NEWS ALERT: Landry blasts social media commentary: ‘I do not support 100% FIFO’ Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry has returned from a two-day trip around Capricornia’s coalfields vowing to continue supporting the economic benefits of the coal industry, while lobbying hard against 100% FIFO contracts. Ms Landry joined the Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the opening of Cavel Ridge mine near Moranbah on Monday, and last night returned from a visit to the struggling town of Collinsville in the electorate’s far north. The feisty MP has describe as ‘garbage and trash talk’ commentary on social media and news sites that question why she joined the PM at Cavel Ridge, a 100% Fly-in Fly-out mine. “Let me be clear: I always have and will continue to say no to 100% FIFO,” Ms Landry said. “Of course I was going to join the Prime Minister at Moranbah. He’s our national leader and he was visiting my electorate. Both protocol and common courtesy dictate that I should be there with him,” Ms Landry said. “Suggestions that because I was with the PM, I have suddenly back-flipped on my stance against 100% FIFO is utter nonsense. It’s trash talk. It’s just an ugly smear campaign from Labor hacks and unions who allowed 100% FIFO to tear apart local towns in the first place. “The Mayor of Isaac and the Mayor of Mackay Regional Shires also attended the mine opening. Does that suggest they also suddenly favour 100% FIFO? Of course it doesn’t. What a silly assertion from silly commentators who are simply muckraking. “These buffoons having a crack at me on social media and in the news have shallow memories. Labor Premier Anna Bligh, backed by her mining union mates, was the one who signed off on 100% FIFO for BMA’s new Moranbah mines,” Ms Landry said. “The CFMEU aren’t blameless with the role they played in down fall of jobs in the coal industry. They need to shoulder the blame for why companies like BMA have turned to 100% FIFO. Unions have cost their own workmates their livelihoods and they have cost small business their livelihoods.” Ms Landry said she informed the Prime Minister of the controversial impact of 100% FIFO on local towns, and attending the opening gave her another opportunity to continue open dialogue with BMA executives about the issue. “BMA acknowledged at the opening that we have a difference of opinion on 100% FIFO. There’s no point in spitting the dummy and refusing to face BMA executives when we are trying to encourage them to reflect on the local impact of 100% FIFO at Cavel Ridge,” she said. Monday was not her first visit to Cavel Ridge. Earlier this year, Ms Landry toured the mine site and was told by BMA that she was the only Federal Member for Capricornia ever to take the time to visit a local BMA coal mine. “There would be few Coalition MPs that have been consistently campaigning as hard as I have against 100 % FIFO in the past year. I have been out to Moranbah and Dysart many times talking to people and continued to have an open line of communication to the coal companies – telling them 100% FIFO is wrong and must change.” Supporting coal mining: Ms Landry said she does echo the Prime Minister’s comments that coal is an important industry to Australia and vital to the Central Queensland economy. Stood apart from State Government: Earlier this year, Ms Landry distanced herself from State LNP colleagues over the adverse impact of 100% FIFO in Central Queensland, at a time when the State Government favoured the practice. She toured the coalfields, challenged the perspective of mining companies, spoke in Parliament and put a spotlight on the fact that 100% was hurting business, families and community life in places like Dysart, Moranbah and Nebo. She took the issue the State LNP convention in Brisbane. The State Government eventually conceded and announced it would no longer approve 100% FIFO for future coal mining projects. Federal Nationals motion: More recently she capped off her first year as a new MP by spearheading two successful motions at the National Party’s Federal conference in Canberra on the impact of 100% FIFO and a fairer tax system for people living in remote local mining towns. The motions read: • That this Federal Council calls on state governments to ensure that all mining contracts include requirements to employ locals and prohibit 100% Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) workforces, where a local workforce is available. • That this Federal Council calls on the Federal Government to remove the fringe benefit tax imposed on families when mining companies provide housing in a remote location. Both were unanimously passed by National Party delegates from across the country. Collinsville: Yesterday, Ms Landry returned after spending time in Collinsville where she attended the 60th Miners’ Memorial Service, toured a coal mine and met with community groups keen on kick starting new industries and a fresh attitude in the struggling town. Ms Landry said she was particularly impressed by the enthusiasm of business women in the town who have plans to attract tourism and increase morale in Collinsville. Photo: Michelle Landry MP in Collinsville yesterday and at Sonoma mine site.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 07:36:40 +0000
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