Sbn august 2013

Surat BasinNEWS THURSDAY 29 AUGUST 2013

32 PAGES $1.30 inc GST

inside MPC Site SunWater Lawrence.

Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest has something for everyone Page 8 $15m Miles Airport upgrade almost finished Page 14 Surat Basin builders win big at awards Engineer Colin Murphy (left) and Chief Quality Inspector Butch Page 27

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The Team

inside this edition in theNews

David Richardson General Manager Laurell Ison Media Sales Manager Beth Walker Graphic Design

pages 4-9

SBNEWS Jim Campbell Editor The Surat Basin News will publish every month and will be delivered via the four dominant newspapers of the region: the Chinchilla News,Western Star, Dalby Herald and The Chronicle.

It will reach the homes and offices of almost 50,000 living, working and playing in the Surat Basin, connecting the business and mining communities throughout the booming region.

Plans are to make the newspaper more frequent as the development increases.

Surat Basin News is not a necessity. It was born out of a passion for Australia's fastest growing communities — a passion for a region of unbridled potential and a future of vast economic growth and opportunities.The newspaper, professionally designed and regionally topical, will be a must read for anyone associated with the exciting Surat Basin.

Surat Basin News will allow local businesses to network and communicate with everyone in the 1200 sq km basin, providing unprecedented access to new clients and markets. It will give a revealing insight into major industry while lifting the veil on current and proposed developments.

It will be there for each and every announcement shaping the region's future while profiling the colourful characters that define our communities.

Surat Basin News has gone online to ensure our readers in every corner of the country has the latest news sent directly to them.

View our previous editions on www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews Regular updates on

down tobusiness

pages 14-21

Communities protest against WDRC flood mapping. Details 4. Super Profits Tax) has created "ThePage RSPT (Resource significant uncertainty for the future of mining investment Maranoa election - Page 7. into Australia and would impair theheats value of up previously approved projects and exploration to the point that Santos GLNG &justified," Fire Fest set to wow audiences. Full continued investment can noFood longer be Xstrata Plc chief executive Mick Davis said after Xstrata storyearlier Pagethis8-9. announced month suspending $586

Miles Airport upgrade nears completion Story Page 14.

Affordable housing projects take form. Details Page 15.

Surat Basin builder wins big. Details Page 16, 17.

More than $20,000 in community grants up for grabs. Page 18.

million of expenditure.

building theBasin

Placesandfaces

pages 22-27 pages 28-32 Spare parts business keeps Basin moving. Details Page 23.

Mining camps made easy. Story Page 24.

New business to employ 30 Indigenous people. Page 26 Santos GLNG Roma Logistics Hub wins award. Page 27.

Mongool wins Ekka gong. Page 28.

Apprentices figure in awards - Page 29.

Ostwald Bros hosts huge training day. Story Page 30-31.

Arrow Energy sends juniors to Suncorp Stadium. Page 32

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Ostwald Bros....................................................26 P & E Law ..........................................................19 Pirtek..................................................................28 Platform Lift Company ..................................16 PS & R ................................................................10 Ray White Rural Chinchilla ..........................32 Robin Newsham ................................................9 Roma Glass and Aluminium ..........................17 SM & KA Duff Builders ..................................17 Spaceframe Buildings ......................................27 Speciality Services QLD ..................................7 Trades and Services ..............................30 & 31 United Camp Hire ..........................................21 Uretek ................................................................12 Western Downs Steel Fabrication ..............17

www.suratbasin.com.au

Surat Basin NEWS Next Issue will be available

26 September 2013 Double your profile and build your exposure in the unique Surat Basin Phone Laurell 07 4662 7368 and start building your business www.issuu.com/suratbasinnews

Published by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, Printed by APN Print Toowoomba, 50 Industrial Avenue Toowoomba Q4350 (2012) General Manager - David Richardson, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, PO Box 138 Chinchilla Q4413

Our unique position within the major centres of the Surat Basin allows this newspaper to supply relevant and required information to our local communities.

This newspapers is staffed and driven by passionate locals who have an investment not only in their communities but also the people that reside in them. To gain a foothold in the Surat Basin talk to the people who will work as hard for your business as you do.

Utilise our local knowledge to help you succeed in the Surat Basin Start now phone Laurell 4662 7368

this WEEK TREVOR BROWN Santos Vice President Queensland

"A team of 50 electricians is installing two low voltage electrical switchrooms within the water treatment facility”

Caption: A crane lifts equipment from a hub compressor into place at the smaller of the two gas hubs at Fairview.

Best paid workers are employed as miners

M

INERS are still the best paid Aussies, while retail workers are at the bottom of the pile when it comes to weekly earnings, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Data released by the ABS revealed the average Australian adult earned $1422 a week to May this year - a rise of 5.1% in the year to May. But while most Australians have had a pay rise in the last year, mining industry workers remain the best-paid, earning on average $2423 a week.

That high pay rate compares with the lagging retail industry, where shop-workers could expect just $1022 a week.

Other high-paying jobs included roles in the

professional or science services, at $1706 a week; or in financial services, with weekly earnings at $1645.

But while Queensland might have a lot of miners, the state rated only middle of the road in earnings, at an average $1423 a week.

South of the border, New South Wales' residents could expect $1407 on average in their weekly pay packets.

