at one of the state’s biggest infrastructure conferences.

More than 27 speakers will address the 2011 Major Projects Conference this Tues-day 25 October at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“This year’s program of speakers reflects the scale and breadth of opportunity on Queensland’s doorstep and will give con-ference attendees a bird’s eye view of where the opportunities lie,” Treasurer Andrew Fraser said while spruiking the conference.

Among speakers are:• PaulMulder,ManagingDirectorofHan-

cock Coal, the proponent for the $7 billion Alpha Coal Project in the Galilee Basin

• Rob McNamara, General Manger ofAMCI, the proponent for the proposed $1.5 billion South Galilee Coal Project

• HubievanDalsen,MetallurgicalCoalPres-

ident of Australia’s largest coal produc-er BHP Billiton Mitsubishi who will talk about coal growth in the Bowen Basin.Mr Fraser said the major infrastructure con-

ference would not be complete without shining a light on the future-focused energy sector.

“CEO of Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) Page Maxson will discuss ele-ments of the joint venture which includes LNG gas fields in the Surat and Bowen Basins, the 520km Curtis Island pipeline, and LNG facility on Curtis Island,” he said.

“Solar Dawn’s development manager Andrew Dickson will also be in attendance to speak about the proposed 250 megawatt solar thermal gas hybrid power plant near Chinchilla.”

Mr Fraser said the Queensland Govern-ment expected up to 1,000 industry leaders and professionals to attend the conference to hear project insights, network with col-leagues and identify business opportunities.

EYE OPENING: Seven-year-old Jakory Blanco with his prize catch

Mick Parsons with Jakory and Jarli Blanco and Preston Lawton

If your local club has any news or

photos it wants added to this page,

you can submit your articles to

[email protected]

What’s happening in SPORT in your town?

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is proud to be part of the Clermont, Emerald, Capella, Nebo, and Mackay communities.We are pleased to partner with Anglicare Central Queensland to support

Momentum Youth Camp pilot projectThis initiative is providing young local teenagers with a range of personal development opportunities, team building activities, and support from the community to help them reach their potential and make positive changes in their lives.

The programme will soon be available to Anglicare offices around Australia.

More than 40 young people have taken part across three camps in Emerald so far.

We support a range of local projects through the Clermont Region, Kestrel Mine, and Hail

Creek Mine Community Development Funds.

For more information about the Funds contact:

Specialist Samantha Faint on 0447 599 990

Specialist Maureen Tutton on 07 4984 7694

www.riotintocoalaustralia.com.au

East Tigers CEO Des Morris is flanked by Whetu Austin (far left), Joe Taylor (left) and Lloyd Steigler (far right) during a recent trip to Brisbane

Last weekend saw the annual Tieri Rugby Union Charity Match between Xstrata and BMA. At the time of print the results were unknown, but we will bring you the news and photos in our next edition. Seven matches were played and a coaching clinic for juniors rounded off the day. Pictured are Henry & Charlie Wright with Reds players Ben Lucas and Leroy Houston at last year’s event.

BAttle OF the Mines stRAtegY?

Emerald Tigers rugby league players Joe Taylor, Lloyd Steigler, and Whetu Austin are one step closer to realising their dreams after all three were offered a one-year contract with Melbourne Storm’s Brisbane-based feeder club next season.The trio were selected to travel south to Brisbane where their sporting prowess and commitment impressed talent scouts and led to them being offered positions in the U20s Colts 30-man pre-season squad, where the 25 players for the official U20s side will be selected.Their trip to Brisbane was supported by more than $2700 in funding from the Kestrel Aboriginal Community Development Fund.Emerald Tigers vice president Jay Edwards said the trip provided the stand out players

with the opportunity to get exposure to a higher level of competition.“It’s one of our club’s goals to help provide talented and dedicated players with direct pathways into feeder clubs for the National Rugby League,” he said.“A lot of young people don’t get their chance because they play in regional areas and don’thave the same exposure to career development opportunities as city players.”Lloyd Steigler is finishing year 12 at Emerald State High and said he was ecstatic about being picked.“I really enjoyed playing in the trial game against other talented and fit players and found it not only challenging but a good reminder to stay focused on my goal,” he said.

eMeRAld YOung guns On nRl cAReeR pAth

COACH of the victorious Dawson Callide mine team Graham Middlebrook has named his team’s secret weapon.The long bus trip.The 17-strong team - including two 50-year-old water boys who also had a run- were the winners of the Battle of the Mines rugby league carnival last week.It’s the second year in a row the boys from Anglo’s Dawson Callide mine have won the tournament.Reflecting on their victory, Mr Middlebrook said the team hadn’t expected a win.“We only had a couple of training sessions before the weekend, and we only had half a dozen blokes there anyway,” he said.“When we arrived at the game after the four hour bus trip, and saw the physical condition of some of the other teams, we really didn’t think we had a chance.”“But actually one of the other blokes said the four hour trip up there was what made

the difference, because it really allowed us to focus and pull together and want to work for each other.”“And I think he really hit the nail on the head, because that’s what we did.”But the bus trip home was not the rowdy affair you’d expect after snatching victory.“We had planned to have a big bus trip home, but at the end of the day we were too fatigued and it was a pretty quiet trip home really.”Seven teams ended up taking to the field - two more than last year.Event Organiser Andrew Lawrence said the day was a success.“ The good thing about it is that it was all played in the correct spirit, the games were close and everyone had a great time,” he said.“We got some really good feedback, especially from some of the older blokes and we raised some money for our charities.”Runners up in the carnival was the team from Gregory Crinum mine.

123rd EDITION. 2011


arOuNd TOwN

Holding a social event you want photographed? Call the Shift Miner office on 4921 4333 to let us know. You can also give our office a bell if you’d like a copy of any of the photos in this edition.

www.shiftminer.comBUY THIS AND MANY OTHER IMAGES AT

Shift Miner magazine – bringing the mining community closer together

eXpO in tOWn

The Coppabella State School P&C hosted a Hollywood Glamour Cocktail Party to raise funds for the school. Guests travelled

from Moranbah and Nebo for the “Ladies Only” event.

Moranbah’s Rotary Home and Leisure Expo was held at the Moranbah Community Centre and Ted Rolfe Oval recently. The annual event boasted more than 50 exhibits, which included a

variety of corporate, commercial and home based businesses and not-for-profit organisations.

