Does Gillard inspire confidence?

[Julia]

Thanks, Sails. Interesting result. I don't quite get why support for Mr Rudd is so high in Qld. I detest Gillard, Swan and Rudd, but probably Rudd most of all.

Results like this must be making the Party machine regret their ousting of Mr Rudd.

 

[todster]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

What I am getting at todster is they say there will be 50,000 people working in the Pilbara within 20 years. That is a lot of planes and polution, if the mines want the workers they should be supplying housing and infrastucture to develop the area. It is much healtheir for people to work reasonable hours and come home to a family every day.

Fair enough mate but would think it more of a state job but being a Barnett Lover like yourself wont fit your agenda so blame the feds.

 

[noco]

Thanks, Sails. Interesting result. I don't quite get why support for Mr Rudd is so high in Qld. I detest Gillard, Swan and Rudd, but probably Rudd most of all.

Results like this must be making the Party machine regret their ousting of Mr Rudd.

Julia, the reason Rudd looks so popular is the way the question was asked at the poll.

Pollsters were given three choices and whether you are Labor, Green or Liberal, Rudd was the lesser of three evils, hence the apperance of his popularity.

What I can't understand is why Labor has lowered itself into this postion.

Are they deliberatly trying to send us down the 'GURGLER' in order to nationionlise our mines, our banks and industry. Now that is what I call COMMUNISM. After all Gillard WAS origionally a member of the Fabian Society.




http://blogs.news.com.au/couriermai...ail/comments/gillard_as_popular_as_nsw_labor/

 

[Smurf1976]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

Sounds to me like the mining companies have not done their sums, and should build portable townships, instead of paying millions per year for overpriced "hotels"

That's much like what used to happen with hydro power construction sites. Build a town, build the scheme, then relocate the town to the next project. The later ones used moveable buildings but the earlier towns were effectively permanent with "normal" houses some of which remain in place today (though quite a few were sold to private owners who cut them in half and relocated them).

It sort-of worked, but as early as the 1960's there was serious consideration to a bus in, bus out model with the new "town" being simply an addition to an established town or city remote from the work site.

Having an entire town where literally everyone works for the same employer, and where the vast majority of workers are male, has its problems. Apart from the more obvious ones, there's the reality that the employer ends up being literally everything from landlord to policeman (given that such towns tend not to have an actual police officer) to running grocery stores and so on. You work for the company, and they end up deciding just about everything - even down to what you'll have for lunch today.

In 1950 people were happy to be safe (from war) and were willing to put up with just about any living conditions. But in 2011 most people want to live in a city or at least a large town with the concept of "single mens quarters" being very much a relic from the past. Unless you literally do join the defence forces, most people don't expect to live like that these days - hence FIFO.

 

[Smurf1976]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

Sounds to me like the mining companies have not done their sums, and should build portable townships, instead of paying millions per year for overpriced "hotels"

That's much like what used to happen with hydro power construction sites. Build a town, build the scheme, then relocate the town to the next project.

It sort-of worked, but having an entire town where literally everyone works for the same employer, and where the vast majority of workers are male, has its problems. Apart from the more obvious ones, there's the reality that the employer ends up being literally everything from landlord to policeman (given that such towns tend not to have an actual police officer) to running grocery stores and so on. You work for the company, and they end up deciding just about everything - even down to what you'll have for lunch today.

In 1950 people were happy to be safe (from war) and were willing to put up with just about any living conditions. But in 2011 most people want to live in a city or at least a large town with the concept of "single mens quarters" being very much a relic from the past. Unless you literally do join the defence forces, most people don't expect to live like that these days - hence FIFO.

 

[prawn_86]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

Smurf makes a good point (as usual).

If the governemnt, state or federal, was to create (or enlarge) towns near mining areas, who would want to live there? Pretty much onyl the people working there, plus a small minority looking to profit. Meaning the population would be mostly single males working for the mines, without much to entice anyone else out there. Why would anyone not in the mines want to live out there? Certainly not for the location, and if they start their own business there are the normal risks associated with that.

Towns need to reach a critical mass, or have a relatively diverse main category of employemnt (such as agriculture) in order to thrive imo.

 

[Intrinsic Value]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

I did a 2 week job in Port Hedland a while back and they had to fly me back to Perth for one night as they had no room for me,flew back the next morning.
$120 a night in the Pilbara be lucky to get a caravan
Who wants to live 7-8 months a year in 40 degree + temperature,QLD might be different but WA most mines are miles from anywhere.
Most young guys with families are taking the cheap rent getting ahead and talking moving on.
Not long ago the iron ore spot price was $165/T putting it on the ship for $15 not hard to figure.

