Hunter councils want a greater say in fly-in fly-out mining camps, like the proposed $100 million temporary village in Singleton, and are calling on Premier Barry O’Farrell to amend planning legislation.
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Nine mayors unanimously voted to discuss the “inadequate” legislation with the premier at Thursday’s meeting of the Hunter Councils.
“There needs to be more consideration of the social impact [of FIFO camps],” deputy chairwoman of Hunter Councils and mayor of Lake Macquarie Jodie Harrison said.
Ms Harrison, who proposed the call for a greater say, said government needs to develop guidelines for the use of FIFO employees in the NSW mining industry.
Singleton mayor, John Martin, who is on a panel to decide on The MAC Group’s 1501-unit camp outside the town, excused himself from the meeting.
Maitland mayor and chairman of Hunter Councils, Peter Blackmore has been against the proposed miners camp since it was flagged back in April.
“If a mining company establishes a camp that flies or drives in workers the money they earn is not spent here in the community it is taken home to where they come from,” Mr Blackmore said.
He said miners who live in the town are part of community groups and service clubs that will be impacted by a temporary village.
Ms Harrison said while the Hunter Councils did not develop a position on the Singleton proposal she agreed FIFO operations do impact the community.
“If a worker gets sick yes they go to the hospital but fly-in fly-out operations bring their own food [and other goods],” she said.
Last month CFMEU convened a roundtable meeting where Mr Blackmore and New England MP Tony Windsor stood against the camp and fly-in-fly-out arrangements.
Next day Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon also spoke against the camp, telling a Singleton public meeting the camp would be bad for the region’s economy, especially at a time when jobs were being lost.