Danielle Chant and Belinda Cavanagh

Jeanne Ball

Bar attendants Robert Vella, David Stevens, Rodney Lencz and Peter Hendersonvvta

Kathrine Minuzz, Kef Fletcher, Paula Peters and Jodie Addis

Sherri Maguire and Kim Timms

Lisa Johnson and Nyree

Chloe Smith and Kelly Smith

Cassie McClymont and Shanna Hardy

Anna Gray, Fran Bourke, Kirsty van Scherpenseel, Dale Cooper & Jenny Sheilds

Sheree Stevens and Nicky

Renae Womal-Light, Nikki Baggow and Brianna Baggow

Lorelle Phillips and Tricia Hahn

Local band ‘White Summer’ entertained the crowd

Alice, Gary, Cooper and JT Southey

Cayley Daniel and Eden Humphrey

Janita SkennarNikki-Belle and Bobbie-Lea Simpson

Chloe Smith and Chloe Barnes

Pauline Neilson and Trish Curran

hOllYWOOd Meets cOppABellA

123rd EDITION. 2011


arOuNd TOwN

09/2

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Spot anyone you know at the Blackwater rodeo earlier this month?

Rory and Helen Gersbach

James Wiskar

Laura and Madeleine Conaghan

Ian Robertson and Allan Spencer

Monique and Victoria

Dave, James, Bec and Maddie Wiskar

Rodney, Rena and Debbie Goodwin

Bob Waugh, Ashley Wolf and Kirsty Waugh

Doug, Pedro and Dirk

Ellie Beak, James Goodwin and Megan Smith

Hollie and BrettGracyn Delaforce, Jessica Barravechio and Taylah Rossow

Tanya and Mitch Robertson

Digger, Janine and Jo JoLorette Jones and Charlee Keleher

Peta, Simon and Brock RultonLewie, Smags, Pete and Katie

Alan, Jack and Merry Pidgeon

Kaitlin, Toni and Roy Rogers

Ron Turner, Simon and Lorene Stevenson

Riley, Tyreece and Mary Janson

Rica Melvin, Isobel Cassidy and Brett Burrows

Sara Malon - Blackwater Rodeo Queen and Davina Roberts - CRCA Rodeo Queen

Amy Bird, Rebecca Stokes, Rebecca Horne and Kellie Jamieson

BucKin’ BlAcKWAteR

123rd EDITION. 2011


sTuff TO The ediTOr

Got somethinG to share? send us your text messages or phone photos to 0428 154 653 or email to [email protected]

Those of you who are regular readers of Stuff to the Editor may have noticed we’ve pub-lished a few pieces lately from a miner who goes by the pen name Redmond.Here’s his latest musing on ‘risk’- we might have to give him his own spot in Shift Miner Magazine if the words keep flowing!

Last week at a shift pre-start brief-ing it was suggested (through a statewide email) that now would be a good time to do a clean up at our homes before the cyclone season. We were told that dur-ing our home clean-up it might be a good idea to use our take-5 risk calculator books from work to identify any risk.

Got me thinking. What is risk? I agree that risk at work is dangerous - we get that rammed down our throats enough. But not all risk is bad. Particularly for us men. To suggest using a take 5 risk calculator book home turns my stomach. You know why? Because a life without risk is no life at all.

As men we should risk it. That is why we ride our dirt bikes, race our drag cars, fight, drink, get loose with our mates, rock climb, hunt, pull retarded wheelies on fast road bikes,weld in thongs, drive our 4WDs on anything but a road, box, make spud guns, supercharge our cars, jump into the water off high things, fart in meetings (OK that’s not risky just fun-ny), draw d*cks on the bosses paperwork or water ski behind fast boats.

My point is risk is a very important part of being male. I see men mowing their lawns in safety glasses and steel-

capped boots and want to say to them “mow your lawn in your undies and drill a few holes in the muffler to get a bit of rumble in the jungle”. That’s not risk, that’s god-damn funny. We need risk. We need passion. We be men.

A little while ago I got smack on wrist for incorrect park-up procedure while fixing a machine. I apologised to the all knowledgeable and powerful safety guru. I also suggested to him that it might be a good idea that I re-read the park-up SOP to avoid another lapse. He was happy with my response and therefore never took it any further. What I felt like saying was “man, you should of seen the sick top gear wheel stand I pulled on weekend on my dirt bike!” But, in light of my current risky mis-use of my wheel chocks I thought I better bullsh*t him, not truth him.

Lads, get out their and risk it! Please, not at work. Just whenever your passion and energy needs to be reaffirmed through your hobbies and outlets. I won’t bullsh*t you brothers, you are going to get stitch-es, plaster casts, kicked out, slapped, fined, over charged and most likely yelled at.

But that’s all better than a passionless life. It’s worth it.

SHIFT MINERMonday 10th October 122nd Edition 2011

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The Dingo dazzler

» page 12

Off Shift

Chisel fans get

ready » page 20

Money Matters

How to drive your

super » page 22

Locally Owned and Operated - www.shiftminer.com

BOWEN Basin business leaders say they

know nothing about $5.5 million in contracts

that mining giant BMA says it has awarded

in the region.

In a press release, BMA says 19 new

small businesses in Moranbah, Dysart,

Blackwater and Emerald have been award-

ed contracts to supply goods and services.

However, when Shift Miner Magazine

contacted BMA to release the names of the

businesses a spokesperson said that was not

possible for “con� dentiality reasons”.

A follow up email request to release

details of the type of goods and servic-

es provided by the businesses has been

left unanswered.

Bowen Basin business leaders say they have

not heard of any new contracts in the region.

The President of the Moranbah Traders

Association, Peter Finlay, didn’t mince his words.

“I tell you what I think, I think it’s a

sham,” he said.

BMA set up the Local Buying Program

in February to give more local small busi-

nesses the opportunity to supply goods and

services to the company.

A series of information sessions have

been held, and businesses were invit-

ed to submit details of their services via

an online survey.

But Mr Finlay said he is not aware of any

local businesses that have so far been award-

ed contracts.» continued page 6

.... at the Saratoga Spectacular

» More pictures page 11

What could stop Clive

Palmer?

Ladder

How to keep mine

jobs local page 10

Around Town

The Dingo dazzler

HOOKED...$5M MYSTERYLocals ask BMA what money where?

stuff to the editor

More mining mishapsSent in via email

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123rd EDITION. 2011


fair diNKuM

IN VIETNAM - Doctors are baffled by a woman who claims to have aged 50 years in just a matter of days.

The woman, 23, began to notice chang-es in her skin in 2008, as it began to sag and crease, making her look much older.

She believes her condition was trig-gered by an allergic reaction to seafood, however doctors appear to be at a loss as to what precisely caused the highly unusu-al condition.IN THE UK - You’ve heard of people get-ting distracted while driving, but this is just ridiculous.