The public service capital of Australian Capital Territory and resource powerhouse Western Australia again topped the earning list for the year to May. In the ACT, the average weekly pay packet sat at $1702 for residents, while WA workers averaged $1644 a week.

“Fairview 5” water treatment plant set to open in October

C

ONSTRUCTION crews are this week focused on fine tuning the water treatment facility at Santos GLNG's largest gas hub at the Fairview field north of Roma.

Spanning 45 hectares, the hub called "Fairview 04" is the largest of three sites where well gas will be compressed before travelling the 420km pipeline to Curtis Island, Gladstone.

Vice President Queensland Trevor Brown said the water treatment facility would be fully constructed by the end of October following the completion of a similar facility at Santos's smaller gas hub "Fairview 05" three months ago.

"We need the water treatment facilities at each of our gas sites up-and-running before our hub compressor stations or any of our other facilities," Mr Brown said.

"Once these are working we can begin taking water from wells and treating it. In some areas water will be used to grow leucaena, a fodder crop for cattle.

"Our water experts developed the leucaena

irrigation project to sustainably manage our water use and minimise our impact."

Mr Brown said crews were inspecting the gear and connecting pipes and cables now the equipment was in place in the water treatment facility.

"The lining of the 200 mega litre pond is being tested and will soon be commissioned after 12 months of construction," he said.

"A team of 50 electricians is installing two low voltage electrical switchrooms within the water treatment facility.

The switchrooms, each about twice the size of a shipping container, will house electrical switchgear and control panels for the water treatment equipment.

Meanwhile over at Fairview 04, Santos GLNG has started fit-out of the workshop building and erected steel for the administration building The desalinisation pipe and liner on 200ML pond have been installed while they are filling the massive 340ML pond with water for testing.

in the page 5 page 6 page 7 APLNG project moves ahead

QGC on track to deliver

Maranoa election heats up

Planning scheme draft angers local communities D

On August 23, businesses in the Dalby CBD shut their doors for one hour to meet in the council building car park to discuss the impact of council’s draft planning scheme ALBY residents and businesses are up in arms over the way the draft planning scheme has defined the town's flood zone.

The problem is that the draft proposal shows most of the town covered in water under a 1 in 100 year flood event which residents say is unhelpful, unrealistic and does not show the low points.

PETER FORBES Dalby real estate agent

"(All) because of a flood study that has been designed to cover the butts of a few pen pushing scientists in the city who have no interest at all in Dalby or the region,"

A

NGER levels have been rising in Chinchilla with the release of Western Downs Regional Council's flood mapping

document.

The maps are incorporated into council's draft planning scheme, which is currently open for public comment until November 5.

Chinchilla resident Joe Calleja voiced his concerns over the fact that, according to the new flood mapping, his property is now located in an extreme risk flood zone.

This is despite that fact that Mr Calleja said his property has never flooded in the 20-plus years he has lived there.

The residents are angry that the flood mapping incorporates a flood level for a one in 100-year flood event - a level they feel is far too high - and they argued the value of their properties would plummet and they would be

restricted from sub-dividing or developing.

Council's planning spokesman Ray Jamieson said council was yet to finalise the risk management plan for requirements on any future developments within areas that we classified as extreme flood risk.

"Council is very conscious of such outcomes and will consider all such impacts as it deliberates to produce the flood code," Cr Jamieson said.

"The community are encouraged to make a properly-made submission to ensure their feedback is formally considered as part of the development of the Draft Western Downs Planning Scheme."

Chinchilla's real estate agents have also taken the unprecedented step of banding together to show their opposition to aspects of the draft planning scheme.

The group is worried the plan restricts growth of towns in the region and that the flood mapping will have a negative impact on property values.

WATERED DOWN JOE CALLEJA Chinchilla resident

According to the new flood mapping, his property is now located in an extreme risk flood zone They have organised a public meeting to be held at Chinchilla Cultural Centre at 6pm on August 29 to explain their concerns to the community and to help residents to make their formal submissions to council.

On August 23, businesses in the CBD shut their doors for one hour to meet in the council building car park to discuss the impact.

The meeting followed a Say No to Dalby Flood Study meeting which attracted hundreds to the Showgrounds two days earlier.

Dalby real estate agent Peter Forbes said he had seen the ill effects on property values and insurance premiums due to three years of flooding and the existing 2007 study was a very good guideline to flooding in the town.

"I am not against having a study and have used the 2007 flood study happily in my office since its inception," Mr Forbes said.

"I believe this map helps me when selling properties as potential buyers and sellers can get an idea of the low spots around town."

Mr Forbes said he accepted Mayor Ray Brown's statement that said council had a responsibility to people and buildings and they needed to limit development in wet areas in case of a major flood.

"But the problem with that concept is many people including myself own property in the red area already and we are not about to abandon it on the basis of potential flooding which means council's responsibility is not any less," he said.

Mr Forbes said that if the new flood map was endorsed, banks would ask for higher deposits and valuations would be reduced. "(All) because of a flood study that has been designed to cover the butts of a few pen pushing scientists in the city who have no interest at all in Dalby or the region," he said.

"If this goes ahead the town will be worse off financially and emotionally for many years to come."

