Premier Steven Miles endorses KAP legislation aimed at protecting MIM copper jobs

Premier Steven Miles has vowed to protect 1200 jobs at Mount Isa Mines through new legislation if his government is re-elected.

Glencore’s copper smelter at Mount Isa Mines. The company would maintain the copper smelter through other miners’ ore, despite the closure of its own copper operations. However, people such as Mount Isa Mayor Peta MacRae were concerned at the risk of the smelter’s closure as it was a significant piece of infrastructure for the industry. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm

Premier Steven Miles would back legislation to allow junior miners to consider operating at Mount Isa Mines if he was re-elected, and if Glencore continued having no interest in doing so.

This would be to protect the 1200 jobs at risk with the closure of copper operations and concentrator in the outback mining city in the middle of next year.

The last parliamentary session before October’s election ran out of time to debate Mount Isa based KAP leader Robbie Katter’s “use it or lose it” legislation, but he indicated he could capitalise on major parties’ desire to hold Townsville based electorates to get it passed.

Such legislation already had drawn the criticism of the Swiss mining giant which previously labelled it aggressive” and unrealistic.

Mr Katter believed, as did many of his constituents, there was still copper to mine if Glencore was interested in doing so.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles said in parliament he would support Mount Isa Mines through legislation if his government was elected again. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“It’s (MIM) a very small piece of their consideration,” Mr Katter said in a press conference at parliament.

“It’s quite within their means to play around with mines, shelf them, recommission them, but unfortunately it doesn't work well for the people of Queensland.

“Nor does that for progressing the critical minerals economy and all the development we’d like to see in northern Australia.”

Traeger MP Robbie Katter has fought for legislation which would either strip Mount Isa Mines from Glencore if other miners found additional value within the deposits. The intent was to protect 1200 local jobs if the ore was still there to maintain them. Picture: Nigel Hallett

He warned the loss of the jobs would flow through to Townsville through an undisclosed number of Fly In Fly Out workers, and through assets such as Glencore’s refinery, and the Port of Townsville.

Mr Miles told the parliament their interests in protecting mining jobs were aligned.

“Any government that I lead will do everything it can to assist in identifying an alternative owner,” he said.

“If there is a viable owner willing to step up and run the mine, we will do all that we can do to facilitate the transfer of ownership including the introduction and passage of legislation.”

An LNP spokesman was reached for comment on the opposition’s position of the Mount Isa Mines legislation, but did not respond before deadline.

Mount Isa Mayor Peta MacRae said “it would be wonderful news” if the city could protect the 1200 jobs, and was pleased with the Premier’s acknowledgment of Mount Isa’s economic significance to the state, and to coastal cities such as Townsville.

“But I would also like to see us continue to transition and diversify the economy as well, because eventually, you know, resources are finite and it will run out.”

“We just don’t want to kick that tin down the road without taking affirmative action now.”

Originally published as Premier Steven Miles endorses KAP legislation aimed at protecting MIM copper jobs