A Hampshire motorist was booked for using a laptop, drinking a coffee and writ-ing down answers to a radio quiz all at the same time.

The driver was booked during a five day crackdown by Hampshire Police to bust distracted motorists.

Another man was booked for eating a pear with a knife while driving.IN THE US - A politician from the town of Melbourne Florida is lobbying to bring back the sport of dwarf tossing.

With pressure on to find employment for little people, the pollie called for a lift on the dwarf tossing ban.

The sport generally consists of people tossing little people in padded clothing at mattresses or velcro covered walls.

Members of the Little People of America have cautioned against lifting the ban, claim-ing the ‘sport’ is extremely degrading.

Dwarf tossing was banned in Florida after a participant died.IN ENGLAND - A referee red-carded six members of a youth soccer team following an argument over the colour of their underpants.

The bizarre incident began when the ref noticed some of the players were wearing black bike shorts under their red team shorts.

Football Association rules apparent-ly require all members of a team to be wearing identical clothing, however this rule is rarely enforced.

Adding to the controversy, the ref ordered two members of the team to change on the sideline in full view of the crowd, and to make matters worse their opponents opened the scoring while they were off the field.

Fair Dinkum!

William,I’m afraid the secret to happiness is a lit-tle beyond my area of expertise!

Contentment is a very personal state

of being, so I believe that only you can know what will make you content in life. For some people a fulfilling relationship will have this effect, for others it might be finding the perfect job, or through prac-tice of their chosen religion.

It’s something you’re just going to have to work out for yourself!

Susan.

Dear Frank,My question to you is about life, not love. What do you think is the secret to happiness? I know it will involve some streaking past the gymnasium, but what else makes a man (or a woman for that matter) content?William, Emerald

I’ve been waiting a long time for a letter like this, now I can finally make the leap from love advice guru to life coach and religious cult leader.

My eventual followers will enjoy the full ‘Jonestown’ experience, however top-lessness will be mandatory for women, and mass suicide will only occur if neces-sary (as a tax dodge).

The Buddha teaches us that peace comes from within, that we must not seek it, however, I can tell you that our well-fed friend is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

I met the Buddha once on a ‘busi-ness trip’ to China. He appeared behind me in a Shanghai opium den and began screaming at me in Chinese... come to think of it, he may have just been a fat, shirtless opium dealer.

Nevertheless, I don’t believe that happiness can be achieved through self improvement, acts of charity or constant prayer.

The ideology of ‘Frank the Tank’s Streakin’ Good Secret to Happiness’ is far more pagan in nature. I believe that

inside us all lives an angry, vengeful series of gods that demand constant sac-rifice. As such, we must make frequent offerings of beer, beautiful women, deep fried hamburgers and highly refined Chi-nese opium to appease these gods.

If we refuse to make said offerings these gods will rise up against us, which leads to feelings of inadequacy, depres-sion, anxiety, and during the equinox, impotence.

By making sacrifices frequently you’ll have full access to the ‘fun centre’ of your brain, which will lead to a life of good fortune and happiness. If you’re not convinced look at famous actor Char-lie Sheen. He subscribes to the religion of Frank and makes enormous sacrific-es to appease the gods within. He’s rich, famous, and has the power do pretty much whatever he wants, proof that my path to true happiness is indeed the yel-low brick road it claims to be.

In fact, I’ve even started visiting a local aged-care facility on a regular basis to spread the gospel of Frank in an effort to make the autumn years of the resi-dents more enjoyable. I had quite a bit of trouble getting the program up and run-ning, as the staff at the rest home were quite adamant that the old folks not mix tequila into their bone strengthen-ing gruel. It took some convincing, but I managed to get everyone on board and now that place is a veritable beacon of collective happiness. Seeing people well into their eighties play ‘strip lawn bowls’ was the moment I realised that this was indeed the true path to happiness. I’ve also made quite a bit of money on the side by selling home made viagra to the residents, which contributes greatly to my inner happiness.

Go forth and spread the word!Frank

If you have a question for Frank and Susan Email Us at: [email protected]

Sensible Susan

Frank the Tank’s “Streakin” good love advice

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Transport


UNIT FOR SALE

Beachfront studio apartment

in Resort Complex - main

street Yeppoon

parking, air cond, pool, gym,

island and

harbour views

live in or rent out

$175 000

Phone: 0417 630 357

LAND FOR SALECheapest block of land at bangalee beach yeppoon

Local boat & vehicle ramp onto beach

Walk 15mins along Farnborough Beach to Rydges Resort for a

cocktail Great fishingIdeal family, holiday or

retirement location $235,000

Phone: 0417 779 031

HOUSE FOR SALE

Very special 125 acres 1

min south Miriam Vale on

Bruce Highway, beautiful

house site, grow anything,

creek, first time selling

in 30 years, also 136

acre reserve adjoining

$460,000

Phone: 0488 210 047

HOUSE FOR SALE

T’ville , 2 bed cottage, fully

a/c, insulated, Large rear

enclosed deck, front pation,

security screens /door

3x3 shed, 7,2 x 3 carport,

3yr old,

Blinds etc

$120,000 neg

Phone: 0401 968 725

HOUSE FOR SALE

Mission Beach Brand

new 2 bedroom $27,000

discount to

be made by eligible First

Home Buyers!

180 Footsteps to the

beach

$320,000

Phone: 0419 685 495

HOUSE FOR SALE

Yeppoon. Modern,

contemporary 4bed 3bath,

Walk to beach, VIEWS,

polished floors, high

ceilings. Self contained

apartment downstairs,

will not disappoint.

SELLING BELOW

BANK VALUATION!

Phone: 0407 206 367

LAND FOR SALE

Two x 500 acre blocks,

75klm Agnes Water,

65klm B\’Berg some hilly

country suit cattle, 4WD,

Bikes, all fully fenced,

Some vendor finance TAP

$280k & $320k each.

Phone: 0408 787 513

or 0419 674 413

HOUSE FOR SALE

Sunshine Coast Sacrifice

Take $21000 off the

price below even for

investors. Brand New

impressive 4bed 2 bath

DLUG, level fenced, Room

Shed/Van Nth Entert.

Walk shops/school

$419 000

Phone: 0409 055 062

HOUSE FOR SALE

Agnes Water, 4

acres, 3 Bed, 2 Bath.

3Metre verandah’s,

Carport, 4 Day Shed,

Fenced yard, Dam.

7.5 k to town and beach

$485,000

Phone: 0409 254 525

LAND FOR SALE

Mission beach - 75 acres

Cleared - elevated homesite

with views

2 Perm creeks

Good fishing, 5 minutes to

river boat ramp & beach

$ 360,000.00 NEG

Phone: 0428 277 625

LAND FOR SALE

Land for sale, Hervey Bay. Turtle Cove Estate.