NEWS page 8

Festival commemorates Roma fire

APLNG Project moves closer to half way milestone

A

USTRALIA Pacific LNG is on track to deliver its first LNG by mid-2015, with the Project now 45% complete.

APLNG has spent around $12.5b as of

June 30 to get this far with community investment (upstream and downstream) amounting to $26.2 million.

More than 70% of the land access agreements required for Phase 1

development are now in place and land access for the main pipeline from Condabri to Gladstone is complete.

Water treatment facilities located at the Talinga and Spring Gully gas fields are already in operation, with a further two facilities under construction and nearing completion at Condabri Central and Reedy Creek.

So far 340 wells had been drilled to

supply the project and the final shipment of steel pipe for the APLNG main export pipeline arrived in Gladstone in May. The main export pipeline is threequarters complete while the laying of gathering pipeline is ahead of schedule with 161 diameter kilometres installed (easement reinstated and revegetated).

APLNG say that they now have more than 10,000 people working on the project including upstream, downstream contractors and employees.

The Temporary Accommodation Village on the Australia Pacific LNG Curtis Island site is now complete with 2600 beds available.

Key gas fields: Spring Gully (operating and being further developed) Talinga (operating and being further developed) Condabri (being developed) Reedy Creek (being developed)

Laing O'Rourke Project Director Paul Milne (right) explains progress at the Australia Pacific LNG Project's Condabri development to league legend and Safety Ambassador Darren Lockyer

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in the NEWS

S

TRONG progress is being made to ensure the Queensland Curtis LNG project will be the world's first project to turn natural gas from coal seams into liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The QGC project, which has been under construction since 2010, will provide cleaner hydrocarbon energy for export markets from 2014.

A QGC spokesman said the total project was now 65% complete with about 75% of the export pipeline completed in the ground.

The full pipeline is expected to be

QGC on track to deliver on LNG contracts completed by the end of 2013.

"On Curtis Island, construction of the liquefaction plant - comprising two production units, known as trains - and other key facilities are well on track," the spokesman said.

The construction of modular components for the plant has been completed. Both LNG storage tank roofs were raised in the first half of 2013.

All 62 modules required for Train 1 and five of the 18 modules that support Train 2 have been delivered. The remaining modules for Train 2 are

scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year.

"In the gas production areas of southern Queensland, the pace of drilling is ahead of expectations with 213 wells drilled from April to June, including a record 77 in June.

"Three quarters of the 2000 wells required for the first two trains to run at capacity have now been drilled. In addition, the first major water treatment facility at the Kenya facility near Chinchilla, about 300 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, has been commissioned and first water was

exported in July."

The spokesman said activity was also well advanced at gas processing facilities, comprising a central processing plant and six associated field compression stations, near Dalby.

These are critical for delivering first LNG in 2014.

It is expected that the LNG plant will be ready to start commissioning with gas around the end of 2013. First LNG sales are expected to begin in the second half of 2014.

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Maranoa seat will be eagerly contested

The seat of Maranoa covers all areas west of Toowoomba to South Australia and NT and from the NSW border north to Winton.

T

HE contestants for the seat of Maranoa in the Federal Election have been announced with seven candidates going head to head.

The electorate spans 43% of Queensland including the entire Surat Basin and is one of the safest seats in the country, Incumbent Bruce Scott of the LNP takes a massive majority, a 65.5% personal vote and 23 years in office into the election and remains overwhelming favourite to win the seat.

Mr Scott said the election was

the clearest choice in a generation.

"From Warwick to Winton and from Blackbutt to Birdsville in the Maranoa, the high cost of living is affecting small business, farmers and families," Mr Scott said.

"At this election, only the Coalition can form the strong, stable government to deliver a stronger economy with more jobs, real help for families and small business and lower taxes."

Mr Scott's opponent in the red corner is Nick CedricThompson, a 29-year-old Roma

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in the NEWS Senate inquiry finds coal wagons should covered A SENATE inquiry into health hazards of coal dust found wagons transporting the fossil fuel should be covered and air quality closely monitored.

The inquiry concluded there were no safe levels of exposure to coal dust particles.

The inquiry was formed after the rising issue of coal dust pollution along train lines in the western corridor through to the Port of Brisbane.

The findings were not surprising for Queensland Resources Council chairman Michael Roche.

He said the committee chairing the inquiry did not give the serious subject the treatment it deserved.

"It comes as no surprise the report targets the coal industry, but that a side, the issue of coal dust is one we do take seriously," he said.

Stop Brisbane Coal Trains spokesman John Gordon welcomed the findings. He said the acknowledgement by health professionals could not be ignored.

"The inquiry took submissions and advice from distinguished Health

social worker.

Mr Cedric-Thompson said he was please Mr Scott matched Labor's pledge of $317m in funding for the Warrego Highway.

"But it's a shame he won't stand up for our local schools and commit to six years of funding that would help young people from the bush gain quality educational outcomes, like the extra funds on the table for Roma State College," Mr Cedric-Thompson said.

Meanwhile Greens candidate Grant Newson is back for

another round after polling 5.2% in 2010.

Mr Newson is strongly antimining and said more needed to be done to protect residents and farmers from the impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mines, despite some Federal Government future safeguards.

