The latest survey on ‘fly in, fly out’ mine workers in Queensland suggests that 75% of the residents feel that the mining industry’s policy negatively impacts the community. Queensland University of Technology's Professor Kerry Carrington conducted the research on the use of non-resident workforces in Bowen Basin mining communities.
As per the survey a mere 11% of the local community felt that the mining industry had a positive social impact. There were major concerns about housing affordability, community safety and infrastructure. The general outlook was that while the miners were using the amenities but were not giving back to the local community.
However the results of the survey are not too popular with Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche. He called it one of the dodgiest surveys he had seen in a long time. He said that it represented the views of a very targeted group and amounted to no more than push polling to select groups in the Bowen Basin communities.
The Moranbah Traders Association on the other hand was in full agreement with the survey findings. Their spokesman Peter Findlay said that the high percentage of ‘fly in, fly out’ workers had a devastating effect on the local economy. Businesses closed up in these areas as they could not compete with the mine pays.
Queensland Mining Communities group president Kelly Vea Vea said that while they backed the expansion of the mining industry there was hope that it would not be too dependent on non-resident workforces. She warned against lack of the mining industry’s regard for the local communities and hoped that the state government would step in with better regulations at this critical time.