Elevated half acre flat block with 160 degree

views of Fraser Island. Cannot be built out.

Underground power, phone and water at front

of block. 6mins to Airport 3min boatramp and

barge to Fraser. About 10min to Town. ono.

$262,000 ono

Phone: 0411 098 241

HOUSE FOR SALE

Toomulla Beach (40Km North

of Townsville)

2-bedroom, steel-framed,

low-maintenance home

in peaceful suburb. Land

592m2. Seeks sea change’

dreamer. More information

online.

Low $200,000s

Phone:0411 228 870

HOUSE FOR SALE40 acres Agnes water QLD 4 bed, 2 bath 9x12 shed. Partially cleared & fenced,

waterhole and a small dam. Large deck breathtaking views. 15 km from surf

beach.realestate.com.au

id 107171818.$510,000

Phone: 0400 797 075

BOAT FOR SALE1998 Aquarius 36ft

Flybridge cruiser, chart plotter, radar, auto pilot, bow & stern thrusters, zodiac, RFD, 5 berths,

shower, toilet, 250 lt fridge, 300 lt freezer, air con &

much more. Immac cond. Gladstone.

$155,000 ono.Phone: 0437 657 433

CAR FOR SALE

Gunmetal grey 2009

TRITON GLX-R dualcab,

4x4, auto;diesel, RWC

3yrs/113,000 klms

warranty, 16900 klms,

reversing camera,

electronic rustproofing,

tow bar, driving lights

$38,500

Phone: 07 4934 8358

BOAT FOR SALE

Australian Lightweight

Sharpie No. 727

Kevlar Hull, sails and

spars in good to excellent

condition, comes

with registered trailer

and beach trolley

Beautiful to sail

$3,900

Phone: 0428 154 653

CAR FOR SALE

TTLS1 2002 vx ss-

quicksilver 9.3@153mph-

980rwhp,408ci cast iron

block twin turbo drag

car built by hpf vic. all

extras parachute etc

$45,000 neg.

Phone: 0415 286 834

HOUSE FOR SALEFully furnished fully a/c modern home on 7.5 acres 500 metres

from Midge Point beach, 2 bedrooms 2 en suites large office or 3rd bedroom large

carport 3bay shed fully equipped workshop

$695,000Phone 0428 476 001

CAR FOR SALE

MRPSI twin turbo 2000hp

ss holden ute built by

HPF vic. winner 2008

horsepower heroes

summernats, featured

no.times ozgarage ,street

machine etc.

$70 000

Phone: 0415 286 834

BOAT FOR SALEKingfisher 5.02 Centre Console

Fantastic Condition (Near New) & Low Hours (57)90 HP Mercury OptimaxGarman Sounder & GPS

Open Water Safety compliance GearLarge Bimini VHFDunbier Trailer

Rego 9/12 Phone: 07 4066 9419

CAR FOR SALE

69 dodge charger R\T

matching numbers.

needs total restoration.

$28,000

Phone: 0488 191 518

HOUSE FOR SALEEungella, 90 mins

from Mackay.Eco-architect designed award winning 3 bdrm

home on 5 acres, 2 yrs old, 4 bay shed,

stunning views. Adjoining optional

174 acres of improved pasture also for sale.

$749,000. Phone: 0420 104 278

QUAD BIKE FOR SALE

2004 Honda TRX 500

Quad.

Many new parts,new

tyres.

Bullbar,Front and Rear

racks.

Very good condition

$5,000

Phone: 0418 399 858

LAND FOR SALE

GLADSTONE Vacant Land

Why wait for developers?

800sqm in New Estate

Ready to build on.

$300 000

Phone: 0421 365 193

RING FOR SALERare 1970’s Russian 14ct rose gold diamond ring, containing a 0.65 carat diamond, independently

valued at $5800. Extremely hard to come by in Australia. Never Worn, Reluctant sale.

REDUCED to $4,500 ono

Phone: 0428 344 437

CRANE TRUCK FOR SALE

Nissan Atlas Crane Truck

988 model, 79,000 k

4495 GVM, Tadano 2T crane

6.4m under hook

RWC, Only car licence

needed to drive

$13,500

07 4941 7147 or

Phone: 0427 824 880

CRANE TRUCK FOR SALE

Nissan Atlas Crane Truck

988 model, 79,000 k

4495 GVM, Tadano 2T crane

6.4m under hook

RWC, Only car licence

needed to drive

$13,500

07 4941 7147 or

Phone: 0427 824 880

CAR FOR SALE

Genuine 160hrs.

Only used in FRESH water.

Mercruiser Black Scorpion

330hp Engine with MPI.

Meticulously serviced and

cared for.

Craftsman made excellence

for the serious skier/

boarder.

Phone: 0418 794 525.

123rd EDITION. 2011


Off shifT

Shift MinerHandy 15A blank gridShiftMInerHandyblank.pdf©Lovatts Publications 2010

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1. Ahead!

2. Announcement

3. Natural disaster, ... wave

4. Ogling

6. Intense dislikes

7. Harbour vessels

8. Hugging

11. A long time

15. Contract

17. Cheated on (lover) (3-5)

18. Flying art

20. Trial showing

21. Biblical Palestine city

22. Return (to custody)

23. Consumed totally (4,2)

26. Metropolitan

AcROss 1. Elaborately

5. Ploy

9. Retreated

10. Jammed

12. Remembering

13. Stretch of shallow water

14. Group of labourers

16. Abbreviate

19. Hesitated

21. Incense, ... stick

24. Copy outline of

25. Plunderers

27. Posted

28. Sword sheath

29. Symbolise

30. Enlisted (6,2)

dOWn

Handy Cross 121© Lovatts Publications

B I R D C A G E S O B SE O N N Y UF O R D N E A R M I S SO G U M B SR E D E E M E O EE U X S L A L O M S

M I A N PO R B I T E D T A IR N X R I F L E DC V C O U LH U M A N E L Y S O M EI I E A E SD O I N D O L E D O U T

# 12 5 2 3 9 7 4 1 8 68 4 7 6 3 1 5 9 26 9 1 8 5 2 7 3 49 5 8 7 4 3 2 6 14 1 6 2 8 5 3 7 93 7 2 1 9 6 4 5 82 6 9 3 1 7 8 4 57 8 4 5 2 9 6 1 31 3 5 4 6 8 9 2 7