The minor party race will be hotly contested with Kingaroybased Joh Bjelke-Petersen's son John standing for Palmer United Party and Condamine farmer Rowell Walton standing as a Katter's Australian Party candidate. Clive Palmer is on

and Air experts. Coal dust emissions from trains are hazardous. Period.There is no safe level of exposure," he said.

Mr Roche said the coal industry intended to have all coal wagons covered through veneering by the end of the year.

He said an air-monitoring system will would be introduced and the results published daily on the Newman State Government's Environment and Heritage website.

"That's why we are committed to veneering 100% per cent of coal wagons," Mr Roche said.

"A dust monitoring program will run for 12 months. It will let us see the quality of the air in different parts of the year and in different seasons."

Mr Gordon criticised veneering coal wagons, saying it was not the most effective method of restricting coal dust particles because the veneering cracked when the wagons moved during travel.

But Mr Roche said veneering was "best practice" and had reduced dust emissions by 80% per cent in central Queensland. the record saying the CSG industry "should take a breather" while Katter's coal seam gas policy states there would be "no exploration or mining activity permitted on landholder's property without the landholder's consent".

The two other candidates are John Spellman (Family First) and George Mousley Clouston (Rise Up Australia Party).

Maranoa voters will head to polling booths across the region on September 7.

Resource industry workers should consider postal voting.

in the NEWS

s GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Foo Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fir & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest

Festival commemorates Roma's ‘Great Fire’ The Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest is one of the region's premier events celebrating Roma's rich cultural diversity and history.

The event was created in 2008 to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Great Fire of 1908, a pivotal event in Roma's history where the accidental discovery of gas on Hospital Hill led to a great fire that burned for 45 days before it was extinguished.

The festival celebrates this first discovery of gas within the area and the

booming industry it has become today.

Since its inception, the Fest has become a vibrant and robust event, promoting a sense of local and cultural pride.

A growing multicultural community, the Maranoa boasts residents from all over the world. Celebrating the town's cultural diversity, the festival includes a variety of local 'Community Chefs' creating culinary delights to share their traditional cuisine with patrons on the night.

This year's event is budgeted at

$100,000 with Maranoa Regional Council having committed $64,000 to the running of the Fest.

Council would like to thank the sponsors of this year's event:.

Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest will be held from 3pm til late on Saturday, 14 September 2013 at Bassett Park, Roma.

This event is supported by Queensland Government and Arts Queensland through the Regional Arts Development Fund.

Sponsors Platinum Sponsor Santos GLNG Project Partner Maranoa Regional Council Gold Sponsors The KB Group Hot FM The Western Star Silver Sponsors Entegy Fyfe Earth Partners Kurtz Transport MI Helicopters Schlumberger Major Sponsor Betta Home Living - Roma FK Gardner and Sons In Kind Support Tox Free Waste Solutions Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE Riversands Wines Boral

Celebrity chef to wow audiences Celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue will star at this year's Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest, to the delight of food lovers across the Maranoa.

Best known for co-hosting food and travel program 'Surfing the Menu' with fellow chef Curtis Stone, Ben has also worked alongside Jamie Oliver and Oliver Peyton.

Fest-goers can learn the tricks of the trade by catching Ben's 'Surfing the Maranoa' cooking demonstration showcasing his specialty: barbecuing.

Ben will be on the judging panel for the Maranoa Mini Mastercook grand finale, as well as hosting a cook-off featuring Maranoa Mayor Robert Loughnan and Santos GLNG Maranoa Regional Manager, Sam Klaas.

Councillor Peter Flynn, Portfolio Chair for Community Development and Events said that event organisers were excited to have secured Ben for the event.

"Ben O'Donoghue is a top-notch Aussie chef, television presenter and

author," Cr Flynn said.

"Attendees have an incredible opportunity to see him in action and learn a few things from a master of Australian cuisine.

"Ben's demonstration will be a big drawcard for this year's Fest and a great addition to the program."

Catch Ben O'Donoghue at the Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest, 3pm til late on Saturday, 14 September 2013 at Bassett Park, Roma.

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in the NEWS

GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food ood & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest S

Entertainers to excite fest-goers Bassett Park is set to light up this September with a jam packed afternoon and evening of entertainment and family fun.

The program for this year's Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest is bursting at the seams with musical, theatrical and fire-themed performances.

African drumming troupe Baala Baajo and Indigenous Sydney duo Stiff Gins' will warm up the stage for headliners OKA who will play into the night with Robert Wolf paints a sculpture in the 'Trees of Life' art installation, to be revealed at the Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest

Artwork adds life to Festival An exciting new art installation is set to be revealed at the Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest, showcasing the creativity of Maranoa locals.

The installation titled 'Trees of Life' comprises a number of sculptures created by local artist Susie Klein and community members, each showing a different facet of our multicultural community.

The sculptural trees have been created using a variety of mediums resulting in colourful and unique pieces.

Councillor Peter Flynn, Portfolio Chair for Community Development and Events said the installation was an exciting addition to this year's event.

"The 'Trees of Life' art installation is a fantastic project, created in conjunction with community members from all walks of life," Cr Flynn said.

"The installation will be placed at the Fest's entrance, giving an immediate sense of colour and atmosphere.

"I am excited to see the final product and congratulate everyone involved for their outstanding efforts."

