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| Fly-in fly-out work would stop 'in a perfect world', says NT chief minister | Fly-in fly-out work would stop 'in a perfect world', says NT chief minister |
| (5 months later) | |
| Michael Gunner calls for a review into Fifo workers and tells mining companies ‘the first effort should always be to house interstate workers locally’ | |
| Helen Davidson in Darwin | |
| Wed 16 Aug 2017 06.33 BST | |
| First published on Wed 16 Aug 2017 04.27 BST | |
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| The Northern Territory’s chief minister has said “in a perfect world” he would immediately put a stop to fly-in fly-out work to address declining population rates and the social and economic health of the territory. | The Northern Territory’s chief minister has said “in a perfect world” he would immediately put a stop to fly-in fly-out work to address declining population rates and the social and economic health of the territory. |
| Michael Gunner called on the mining industry to assist a review of the common employment practice and to hire locally first in an effort to combat the forecast decline in population over the next 15 years. | Michael Gunner called on the mining industry to assist a review of the common employment practice and to hire locally first in an effort to combat the forecast decline in population over the next 15 years. |
| “I believe the time has come to review the traditional approach taken to fly-in fly-out workers,” he told a gas and oil convention in Darwin on Wednesday. | “I believe the time has come to review the traditional approach taken to fly-in fly-out workers,” he told a gas and oil convention in Darwin on Wednesday. |
| “In a perfect world, I would put an end to Fifo work right now. I understand that we must bring in workers with specialised skills where none exist, but in such circumstances I believe the first effort should always be to house interstate workers locally.” | “In a perfect world, I would put an end to Fifo work right now. I understand that we must bring in workers with specialised skills where none exist, but in such circumstances I believe the first effort should always be to house interstate workers locally.” |
| Gunner said he had seen good and “not-so-good” approaches by corporations, and he wanted to know what his government could do to get mining companies to have a locally living workforce. He said the government would be directly approaching mining companies to discuss the 8,000 potential jobs from 18 major projects across the jurisdiction. | Gunner said he had seen good and “not-so-good” approaches by corporations, and he wanted to know what his government could do to get mining companies to have a locally living workforce. He said the government would be directly approaching mining companies to discuss the 8,000 potential jobs from 18 major projects across the jurisdiction. |
| “We need more people – it’s as simple as that,” he said. “We need more people living here, working here, playing here and spending here. We need their families and their friends to come here. Your industry has a role to play in assisting this goal.” | “We need more people – it’s as simple as that,” he said. “We need more people living here, working here, playing here and spending here. We need their families and their friends to come here. Your industry has a role to play in assisting this goal.” |
| In a subsequent media appearance Gunner said he was open to suggestions on how that could be achieved, including tax breaks and penalties. | In a subsequent media appearance Gunner said he was open to suggestions on how that could be achieved, including tax breaks and penalties. |
| He conceded there were definitional issues around Fifo workers, and that there should be exceptions for companies which employed workers who flew in from other NT locations, including Darwin. | He conceded there were definitional issues around Fifo workers, and that there should be exceptions for companies which employed workers who flew in from other NT locations, including Darwin. |
| “I think we have to say if it’s within the Territory jurisdiction it’s not fly in fly out for that purpose,” he said. | “I think we have to say if it’s within the Territory jurisdiction it’s not fly in fly out for that purpose,” he said. |
| “As long as they’re territory-based as an initial threshold, I think that’s important. At the moment we have a lot of workers who aren’t territory-based.” | “As long as they’re territory-based as an initial threshold, I think that’s important. At the moment we have a lot of workers who aren’t territory-based.” |
| He said he didn’t have the specific figures about how many there were in the NT. | He said he didn’t have the specific figures about how many there were in the NT. |
| Fifo work rapidly increased amid Australia’s mining boom, and at its peak there were an estimated 100,000 Fifo workers in Australia, but there is no specific data on numbers. A 2014 government study also found the lifestyle had a range of potential negative impacts on Fifo workers and their families, and on the communities near Fifo sites. In Western Australia a parliamentary inquiry found 30% of Fifo workers experienced mental health issues. | Fifo work rapidly increased amid Australia’s mining boom, and at its peak there were an estimated 100,000 Fifo workers in Australia, but there is no specific data on numbers. A 2014 government study also found the lifestyle had a range of potential negative impacts on Fifo workers and their families, and on the communities near Fifo sites. In Western Australia a parliamentary inquiry found 30% of Fifo workers experienced mental health issues. |
| Gunner also used his speech to defend his government’s fracking moratorium while an inquiry is under way. | Gunner also used his speech to defend his government’s fracking moratorium while an inquiry is under way. |
| “This is about more than getting the best advice; it is about ensuring Territorians have faith in the final decision because they know the process we followed was rigorous and done right,” he said. | “This is about more than getting the best advice; it is about ensuring Territorians have faith in the final decision because they know the process we followed was rigorous and done right,” he said. |
| “At the end of the inquiry – which is being led by the highly respected Justice Rachel Pepper – we will either ban fracking in the Northern Territory or allow it in highly regulated circumstances in tightly prescribed areas.” | “At the end of the inquiry – which is being led by the highly respected Justice Rachel Pepper – we will either ban fracking in the Northern Territory or allow it in highly regulated circumstances in tightly prescribed areas.” |
| The inquiry has held a public hearing in Darwin and next week will visit remote and regional communities to hold community forums. This month it heard proposed mining of the Beetaloo basin could release four to five times the amount of greenhouse gases as the proposed Adani Carmichael coalmine. | The inquiry has held a public hearing in Darwin and next week will visit remote and regional communities to hold community forums. This month it heard proposed mining of the Beetaloo basin could release four to five times the amount of greenhouse gases as the proposed Adani Carmichael coalmine. |
| Northern Territory | |
| Northern Territory politics | |
| Mining | |
| Business (Australia) | |
| Darwin | |
| Rural Australia | |
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