lAst editiOn’s sOlutiOns

Joe sat down on the big paint tin, wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. He looked up at the ceiling he’d just painted. In the past, he’d looked forward to this kind of moment, anticipating an over-whelming feeling of pride at the beauty of his own creation. Instead, he saw streaks, paint-runs and roller fluff. And, he’d missed a bit. Then he saw that he’d forgotten to cut-in over near the window. He saw why: he’d forgotten to sand back the gap-filler. Which meant that after sanding he’d have to wash the entire ceiling again before the next coat.Joe sighed again, and threw the roller down into the tray. The paint splashed up onto the wall, but he didn’t care any more. He was just sick of it.The renovations had seemed like such a great idea, a year ago. He and Sue had bought their own house, with so much potential. Now, after a year, they had spent twice as much as they’d planned doing half as much as they’d expect-ed to get done. Everything was harder, more complicated and more expensive than they’d thought. It was just such a lot of work.The worst part, thought Joe, as he took the roller and paint tray off to the laundry to wash them – again – was the time. There simply wasn’t any, and what time there was had to be committed to the renovations, or the snail’s pace of progress ebbed away to a stagnancy that threat-ened to suck the very life from him. Weekends were for work; sleep-ins were a fond, extravagant memory from when they used to rent. Back in the day, he thought, when you just called up the real-estate agent when something was broken.Weekends weren’t the only reno-vation time. Each day after work, Joe came home to work. Sitting down to watch the news or mind-less American TV show were luxu-ries they simply couldn’t afford any more. Nowadays, luxury was not working after dinner, and going to bed; only ever to sleep, it seemed.Joe swore as drops of white paint rained onto a pair of Sue’s black pants, lying in a laundry basket.“What the hell is she doing leaving

her clothes in here?” he muttered.Only after he’d put the pants in a bucket to soak and was cleaning the paint roller did he hear his own words. Yeah, he thought, shaking his head, what was she doing leaving her pants in the laundry?The problem with do-it-yourself renovating, thought Joe, was trades-men. Tradesmen went about their business, making everything look easy. Throw up a wall here, hang a door there. The very thought of the last time he’d tried to hang a door almost brought tears to his eyes. He’d discovered that a door could be hung wrong in at least four dimensions. He’d only ever thought there were three dimensions, before that fateful day.Tradesman, making it look easy – there was the problem. Plaster-ers were the worst, waving their little trowels and white lumps of plaster about, bouncing around like circus clowns on stilts, and voilà: a smooth, seamless wall with a tidy cornice at top, rolling into a smooth, seamless ceiling.Joe had never bothered with getting a trade. He’d got a start in the mines when his old man worked there. He could drive trucks, dozers, front-end loaders and shovels, though he tended to spend most of his time on the shovel. He’d been asked to do his OCEs, but he wasn’t interested in the hassle. He was good at what he did, and the pay was good.Of course, Sue and Joe had decided to quit the reno and get some tradesmen in to finish it off. The three three main answers they got were: too busy, the job’s too small, and I won’t touch what you’ve started unless I rip it all down and start again. That was when you got answers, and you didn’t just leave unreturned phone messages. So, they just had to finish it.Joe turned off the laundry light and staggered off to the bathroom for a shower. He wasn’t bitter, or any-thing, just tired. Actually, he was bitter, but what could he do, except punch in the wall, and then he’d have to fix it. Himself.He decided to punch the wall in anyway.

by Bernard S. Jansen5 minute fiction

Do-It-Yourself

Bernard S. Jansen is 32, married has three young boys. He lives in Emerald, works as an engineer at a local coal mine and is active in his local church. Read more of Bernard’s writing online at surgebin.blogspot.com or email him at [email protected]

GOT AN IDEA FOR A STORY? Let Bernard know - email him at [email protected] or hop on his blog surgebin.blogspot.com

123rd EDITION. 2011


Off shifT

Fishing in YeppOOn

THE fishing has been sweet on the Capri-corn Coast, according to Adrian from The Secret Spot.

“We’ve had some good catches of large spanish off Flat and Perforated,” he said.

“People have been getting their three-bag limit, and fish as big as 26 kilos are being caught.”

One regular at Adrian’s shop reported a 36 kilo long tail tuna less than three kilome-tres from the mouth of Rosslyn Bay recently.

“That’s how big a fish you can catch local,” said Adrian.

Red fish are being caught in big numbers around the Fern Country - drifting on the neap tides.

The cobia are also starting to bite around the Shoalhaven wreck, due east of Baron Island.

Barra are being caught in all the creeks, and between the bridges on the Fitzroy is

fishing exceptionally well.“One bloke reckons he caught 14 in his lunch

hour on the Quay St boat ramp,” said Adrian.The Causeway is just starting to fish now,

with the water warming up.

Fishing in MAcKAY

IT was blowing dogs off chains in Mackay last week, when it copped the tail end of the system that drenched the far north.

But Bruce from The Compleat Angler reckons once the winds die down, the fish-ing will be superb.

“There are plenty of mackerel, tuna and trevally to be had close in to the local beach-es and the heads of the harbour,” he said.

“You can drive out on the southern breakwater and starting fishing seaward - not into the marina.”

His advice is to use poppers or chrome slices.

The barra were chewing, but have gone

shy again with the cool change.But Bruce has in his shop’s freezer what

could be a world record catch.A monster barra - that bottomed the

scales out at 45 kilos - was hauled in at Kin-chant Dam recently.

When Bruce weighed it on his “certified scales” it came in at 41 kilos.

The current world record holder is a 44 kilo barra caught in Monduran Dam near Gympie by Dennis Harold.

“This new catch - if it’s not a world record it’s close,” said Bruce.

He recommends fishing for barra at night and around the full moon - especially the couple of nights just after.

Fishing in glAdstOne

The barra are biting in the Boyne, and there are some nice jacks around as well.

Offshore, and there are a lot of good red emperor and trout out in the deeper water,

according to Josh from Pat’s Tackle World.The mackerel are also around in

good numbers.“You’ll find them around inshore reefs

and just off the headlands,” said Josh.There are also plenty of long tail tuna

out as well.

