Aired was how it affected the local business community and services such as schools and hospitals, and then how many of the families wanted the conveniences of city or regional living rather than distant communities. The large company also get their views across, but the one group that was not discussed were the spiritual needs of these isolated communities.
The politician washed his hands of the whole matter. Cosmina Marriner quoted Queensland's Mining Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe, who told The Sun-Herald the government ''doesn't tell people where to live. Employers and employees will make their own decisions about accommodation which are appropriate for their circumstances.''
Resource booms in the past spawned mining towns but now it seems they are being downgraded to commuter stops, with most workers shipped in. BHP it has been revealed wants to staff an entire mine in central Queensland with transient workers, who are flown in for a 12-hour day, seven-day-a-week roster, then flown back to their homes on the coast or in Brisbane for a week off, taking their sizeable pay cheques with them.
Cosmina Marriner quoted said John King who has run the newsagency in nearby Moranbah for 19 years: '''It will be the death of us. When people reside here, they add to the community. They buy products from the town and they support other industries … If BHP do 100 per cent fly-in, fly-out, there will be no more people coming to town but they'll be taking our resources."
www.smh.com.au/national/flyin-flyout-miners-kill-towns-20110312-1bs0a.html
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, a retired Baptist minister says that John King could have added the affect it would have on the churches of such distant communities. He was reminded of a NSW mining area three decades ago where the local Baptist Church lost 55% of its congregation when mining and school teacher families left the district. It devastated the viability of that church and this current mining hoves has all the hallmarks of similar dramas for churches.
Last year when on a Country Town Tour to Western Australia Mark and Delma Tronson was shown the growing suburbia development between Perth and Bunbury. It was explained that these new suburbs were being opened up to cater for the mining family demands of city and regional living. The men were flying in and then flying out of distant mining centres.
It is a painful irony for central Queenslanders that their towns are rapidly depleting in the midst of a mining boom. In Dysart there will soon be nearly two transient workers for every one permanent resident. Yet while the inland towns suffer, the coastal communities that fly-in, fly-out workers call home are prospering.
Mining companies using fly-in, fly-out workers are accused of ducking their social obligations to local towns. ''The mining industry is a profitable industry. It should make a commitment to these towns,'' local MP Ted Malone said. ''They're wiping their hands of the whole issue of supporting a town.''
BHP said it invested $16 million in Moranbah last year, including building 100 residences. Despite the Queensland government policy of encouraging settlement in regional areas to reduce the pressure on the crowded south-east corner of the state, it is reluctant to interfere with BHP's plans.
Mark Tronson says no one disputes that the SMH article was fair and gave both sides a good hearing. Moreover, there are no easy solutions. But another option which one developer has seen, doesn't solve the distant community issue, but it does provide another isolated community its opportunity to expand.
Midge Point is one hour's drive north of Mackay, the gateway to the Whitsundays, in the same area as Laguna Quays the recognised golfing resort. Many miners have already settled their families into the area and one developer has had several major sub-divisions approved, of which one is over one hundreds house blocks along with small acreages.
This developer's emphasis is on land and house packages. This is rare for rural Australia, an well away from a country town. The closest town is Proserpine, 25 minutes away.
Mark and Delma Tronson know of this situation as it is in this area they have established the Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite facility, the 3rd such Well-Being Australia 'athletes respite' centre. As there was no Protestant church in the area, they prayed the Lord might allow them to meet another Christian family.
That same day they noticed a flyer advertising scrap booking in the local Chronicle News and went to the address to find a Christian family who worship in Proserpine. This Christian family had been praying about initiating a mid week bible study in the Midge Point area. One thing led to another with Mark and Delma Tronson provided the seed money to place an advert in the local monthly Chronicle News. It starts after Easter.