Mt Isa fights for its life, and a billion-dollar smelter bailout
The regional centre’s population has slumped by almost 20 per cent over the past two decades. Without taxpayer help, that will be just the start, locals fear.
The Mt Isa skyline is dominated by the smoke stacks that tower above Glencore’s lead and copper smelters. Paul Harris
Mt Isa’s next Rodeo Queen will be crowned on Saturday at a black-tie shindig that marks the end of a year-long charity fundraising drive.
But after spending the week in Canberra lobbying politicians for a billion-dollar bailout of the local copper smelter, Mt Isa mayor Peta MacRae reckons the outback city’s biggest fundraising is yet to come. “The funds they have raised for their charities, while very significant, would be a drop in the ocean for what’s required [to rescue the smelter],” she quips.
Peter KerResources reporterPeter Ker covers resource companies for The Australian Financial Review, based in Melbourne. Connect with Peter on Twitter. Email Peter at pker@afr.com