Gla

ds

to

ne

Ma

CK

aY

Gla

ds

to

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Ma

CK

aY

TIDE TIMES Oct/NovMon 24 Tue 25 Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30

Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht

0045 0.53 0130 0.31 0213 0.16 0255 0.12 0337 0.19 0419 0.37 0502 0.65

0656 3.83 0741 4.11 0825 4.32 0910 4.44 0956 4.45 1044 4.35 1136 4.15

1306 0.63 1357 0.42 1445 0.30 1533 0.28 1621 0.37 1710 0.56 1802 0.80

1909 4.07 1956 4.10 2042 4.05 2128 3.93 2216 3.73 2306 3.49

0231 0.34 0315 0.10 0357 -0.04 0439 -0.07 0522 0.06 0605 0.33 0045 4.48

0834 5.33 0919 5.69 1003 5.95 1047 6.09 1133 6.05 1221 5.85 0650 0.71

1452 0.55 1541 0.37 1630 0.30 1718 0.35 1807 0.53 1859 0.81 1312 5.51

2047 5.63 2132 5.62 2218 5.49 2305 5.24 2353 4.89 1955 1.1

Mon 31 Tue 1 Wed 2 Thu 3 Fri 4 Sat 5 Sun 6

Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht

0000 3.23 0059 3.01 0206 2.88 0321 2.90 0436 3.06 0536 3.28 0009 0.93

0548 0.97 0645 1.27 0801 1.48 0924 1.53 1039 1.45 1141 1.32 0623 3.50

1232 3.90 1334 3.67 1441 3.52 1552 3.46 1655 3.47 1748 3.51 1228 1.18

1859 1.04 2004 1.21 2114 1.26 2224 1.19 2323 1.06 1833 3.54

0143 4.10 0251 3.84 0412 3.78 0536 3.97 0036 1.19 0126 0.99 0208 0.84

0741 1.14 0844 1.53 1004 1.77 1133 1.75 0643 4.30 0734 4.63 0815 4.88

1409 5.14 1517 4.83 1637 4.68 1753 4.71 1245 1.57 1341 1.38 1425 1.25

2100 1.39 2215 1.49 2332 1.40 1853 4.80 1941 4.85 2021 4.85

If you have a good photo or fishing yarn

send it through to our resident bait chucker- [email protected]

Spring StormS & cooler windSWeek 1 - two lines of Spring storms late on October 13 & 14 brought isolated heavy falls. This helped put out bush fires and settle the smoke over the Coalfields that persisted over the last 4-6 weeks. Some 48hr totals (mm) of note: Riverslea 51, Upper Bee Ck. 44, Duckponds 41, Springsure Jnt 39, Yatton 37, Thangool 28, Banana 28, Moura 34, Rolleston 30 and Clermont 29. Lightning caused damage to electrical equipment at Blackwater. Then fresh to gale force winds hit the coast and dropped daytime temperatures by nearly 10 degrees across Central Queensland on the 18-19 Oct. Gusts to 43 knots ( 80kph) kick up seas over 4 metres and caused squally showers. An inland trough combined with moisture from the tropics to produce extreme rainfall for the North Tropical Coast. A 200km strip from Innisfail to Cape Tribulation recorded falls of 300-400mm. Cairns recorded its highest October daily rainfall on record with 225mm. This indirectly help develop a cloud band that caused patchy rain

and isolated heavy falls south of Emerald. Temperatures gradually warm throughout the week into the mid to high thirties by Thursday/Friday; mainly in the west. Heat stress will be a premium as will the risk of bushfires.

Week 2 - the SOI now hovers around the +10 when last year it was +20. Yet there was some extreme rain over the tropical Queensland coast. Does this mean the wet season has started? Last year there were floods in the Dawson River but now the flows look low in comparison. A trough approaches from the south. This makes Melbourne Cup Day in the Coalfields a hot one. If the trough moves north it could cause some thundery activity to dampen the heat stress. Boaties - the start of November may be signalled by some fresh afternoon NNE sea breezes. Difficult to say... if another large high in the Bight moves into the Tasman then winds again could kick in from the SE and push seas up to 2 metres and beyond later in the week.

YOUR WEAThER FORECASTWith Mike Griffin

FISHING PARADISE

FOUNDCalling all serious fisherman to the best fishing

location on the coast. Close to mining areas (You have probably driven

past the turn-off!)Fully s/c accommodation silly season & 2011

Crew bookings available

Phone: 49373145email: [email protected]

web: www.stanagebay.com

BAIT SHOP BAnTER

123rd EDITION. 2011


CHRISTMAS is fast approaching which, for many of us, will mean desperately trying to survive our relatives during the silly sea-son with our sanity in tact.

Whether by blood or marriage, every-one has a relative or two that suffer chron-ic unfortunate afflictions such as: irritability,

inappropriate anecdotes, general insanity, inflated sense of ability, and most discon-certingly, audible, unapologetic flatulence.

If you’re reading this and saying to your-self, “There’s no-one in may family like that,” there’s a good chance that you’re the one in the family who suffers one or more

of the aforementioned afflictions.Hopefully this article will provide you

with a few ways to negotiate these relations as effectively as possible, which may sup-press the overwhelming urge to tear your hair out this Christmas.

During the “silly season”, you’ll often find yourself on the receiving end of an inappro-priate anecdote from an older member of your family.

The best way to swiftly quash an anec-dote that will likely leave you feeling con-fused and disturbed is to quickly counter with a comment about sport or politics.

Try simply interjecting with, “Bloody Gillard.”This should promptly start a tirade about

what’s wrong with the country, and more often than not, a rambling commentary on world affairs in general.

This leads us to general insanity.In my experience general insanity often

takes the form of a relative with an inexplicably demented view of the world around him or her.

Maybe it’s your cousin who claims that glo-bal warming is a fictional phenomenon cooked up by Toyota to sell hybrid cars, or your recent-ly divorced aunt who insists on telling you that

her recent Balinese breast augmentation has opened a lot of doors for her.

In any case, you can effectively escape these frustrating conversations by sacrific-ing another member of your family.

Call over your dad or uncle by saying, “You’ve got to hear this story,” then when they come over say, “I’m just going to get another drink.”

Repeat this process as necessary.In my personal opinion, the most annoying

relatives of all are those with an overinflated sense of their own accomplishments or abili-ties, colloquially referred to as FIGJAMs.

There are few things more irritating than listening to a now out-of-shape second cousin tell you about how they could have played in the NRL, opened the batting for Australia, made it as a famous singer, and married a super model.

Unfortunately there are few ways to escape this particular relative, but if possible try and avoid them until the end of the festivities.

That way there’s a good chance you’ll have consumed the requisite amount of food and alcohol to slip into a mini coma, reducing the level of irritation you’ll suffer.

“In my experience general insanity often takes the form of a relative with an inexplicably demented view of the world around him or her.”

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You can’t pick your family.... (especially at Christmas)

A perennial fan favourite, Die Hard sets the standard for what a great action movie should be.

The film focuses on New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) who has traveled LA to visit his wife for Christmas.

McClane attends his wife’s Christmas party at the futuristic Nakatomi plaza, a giant skyscraper.