Have to agree here. FIFO is the only way to keep your sanity as there is nothing in these remote WA locations.

I have had the pleasure of going to such places as Leinster, Mount Keith, Port Hedland, Tom Price, Karrath plus a host of others.
Fortunately I usually only have to stay a week or less but it is still too long believe me.

Saudi Arabia where I worked for a long time was more fun than working in remote WA locations.

 

[DB008]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

l've done my fair share of FIFO in WA and l tell ya what, I don't know how people move out (from a normal town) to some of those townships, you'd have be MAD! Seriously, l don't know how people live in such isolation. Crazy. FIFO from a capital city is the only way.

 

[todster]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

l've done my fair share of FIFO in WA and l tell ya what, I don't know how people move out (from a normal town) to some of those townships, you'd have be MAD! Seriously, l don't know how people live in such isolation. Crazy. FIFO from a capital city is the only way.

Yep get on a 9&5 or 8&6 roster get the $$$$ and the time off.

 

[Julia]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

Saudi Arabia where I worked for a long time was more fun than working in remote WA locations.

Interesting comment, IV. Can you tell us a bit more about working in Saudi Arabia?
How was it 'more fun'. Were you unaffected by the religious mores of the country?

 

[Julia]

Julia, the reason Rudd looks so popular is the way the question was asked at the poll.

Pollsters were given three choices and whether you are Labor, Green or Liberal, Rudd was the lesser of three evils, hence the apperance of his popularity.

Well, yes, of course I know that, noco. I'm simply expressing my surprise that Mr Rudd was the most popular of the three.
Perhaps it's still some sort of sympathy thing.

 

[noco]

Well, yes, of course I know that, noco. I'm simply expressing my surprise that Mr Rudd was the most popular of the three.
Perhaps it's still some sort of sympathy thing.

I guess it's like asking someone, would prefer measles. mumps or whooping cough.

None really seems appealing.

 

[noco]

Good to see Quenslanders know a DUD when they see one.

A pity the rest of Australia can't think like a Queenslander.

Quensland is the smart state!


http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...-over-carbon-tax/story-e6freoof-1226060290154

 

[wayneL]

Quensland is the smart state!

::

 

[Logique]

..Quensland is the smart state!..http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...-over-carbon-tax/story-e6freoof-1226060290154

Yes it is. Blasted Cane Toads. Although expecting to cop the usual State of Origin shellacking on Wed night, we Cockroaches will give a good account of ourselves, if only to silence (albeit temporarily) the front bar of the Ross Island Hotel.

 

[noco]

Yes it is. Blasted Cane Toads. Although expecting to cop the usual State of Origin shellacking on Wed night, we Cockroaches will give a good account of ourselves, if only to silence (albeit temporarily) the front bar of the Ross Island Hotel.

Off the beaten track a bit, but the Blues might just have chance this year.

 

[IFocus]

How long was Joh Bjelke-Petersen QLD premier ?

 

[Julia]

How long was Joh Bjelke-Petersen QLD premier ?

From 1968 to 1987.
I'm reading a book about that time (it's a novel but factually based) "Last Drinks" by Andrew McGahan. Quite an insight and revelation to me as I wasn't living in Australia at that time. Unbelievable level of corruption.

 

[sptrawler]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

Fair enough mate but would think it more of a state job but being a Barnett Lover like yourself wont fit your agenda so blame the feds.

Well todster I'm no brain surgeon, however I do remember when in my early 20,s working as a shift sparky on the Kwinana strip. We use to say, this is crazy only refining to pig iron, alumina and nickel sulphate, why can't the bosses see they should be value adding.
Well 30 years on we are still doing the same thing, digging holes shipping the base resource overseas and going nowhere.
We need to think about what happens when the pitt is empty. We still have to eat and we still need water.
Maybe it is time to think about using the north of the country as a food bowl and invest some of the mining money into developing it. It seems as though overseas countries have worked it out and are buying our agricultural land at an unbelievable rate.
It's called thinking about tomorrow, rather than your next meal or ss commodore.

 

[Caveman]

Re: Gillard abandons mining towns

I was talking to a painter the other week on a site.And he said his nephew went up to Port hedland or Karatha or something as soon as he finnished his apprentiship.
He has been there for a few years now,had a fly in fly out job but got the company to credit his airline ticket and he stayed up there,just put the money on his mortgage.
Madness if you ask me but some people like this sort of thing.