QRC boss Ian ‘Chainsaw’ Macfarlane has no plans for retirement anytime soon

Ian ‘Chainsaw’ Macfarlane is not retiring to the golf course anytime soon with unfinished business, most notably with the Queensland Government over royalties.

Ian ‘Chainsaw’ Macfarlane is not retiring to the golf course anytime soon.

The Queensland Resources Council boss has unfinished business, most notably with the State Government over its decision to hike royalties on mining commodities.

Macfarlane (illustrated) tells your diarist that there is a chance the decision could be overturned, like the short-lived land tax proposal, but in the meantime the new impost is driving investment away. “BHP has basically put everything on hold in Queensland,” says Macfarlane, who took up the QRC job in 2016 after a distinguished career in politics. “It was a shockwave for them. I don’t want to speculate on the number involved but it’s not in the millions, it’s a big number.”

Macfarlane says that despite the claim the billions in extra royalties will be spent in Queensland, he suspects up to 80 per cent will flow back to the Commonwealth as part of GST arrangements. “There just seems no logic about it. There was no consultation and no understanding of how much money they were going to collect,” he tells City Beat.

The royalties issue aside, Mcfarlane says it’s a good time to be in resources with soaring prices for coal, gas and other commodities. “People are desperate for coal,” Macfarlane says. “We are seeing Russian coal taken out of the market for thermal coal in Europe. The UK and Germany are restarting their coal fired power stations.”

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane.

He says another pressing issue for the resources sector is labour shortages and training. “Migration is not going to fix it,” Macfarlane says. “The industry is obviously under pressure and we are trying to fill a void. You have got to get people to take up trades or do STEM subjects so they go onto university and then come into the industry. The skills shortage is going to be a problem particularly when we are competing against civil construction.”

He says the QRC now has a campaign through the schools to encourage young people to consider a career in resources. “We have launched this video that has had 3 million hits. We want the smartest kids to join the industry.”

Macfarlane says he had plans to take up golf more seriously after retiring from federal politics and the ministry - he is a regular player on Toowoomba’s Middle Park Golf Course. But he has no thoughts of retirement given he is enjoying the policy challenges at QRC as well as his directorships, including a seat on the board of energy giant Woodside.

Macfarlane was off the Houston over the weekend on Woodside business after earlier travelling to Mackay for the QRC. We guess those golf clubs will have to wait.

Got the Blues

Edward Tao, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane, may have been born in Sydney but we hear he no longer backs the Blues in the annual State of Origin battle. Tao told dignitaries attending the 111st Taiwanese National Day at the up-market W Hotel this week that he had switched sides after taking up his Brisbane posting 18 months ago. “I now back the Maroons,” Tao told the event.

Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane, Edward Tao.

Legal Hire

Young legal eagle Kimia Zarei has joined Sunshine Coast compensation law shop Travis Schultz & Partners (TSP) as an associate lawyer. In addition to her work at TSP, Zarei serves as a volunteer at the LGBTI Legal Service and committee member of Queensland Young Lawyers (QYL). Zarei says she was attracted to compensation law because she grew up wanting to help people. “I also love volunteering and believe that anyone in a position of power or privilege should take the time to assist others,” she says.

Originally published as QRC boss Ian ‘Chainsaw’ Macfarlane has no plans for retirement anytime soon