Shortly after he arrives at the party a terrorist group take the building hostage, and as you may have expected, only one man can stop them.

John McClane must single handedly take on this ruthless group of terrorists in an attempt to rescue the hostages

The film sports the turbo-charged action scenes you would expect from an old school, big budget action epic.

Gun battles, helicopters blown up, car crashes, massive explosions, everything we love about a good old-fashioned action movie.

If you’re a fan of the genre, you may find it’s refreshing to go back and watch a movie like Die Hard (which came out in 1988), as the action is ‘real’.

Many of today’s blockbuster action films (Transformers springs to mind) are almost solely reliant on CGI to create visual effects.

Often underrated aspects of Die Hard

are the skillful direction of John McTiern-an, and the performance by Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber, head of the terrorist cell.

McTiernan’s perfect balance of action, drama and humour makes you almost want to get up and cheer for John McClane as he does battle with the terrorist group.

Alan Rickman (who is perhaps best known as Professor Snape from the Har-ry Potter franchise) is superb as the super intelligent criminal Hans Gruber.

Die Hard was a smash hit at the box office, and spawned three sequels (with a fifth in pipeline for 2013).

While it is a subject of debate among Die Hard fans (pun intended), there’s noth-ing quite like the original in my opinion.

ClassiC REViEWBY JUSTIN CARLOS

YIPPEE-kI-AYE MOThER…

123rd EDITION. 2011


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For those too busy or embarrassed to ask the important questions about their healthEXPERT ADVICE

Tammy Farrell is a registered nurse, nutritionist and author of ‘The Real Man’s Toolbox – A DIY Health Manual for Men’. Tammy grew up in the Hunter Valley with two brothers in the local coal mines. In 2007, she started to give health talks in the Hunter, and that’s when she began compiling the book, helping hundreds of men answer questions about their bodies.

Dear Tammy, can blokes get breast cancer? I’ve noticed a small lump in my chest area that’s a bit tender to touch and I’m not sure what to do about it. Cheers, RodThanks for writing in Rod.The answer to your questions is - yes - men can and do get breast cancer. To be honest it’s not a common type of cancer for a bloke to get – in fact, it accounts for less than one per cent of all breast cancers.Some of the symptoms of male breast cancer include:• Lumps in the breast tissue area (most

of the breast tissue in men is located behind the nipple area)

• Swellingorpaininthebreastarea• Swollenlymphglandsunderthearm• Dischargefromthenipple

In terms of who is at risk, older Aussie men (over the age of 50) are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer – in fact around ninety per cent of blokes diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50.

Having a strong family history of female or male breast or ovarian cancer may slightly increase your chances.

Other factors can include high oestro-gen levels - often associated with being obese, some testicular disorders and long-term exposure to radiation from other cancer treatments. So what can you do to lessen your risk of this disease, which hits around 100 men every year?

You guessed it – the usual suspects such as maintaining a healthy body weight, exer-cising regularly and keeping your consump-tion of grog down to a respectable level.

But if you’re worried about any lump in your chest (breast) area or you have other unusual symptoms don’t be embarrassed about seeing your GP to have it diagnosed.

It may be totally unrelated to breast cancer, but if it is, early detection is one of the best ways to beat this disease.

Until next time, Stay healthy, stay informed.

“Considering an investment property? Make sure you get the right advice. With the right guidance, it’s easy to invest in Queensland property from as little as $27 per week.”Adrian Parsons, Managing Director - TOTAL Wealth Builders

Short-stay Investment Apartments with 2-year Guaranteed Returns in Brisbane’s Seaside Location, just 35 minutes from the CBD.PROPERTY OVERVIEW: Just 35 minutes to Brisbane CBD and 20 minutes to Brisbane Airport, the luxurious Mon Komo development offers luxury short-stay investment and residential apartments in a vibrant hospitality hub on the eastern most point of the Redcliffe Peninsula, dubbed by experts as “one of the best investment locations in Australia”.

WHY INVEST IN THIS PROPERTY:

Managed by major hotel operator Oaks Hotels & Resorts Stay for up to 14 nights per annum during the guarantee period Stunning single or dual-key apartments overlooking Moreton Bay Significant depreciation benefits and tax savings Guaranteed returns paid to owners quarterly in advance Many properties qualify for a $10,000 government grant for a limited time only#

300 seat conference centre attracts corporate as well as tourist market

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EVERY now and then, the Government off ers incentive schemes to boost the economy, but these off ers don’t stick around for long. Th e recent introduction of the $10,000 Queensland Building Boost Grant is by far one of the best yet seen, and has seen a signifi cant uplift in the sale of brand new properties. But of course, good things must end and this off er is only valid until 31 January 2012, so if you are thinking of purchasing property, now is an opportune time.

And while new properties may have a higher purchase price

than existing homes, when depreciation, rental returns, and outgoings are taken into account, you will actually fi nd that new properties are highly competitive, and off er added benefi ts including greater rental returns.

Why Invest in New Property?In addition to a free once-in-a-lifetime $10,000 in your back pocket, there are several other advantages of buying new or off -the-plan property as opposed to existing residential houses.

Some of these advantages are outlined here.

Added Tax & Depreciation Incentives Th e depreciation on new properties far exceeds existing properties, and in fact, properties built prior to January 1985 are not eligible for depreciation at all.

If you’re a high-income earner, the tax savings from new property essentially mean that, instead of giving it to the taxman, you are reinvesting in your own appreciating assets.

neglect by previous tenants. An existing home can set you back thousands � as you fi x one thing, another seems to go. Th ey require on-going up-keep and maintenance, or even a complete renovation.

In any case, whatever and wherever you choose to buy, be sure to get proper advice and scrutinse all your options to make sure you are buying in high-growth areas and the right types of properties. Th is will set you up now, and for the long-run. If you would like further information, phone us

on 1300 393 855.

Strong rental demand = good rental returnsAs a general rule, brand new properties are typically always in higher demand and rent better than existing homes. Building standards have changed signifi cantly in the past decade, and the quality of new properties and contemporary fi nishes is far superior to what you may have purchased back in 2000 or earlier.

In addition, in our experience, new properties are more likely to attract a higher calibre of tenant. While it may not be politcally correct to say so, a bad tenant can leave you high and dry in lost rent or damges.

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Strong rental demand = good rental returns

123rd EDITION. 2011


MONeY MaTTers

A new survey has revealed that Gen Y blokes are the most “at risk” group in Australia.

At risk of what? I hear you ask.Nope, not binge drinking.Not even getting into tangles.Gen Y blokes are the most at risk of

identity fraud.In fact, a Galaxy survey has found almost

three million Australians have been the vic-tim of identity fraud.