Following the Fest, 'Trees of Life' will be displayed in selected art spaces across the Maranoa.

This project is an initiative of Maranoa Regional Council, funded by Regional Arts Development Fund (under the Strategic Initiative) and Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs (DATSIMA) Queensland.

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their signature fusion of Australian culture and world music.

A captivating fire performance by Sensory Circus Tribe and a spectacular fireworks display will keep thrill seekers entertained, while foodies are sure to enjoy cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue and sampling of the international cuisine and local wine on offer.

'Elements' art exhibition and amazing sand sculpting will be on show for the

artistically minded along with performances by local choir Vocal Aroma and Dance West and the Flying Wishes Choir.

Kids will have the chance to participate in a variety of fun workshops running throughout the afternoon.

They will be able to try their hand at African drumming, learn circus and acrobatic skills and a try a 'Bollywood Bling' class with Roushini's Fun India.

Mini Mastercooks showcase

Chef Luke Lobegeiger judges the dishes prepared by contestants in Round 1 of the Maranoa Mini Mastercook competition.

One young, budding chef will take out the title of Maranoa Mini Mastercook when the finalists go head to head at the grand finale event.

The 10 young finalists from Injune, Mitchell, Roma and Wallumbilla will battle it out on stage during the Santos GLNG Food & Fire Fest in front of a live audience.

Finalists will be required to cook a nominated dish under the watchful eye of judges Fiona Flanders of Roma TAFE, award winning St George chef Luke Lobegeiger and celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue. Points will be allocated based on knife skills, taste, texture, hygiene and presentation.

Councillor Peter Flynn, Portfolio Chair for Community Development and Events said the Maranoa Mini Mastercook competition had uncovered some surprising culinary talent in its first year.

"Participants were put through their paces during round one of the competition held in June/July and the judges were pleasantly surprised with the results," Cr Flynn said.

"The 10 lucky finalists will be attending a TAFE course to sharpen their culinary skills and techniques in preparation for the finale.

"I encourage residents to come along to the Fest and show their support for the contestants."

The competition is split into junior and senior categories with the youngest participant being just 10 years old and the eldest being 15, it is sure to be a close competition.

Fantastic 'tools of the trade' prizes will be presented to the top three finalists of each category.

Maranoa Mini Mastercook is an initiative of Maranoa Regional Council, with prizes donated

by Betta Electrical and BEKO.

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opinions

SBNEWS

12 Mayne Street Chinchilla, QLD 4413 PO Box 138, Chinchilla, 4413 Phone: 4662 7368 General Manager: David Richardson Advertising: Laurell Ison Editorial: Jim Campbell Design: Beth Walker

Editorial WESTERN Downs Regional Council has run into choppy waters as it attempts to get its draft planning scheme approved the first for the amalgamated region.

The scheme is badly needed as since 2008 this council, like many other amalgamated councils including Maranoa, has operated on the old plans inherited by the councils they replaced. That means that there are idiosyncrasies across the region and as someone seeking planning approval in Dalby faces different hurdles to someone in Chinchilla with Miles different again.

The problem is that the draft released has limited opportunities in towns like Chinchilla, Miles and Wandoan that are straining to cope with the growth that is already there.

The Western Downs is at the epicentre of the Surat Basin's extraordinary growth and while some say the mining boom is over, the region is likely to prosper for at least the next 20 to 30 years as current projects continue to flower into maturity.

Prosperity brings its own problems but nothing that cannot be planned for.

The planning scheme must show how it can resolve the housing crisis by releasing more land to build on.

The threat of flooding can't be ignored but it cannot be used as an excuse to lock Dalby and Chinchilla into their current narrow grids.

While many residents feel let down by the draft plan, the key thing to remember is that it has not been formally adopted.

The public notification period has been extended to November 5, meaning residents still have a chance to have their say. The Surat Basin News urges its readers in the WDRC area to at least read the document and better still give their feedback through a submission.

Shale gas coming

Shipping is a must

Ray Brown Western Downs Mayor

Michael Roche QRC Chief executive

Strong candidates running for the federal seat of Maranoa COMMENT Cr Robert Loughnan Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council

W

HILE I have been a member of the LNP for around five years now, and given the need for a Mayor to collaborate with members of all political parties at different times, I usually decline to comment on elections, be they federal or state.

Certainly, unlike any previous era in federal politics, this whole campaign appears to have become a bit of a popularity contest with local issues largely overlooked in the mainstream media. However, with all the intrigue and interest around this one I will provide a few brief words on the topic; given as some of our major projects, such as Roma's Flood Mitigation and road reconstruction are critical to a continued relationship with the federal government.

I tend to place just as much importance in my local area and concentrate more on how my member will serve me than I do in the national presidential style debates, doorstops and the media cycle in general.The Maranoa electorate of course takes the same name as my regional council area, as well as a large part of Queensland, 42 percent of it in fact. From my perspective, I am pleased to see such a large field of candidates and with most, if not all, being residents of the Maranoa electorate.

Certainly incumbency in one of Australia's safest seats is an advantage for the sitting member Bruce Scott and his recent ascendency to the role of

deputy speaker of the House of Representatives gives him some serious credibility and quite possibly a future Speaker role.The Labor candidate Nick Cedric - Thompson, is not only a local but works for the Maranoa Regional Council here in Roma. I certainly know Nick is a good employee and does some great work in his role with the Aboriginal Legal Service. I am pleased

bonus and I need to thank him sincerely for his service and accessibility to the people of the Maranoa.

