Rinehart’s Hancock weighs $3.3 billion iron ore mine project
Hancock acquired a 51% interest in the Mt Bevan project from Legacy Iron Ore Ltd. and Hawthorn Resources.
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto won’t be following Australia’s richest person and number four on the list of the world of mining’s billionaires Gina Rinehart’s plan to import foreign workers under enterprise migration agreements (EMAs), reports The Australian.
BHP said instead it preferred to hire local workers, but it was also being hurt by the lack of skilled workers:
“Although we currently do not source overseas workers through EMAs, we are operating in a very tight labour market and have more job vacancies than we can fill,” it said.
The company told The Australian its shortages were particularly severe in the Pilbara and Bowen Basin.
Rio Tinto didn’t make any comments on EMAs, but as The Australian publishes, it has not applied for the scheme and currently does not plan to. Instead, the miner continues with its recruitment initiative, launched in April. Rio expects to fill 6,000 vacancies across its 30 operations in Australia in what has been considered the largest such campaign in the country’s history.
Last Friday, Australia’s government gave Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting approval to bring 1,700 foreign workers to the Roy Hill project in the Pilbara.
In a statement, Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, said that, while the community justifiably wanted to ensure Australians had the first go at job opportunities presented by the mining boom, skilled migrants were critical to getting these projects off the ground.
The decision to grant first ever right to hire foreign workers has sparked heated critics by local unions and the mining community.
6 Comments
RB
I personally believe that Gina and Hancock Mining, will disenfranchise themselves from skilled Australian workers, some of whom have been looking for work in the industry for a period of time. Moreover, there is no doubt going to be a communications issue between foreign workers and locals, given the great Aussie vernacular and slang that’s prevalent in the industry.
I believe there were quite a few (many hundreds if not thousands) of prospective workers who missed out on gaining entry to the recent mining industry expo held in Burswood, Perth WA, all of whom were looking at possible job opportunities. Gina and Hancock mining were not represented there either. I wonder just how genuinely she and her management team are actively seeking employees to fill the roles available as I’ve yet to see any jobs advertised through the mainstream employment sections (newspapers, on-line etc)?
Jason
hi just a question i am an it engineer and have had a change or direction in life and have done 5 weeks of courses at more skills Australia and have completed and now ticked for doggers, basic and intermediate rigging working at heights construction and mining and C6 sledging crane up to 60t.
what would i have to do to get onto a mine site to work or a sense or direction as in what to do or where to go next any help would be very appreciated
as i am a 37 year old Australian married with kids Here is an Australian crying out for a job and has the qualification to work and willing to learn and is a quick and good learner
Miltonwatters375
where getting boat people and looking after them. now we might as well look after our overseas vistors again.Then we will become boat people soon..AH wake up australia before we dont have anything left…Hiring overseas aint the best idea its good for minning companies who want too exsploit overseas workers..i seen it first hand in the mines.And its hard too understand them when talking on two way radios on mine sites.Give the jobs too aussies as their great grand parents fought in wars for whats left of our right,Wake up everbody..the writings on the wall…
John
At least these foreign workers will pay tax and contribute to the national wealth, unlike the others we are paying for that no one seems to be openly critisising. If you are in the mining construction industry like I am, you will know the value of experienced people who can speak fluent english and be paid industry rates (like the ones that will be coming for Gina’s project – if you bother to read and understand the ema). Logic will tell you most will probably come form the america’s, not asia, as most of you assume. Doing a ticket and expecting a job working on multi-million dollar equipment with little practical experience, well you work it out. There has been a commitment for 2000 trainees out of 9500 on Gina’s project, what more do you want? There is simply not enough skilled workers for this project, so lets ctiticise Gina because she doesn’t follow the ‘big boys’ who we all know have only our best interests at heart. I cant get experienced people dispite all amount of advertising and I learnt my skills, done the time, paid my dues and got my breaks overseas. You cant have all trainees, you must have experienced people to teach and do the work. Do not let emotion overule plain logic.
Achoudhury Nalco
Australia is a great country, it is the leader in mining and best place to work for minors.
Other side of the coin is, great brains are there out of Australia and working else where with greatest interest and committment for the allround betterment of the mining industry.
Interesting to see which side of the coin is goin to topple the other.
golddigger
MIlton, you have said it all–aboot the lavel of edocation in Astralian skools and da needs fur forrein worka. Thanks fro making that clear.