Gen Y men are the most at risk because they are careless with their personal infor-mation and documents.

It only takes three pieces of information for an ID criminal to steal your identity - your name, address and phone number.

Australian police have set up the Nation-al ID Fraud Awareness Week (NIFAW) to make more people aware identity fraud - and how common it is.

In fact, of the 2.6 million Aussies who have fallen victim to ID fraud, a third have been ripped off at least $1000.

It is the most expensive crime of all, cost-ing Aussie businesses and individuals $8.5 billion.

NIFAW spokesman Peter Campbell said there are some simple steps to prevent yourself becoming a statistic.

“By throwing away old statements with your name, address and account numbers you are greatly increasing your chances of becoming a victim,” Mr Campbell says.

And the survey says two in five Austral-ians throw their old statements in the rub-bish and recycling bins without shredding them first.

It also found that 86 per cent of Austral-ians have disclosed identity sensitive details in the last 12 months when buying goods or services or when making loan applications.

“It is important to be aware that these details are valuable in the criminal market place and should not be given out unless you completely trust the source,” Mr Camp-bell said.

Gen Y? Male? Then you’re most at risk...

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Two (2) x Retail Shops AUCTION – 12th November, 2.30pm In Rooms Sandcastles ResortVIEW AT – www.harcourts.com.auPROPERTY ID# – QAR110906Gordon Christian M: 0417 206 500 P: 07 4902 1444E: [email protected]

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INSPECT – By AppointmentAUCTION – 12th November, 2:30pm In Rooms Sandcastles ResortVIEW AT – www.agneswater1770.harcourts.com.auPROPERTY ID# – QAR100702Mark Driscoll M: 0438 566 266 (no msg) P: 07 4156 6556 msgE: [email protected]

1. Shred all bills, bank and credit card statements and any paperwork that contains your Tax File Number or personal and bank account details

2. Shred or cut up expired credit or membership cards and compact disks (CDs) that contain personal data before binning

3. Do not carry your Tax File Number, birth certificate or Bank PINs in your purse, wallet or store them in your mobile phone/PDA and don’t keep your car registration papers, driver’s license, bills etc. in the glove box of your car

4. Consider a P.O. Box to receive your mail, they keep your mail under lock and key until you are ready to collect it and ensure your physical street address remains private

5. Lock your mailbox, especially if you live in a block of apartments with multiple mailboxes and be very careful about who has access to your outside bins

6. Carefully check your bank and credit card statements to make sure there are no unauthorised transactions - this may be the first sign someone has stolen your identity

7. The Australian Taxation Office recommends, when using a tax agent, making sure they are registered by checking on the Tax Agents Board websitewww.tabd.gov.au

8. When moving house, make sure you update your old address details so new tenants don’t have access to your mail. A mail diversion can be put in place by Australia Post

9. Install up-to-date anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a personal firewall on your computer and regularly scan your machine for infection

10. Credit reference agencies recommend having your credit history checked annually to make sure there have been no major changes to your credit rating

Top ten tips for preventing ID fraud

123rd EDITION. 2011


MONeY MaTTers

INVESTORS have had to deal with quite a bit of pain this year.

Our market is down around 12 per cent amidst European uncertainty and fears over a double dip in the US.

Add in the prospect of a global contrac-tion in economic activity and it is little reason why investors have fled the sharemarket.

But now could be the time to buy with good times just around the corner, accord-ing to Lachlan McKenzie-McHarg from Capricorn Investment Partners.

“Our market has been slow in recov-ering the damage post the GFC, but this is perfectly normal in the context of what occurred during the latter part of 2007 and throughout 2008” he said.

“Longer term cycles like the one we are seeing currently take time and we may not see all time highs for at least another four years, but the evidence suggests the recent sell off may now be complete and higher levels look likely.”

The rationale behind Mr McKenzie-McHarg’s case is the rejection of the early August plunge level in the early parts of this month.

“Markets have bounced very strongly

off the 3850 – 4000 area and are now read-ying for a move higher, clearly investors see good value down at these levels”.

Recent better than expected economic data out of the US such as the first rise in business confidence in six months and high-er than expected September non-farm pay-rolls seem to be adding weight to the bullish case, according to McKenzie-McHarg.

“The market has been so focused on Europe over the last few months and the pros-pects of a double dip recession in the States so once we get some clarity out of there inves-tors will refocus on corporate earnings, which are actually in pretty good shape”.

So how high can the market go?“The market could easily pile on anoth-

er 20 per cent, but our target is around 5665 over the longer term, so around 35 per cent from current levels,” he said.

Mr McKenzie-McHarg said it was a good time to start looking for value by buying some beaten up companies to take advan-tage of the move.

“We see the big four banks and some of the regionals as excellent value as well as BHP and many others”.

GOLD COAST INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY!ESCAPE TO YOUR VERY OWN GOLD COAST RESORT STYLE APARTMENT

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$269,000“Now is a good time to start looking for value by buying some

beaten up companies to take advantage of the move.”

Time to buy some bargain shares?

123rd EDITION. 2011


MONeY MaTTers

CREATE WEALTH WITH SOLID BRICKS AND MORTAR

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Are you working hard and earning a good income? Ensure you have something substantial and tangible to show for it!

Steve Taylor & Partners has over 30 years experience in providing individuals, couples and families with the right strategies to create wealth and change their lives. GOOGLE Steve Taylor or call 4980 7733

















04/11

129

55

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I’m looking to borrow to invest in a rent-al property and have been told getting an interest only loan is an option? Can you please explain how it works?

With an Interest Only facility, you can repay only the interest on your loan for the first few years of the loan.

The interest only period varies between financial institutions but five years is quite common.

This type of loan is often attractive if you are an investor, as it enables you to maximise your tax deductions, by claim-ing all interest payments, and free up any surplus funds for other investments.

I am in line for a pay rise and am con-sidering putting the extra funds toward my mortgage. If I put the money into my mortgage, can access it later if something unexpected comes up?

Many lenders allow you to make extra repayments on your mortgage and also provide a redraw facility should you need to access your savings in the future.

Offset accounts are useful if you want to pay off your mortgage sooner.

A mortgage offset account is simply a savings account linked to your loan account.

The big difference is that the balance in the savings account is offset against that owing on the mortgage.

Your financial institution can advise you of the details regarding your mort-gage loan to ensure the product you have qualifies for these products.Maria KananghinisRetail Banking OfficerThe Rock Building SocietyPhone 07 4931 5568

Making your money work for you

MONEY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

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