Barnaby's decision to move interstate and contest the NSW lower house seat of New England has definitely been one of the big talking points around the Maranoa. As he wasn't able to step into a seat here in Queensland, I have certainly heard a great deal of

ROB LOUGHNAN Mayor, Maranoa Regional Council

Maranoa based players well for that day in what is the 170th anniversary of football in the Maranoa. the party has sought out a credible local candidate rather than parachuting in another university student as they have done in the past.The Katter Party has chosen Rowell Walton who is developing a very strong reputation as an official for the party and his Condamine community.The Greens are represented by Grant Newson, the Palmer United Party has a big name and a genuine good bloke in John Bjelke Peterson and the Rise Up Australia Party has George Clouston, while John Spellman of Family First has scored the first name on the ticket.

In terms of the Senate election I am one of those tragics who will never surrender my vote to any party machine. I exercise my right to research and have a say on each and every candidate in the whole of Queensland even if that process takes up a ballot box for a full two hours. I have to say we have been very well served by our Queensland Senators across all the parties. Having had Barnaby Joyce living just down the road has been a real

ROB LOUGHNAN Mayor, Maranoa Regional Council

I tend to place just as much importance in my local area and concentrate more on how my member will serve me than I do in the national presidential style debates

frustration that might have turned toxic if Barnaby had looked like losing out to sitting member Tony Windsor, who has since withdrawn. I suggest those who sent him south should consider buying Mr Windsor a suitable retirement gift.

Likewise I want to thank all outgoing Senators, and particularly Ron Boswell for some outstanding advocacy for our region and John Hogg who has been a regular visitor.

So good luck to all the candidates in all the electorates across the Surat Basin, in the Senate and further afield. It takes considerable courage to face up to the voters and invite the sort of public scrutiny that being a candidate evokes these days. For me though I hope this election marks the end of the popularity contest that Australian politics seems to have become addicted to.

Finally when election day was rescheduled for September 7 I know the Prime Minister probably didn't put a lot of thought to the inevitable clash with the Darling Downs Rugby grand finals.

Despite the absence of teams from the west, I congratulate the Dalby club on their resurrection this year and wish all players well for the grand final.The Roma league finals will already be decided when this publication of Surat Basin News is published and likewise I wish Maranoa based players well for that day in what is the 170th anniversary of football in the Maranoa.

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opinions

R

ecent visits to Bowen and Townsville have provided me with first hand insights into both the frustrations and aspirations of people working alongside the Great Barrier Reef.

Frustration levels are high in Bowen where the community is feeling jaded after 151 years of disappointments.

As businessman Stephen Darwen told

more than 600 townspeople at a proAbbot Point rally, Bowen has taken more than its share of knocks since declared the unofficial capital of north Queensland in 1982.

It has lost a sugar industry, two meatworks, a large fishing fleet, its own power station and an export port.

Its fortunes are now aligned to a proposed multi-million dollar expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal about 25km north.

The project is one of the most meticulously prepared port development proposals in the country's history.

The proponents knew that a port expansion next to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park would demand the environmental bar be raised and that is what they did with an Australian-first Cumulative Impact Assessment.

It reports on the combined influence on the project area following 16 independent studies into everything from shipping to dredging and noise and light pollution.

The ecologically sustainable development of ports adjacent to the reef is not only achievable but essential for 400,000 people whose livelihoods depend on minerals and energy exports from central and north Queensland.

Despite the efforts of the proponents and aspirations of the communities supporting it, the Abbot Point expansion is being characterised as a crazed attack on the Great Barrier Reef.

Let's get some simple facts into play.

There is no proposal to mine the Great Barrier Reef, cut a shipping channel through it or dump dredge spoil on reefs or seagrass meadows. To begin, Abbot Point is about 40 kilometres from the reef.

Despite this, there is hysteria from activists over a plan to relocate some three million cubic metres of sediment

found there were no significant or long term environmental impacts from the dredging, only a temporary increase in water turbidity (or cloudiness) during the dredging itself, and no impact on fishery values.

Dredging has become the new bogeyman for anti-coal and gas industry activists, evidenced by well-funded and deceitful television, print and social media campaigns.

Activists know that if they can block dredging, they can shut down existing ports, prevent port expansions and effectively cripple shipping trade along 80 percent of the eastern Queensland coastline.

Their attempts to connect concerns over fish health in Gladstone Harbour with port dredging have been rejected by one federal and two state government scientific reports in recent weeks.

These are on the public record and readily available from the QRC website: www.qrc.org.au My visits to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the REEFVTS control centre in Townsville were informative and rewarding.

It was an AIMS-led study released last October that reported the loss of half the GBR's coral cover over the past 27 years.

The loss was due to storm damage (48%), crown of thorns starfish (42%), and bleaching (10%) according to the study

away from the terminal precinct.

The proposed dredging involves three separate campaigns over an estimated five years lasting up to four weeks each - and not the relocation of three million cubic metres in one go.

North Queensland Bulk Ports has managed 19 such projects in the Marine Park since 2002 without incident, including relocation in 2006 of around nine million cubic metres of material in the Port of Hay Point.

