Media Release

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter said today there was great solidarity between the CFMEU and KAP on the issue of FIFO workers, who were having a devastating effect on regional towns.

A community forum convened by the CFMEU in Mackay last week brought together Mayors from various regions as well as State and Federal Members of Parliament from all political persuasions. Figures were presented on FIFO workers showing the staggering negative effects on family life, marriage breakdowns and depression.

Mr Katter said that there was unanimous agreement at the forum that Government pull back on FIFO and that the worker have the right to choose where they live.

“The ALP Government bought in nearly 160,000 s457 visa workers and the LNP has continued this policy,” Mr Katter said.

“Many are going into mining and mining related jobs but towns like Charters Towers, Moranbah and Mount Isa desperately need those jobs for their economic survival.

“The Galilee Coalfields will be of no benefit to Charters Towers unless we win this battle over FIFO. Charters Towers has already lost nearly 2000 mining jobs as arguably 6 of 7 operating mines have closed down. To take away more jobs to FIFO would have a devastating effect.

“The FIFOs have also devastated Mt Isa and Cloncurry. Mount Isa’s population has come down from over 30,000 to now closer to 20,000.”

Mr Katter said that the only group outside of KAP fighting the s457 visa and FIFO workers was the CFMEU.

“The unions, local councils and politicians - we must all fight together on this issue or we will not win.

“It must be non-negotiable that companies like Mac Mining and Adani use local labour rather than flying in people from the Brisbanes and the Sydneys or from overseas.

“Fly in mining was banned in Queensland under the Bjelke-Peterson government and also by the Charles Court government in Western Australia. In the late 1980s, because of that ban, Charters Towers secured 2000 jobs.

“The then incoming ALP Government removed the ban on fly in mining under the influence of the mining corporations.”

Mr Katter said there was not the slightest doubt in his mind that foreign FIFO workers were being brought in to take plum Australian jobs and undermine Australian pay and conditions.

“We don’t get the profits, since we don’t own the mines. We don’t get the wages since they’re going to be foreign FIFOs. And we don’t get the coal as that’s sent overseas. All we get is a big hole in the ground and some pitiful taxation income.

“People say that we need FIFO and that Australians won’t work. Well 18 or 19 years ago there were virtually no FIFOs and there most certainly weren’t 160,000 s457 visa workers being brought in every year.

“We didn’t need them then and the job market is now much worse, so why do we need them now?”