An independent review of that program

published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by researchers from AIMS and the University of Wollongong.

As well as meeting some of the people involved with that report, I was honoured to receive a tour of the newly-opened National Sea Simulator (SeaSim) that enables scientists to conduct cutting-edge research on tropical marine organisms.

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COMMENT

Ports and shipping a must for Queensland future Michael Roche Chief Executive Queensland Resources Council

cumulative impact of pressures on tropical marine ecosystems.

Townsville also afforded me a tour of the REEFVTS (Great Barrier Reef Vessel Tracking Service) control room.

REEFVTS is an initiative of the Queensland and Australian Governments and monitors shipping along the entire 2,200 kilometres of the reef - the world's most stringent reporting and monitoring protocol.

Despite a substantial increase in ship movements since 1996, reef groundings fell from one per year to just a single incident in the decade following the introduction of REEFVTS. Commercial shipping has been a lifeline for north Queensland for more than a century and it still is with the Port of Townsville described as the city's greatest asset.

As Queensland grows, so must its ports and the number of ship calls required to keep it functioning.

At the upper end of official forecasts for the reef, ship calls could increase from a current 4600 vessels a year to around 6000 by 2020.

Half of these ships would be carrying exports of coal and gas while the remainder include passenger ships, those carrying exports of sugar, beef, processed minerals and ships bringing in essential bulk imports such as oil to central and north Queensland communities.

This growth is going to occur incrementally, as should the capacity of the environmental protection measures in place.

Queensland's ports and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park have a history of successful co-existence going back to the park's declaration in 1975.

As well as supporting the industries that drive the state's economy - minerals and energy, agriculture and tourism functioning ports and shipping are essential for the livelihoods and well-being of almost one million Queenslanders who work and live alongside the Great Barrier Reef.

opinions

Shale gas a potential future energy resource for years to come

O

VER the last month the spotlight has been on regional planning schemes and locally, Western Downs Regional Council's recently released Draft Western Downs Planning Scheme (WDPS).

There are many layers inside Council's scheme and I encourage Western Downs residents to go to council's website via www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/western-downsplanning-scheme to view this plan and you can make submissions during the public notification stage up until November 5.

Concerns in relation to flooding and fire hazard overlays, residential, industrial and commercial development need to be addressed now to guide future planning for our towns and communities.

The regional plan also identifies Priority Living Areas (PLA) and Priority Agricultural Areas (PAA) and I certainly support the State Government in forming a position on what needs to be protected across the Darling Downs and Central Queensland regions.

In the Darling Downs Regional Plan the areas that need to be protected have been highlighted.

One of the new industries our communities need to be aware of is the shale gas deposits and reserves which are what's commonly known as "tight gas".

These reserves are extremely deep with a depth of 4000

metres and in some cases are over 1000 metres below any water.

Shale reserves have been found in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Queensland where

two recent exploration drilling programs have identified significant gas also underlining coal seam gas in the Western Downs.

There are many different aspects to coal seam gas production and all states and the Federal Government are working with stakeholders to make sure the regulations for the shale industry ultimately protect landholders and the environment.

With the abundance of shale gas in Australia relatively

COMMENT Cr Ray Brown Mayor, Western Downs Regional Council

unknown at this stage, there is a need to gather information on the potential opportunities for our region and understand the challenges that flow on the back of it.

Obviously we will hear a lot more about this gas and it will be imperative that State and Federal regulations are in place and are up to speed with this type of technology that will be utilised in the future.

The Western Downs is living up to its reputation as the 'Energy Capital of Australia' as every day passes.

Due to the energy boom the local agricultural and resource sectors face many challenges in particular with the accommodation of personnel and affordable housing in our towns and communities.

I am pleased to say that positive steps have been taken following the recent announcement that the Western Downs Housing Trust has started the process of alleviating these problems with a new development being approved at Wandoan and well established planning for Chinchilla and Miles.

Stemming from this was the announcement by QGC of its donation of four homes to the Western Downs Housing Trust on a lease arrangement which has been greatly welcomed and will to some extent help ease accommodation pressures in these local communities.

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Ray Brown and QGC Field Corporate Services manager Tony Heidrich celebrate the housing rental agreement.

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opinions COMMENT Howard Hobbs MP Member for Warrego Shadow Minister for Local Government and ATSI Partnerships

H

ave your say on road speed limits The first state-wide review of road speed limits is being conducted in Queensland and I want you to provide your feedback. Some speed limits have been lowered in recent times and now we have a better road and the speed limit hasn't been returned to the 110km limit, sections of the Warrego Highway stand as an example.

There are roads in western Queensland where traffic is sparse and the road is excellent and there should be consideration given to lifting the speed limit to 120km per hour. This is an opportunity to either lower some limits or apply consistent limits in areas where traffic volumes are high and distances are short however it is also an opportunity to raise the speed limits in areas that have long distances and low traffic volumes - one size doesn't fit all. I would also like to see a greater speed tolerance for vehicles when passing another vehicle as in many cases on western roads it is unsafe to pass a without exceeding the assigned speed limit. Submissions can be made online at www.tmr.qld.gov.au/SpeedLimitReview from now up until midnight Friday 6 September or posted to Speed Limit Review, PO Box 673, Fortitude Valley Queensland 4006.

Land Tenure Almost 3000 rural producers across Queensland will soon be able to automatically renew their 'term' leases, rather than facing uncertainty every time their lease is due for renewal. Rural lessees will enjoy 60-years of "rolling" tenure, allowing them to make long term investment decisions.

The State Government is committed to identifying suitable pathways for rural lessees who may be interested in upgrading their perpetual and term leases to freehold tenure.

Further detail on the government's plan to boost security of rural land tenure is contained in the State Government's response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the future and continued relevance of government land tenure across Queensland report. http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-ofcommittees/committees/SDIIC/inquiries/currentinquiries/01-Government-land-tenure There is more information to come and more detail to progress. Work with farm groups to design a land tenure system that provides certainty for Queensland agriculture is ongoing with key

reforms due to be delivered by the middle of next year.

Ergon Energy depots I want to make a clear statement with regard to the Ergon Energy depots in our region.There has not been any instruction to close regional Ergon depots. There are no changes to Ergon Energy depots without consultation and

COMMENT Bruce Scott MP Federal Member for Maranoa

T discussions with staff, which are currently being undertaken by Ergon Energy. The Government welcomes mature debate on these issues and believes strongly that Queenslanders are a definitive part of the decision-making process, through proper and meaningful consultation. Let me make it clear there are no imminent depot closures as a result of the release of the Inter Departmental Committee report.

Charity called on to use surplus state owned land The State Government is inviting 'expressions of interest' from the charitable and not-for-profit sector to develop surplus State-owned land.

There are parcels of surplus government land could be better used by the not-for-profit sector to improve the lives of Queenslanders. There is a need for more crisis housing in some communities currently under housing stress, and as we have growing communities the not for profit sector also grows and they need land to assist with the growth in services. Rather than 'land bank' for the sake of it, we hope to generate interest in the surplus land so not-forprofit organisations can unlock its potential to deliver better services for Queenslanders.

Further details about the program can be found on the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning website at www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/glass

he expansion of coal seam gas and other mining operations has fuelled rapid population growth in the region. Housing and infrastructure development has created new jobs and opportunities but has also presented many new challenges for our communities.

With the continued growth of the resource sector, it is important to promote our region's liveable country towns - not a blurred dot viewed from the window of a FIFO aeroplane.

Towns in the Surat and Galilee basins should not be sucked dry and left skeletal while cities benefit from the profits channelled by the resource industry in the Maranoa electorate.

That's why I believe, on polling day, you will face the clearest choice in a generation on September 7.

It's a choice between the stability and certainty of the Coalition or continued division and chaos under Labor.

The Coalition has a plan for regional Australia and the Maranoa will blossom as a result.

If elected, a Coalition Government will implement: • A health policy that will attract, retain and support health professionals to the regions as well as support students from the bush to further their studies.

•An affordable NBN policy where regions and towns with the poorest services will receive top priority.

•A mobile phone program where blackspots will be identified and targeted.

•Reduce cost-of-living pressures by

abolishing the carbon tax.

•Improve support for regional, rural and remote small business, farmers and families.

•More funding for roads: $317.5 million to upgrade priority sections of the Warrego Highway and $700 million for the second Toowoomba Range crossing.

•In our first term, we'll start building a bigger and stronger five-pillar economy which includes a stronger agricultural industry; education and information economy; service economy; mining industry and manufacturing industries.

As your Federal Member for Maranoa, I have travelled the electorate listening to your hopes, dreams and concerns.And I wanted to let you know, you shaped the Coalition's plan for Australia.

I'm a team player in a strong Coalition team. I'm absolutely committed to getting the best for the electorate and do everything I can for a federal government change.

As a previous minister in the Howard Government and an experienced representative of regional and rural Australia, I am keen to make a significant contribution to an Abbott/Truss Government restoring the confidence of Australians in the economic management and direction of our nation.

Families are the building blocks of our communities and, as the resource sector expands, we need to grow our regional economies by enticing families to live here - a thriving place to call home.

Liveability, health, education and cultural facilities as well as road and transport connections are very real issues and these issues will be addressed under a Coalition Government.

I am absolutely passionate about growing our regional towns and bringing the resource sector's wealth back into our communities.

down to page15 page16 page17 Affordable housing goes ahead

Duff Builders wins award

Roma building takes gong

Miles Airport upgrade nears completion RESOURCE industry development around Miles is set to take off even further in coming months with a multimillion dollar upgrade to the town's airport almost finished.

The $15 million capital

works cost is being funded by Origin Energy, on behalf of Australia Pacific LNG. Origin has taken responsibility for managing the massive project with Leighton Contractors on board to carry out its construction.

The major runway upgrade work is already complete, meaning the strip is now 1590 metres long, 35 metres wide, and with an asphalt

thickness of 45mm.

Origin Energy regional manager Rob Hart said pending certification by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Origin would begin using larger charter planes to transport workers to Miles and use buses between the airstrip and work sites.

Following the CASA approval process, it is hoped the airport would be fully functional by early November.

"This project will help to significantly reduce the amount of traffic and improve safety on local roads," Mr Hart said.

Western Downs Regional Council works and plant spokesman Andrew Smith said the aerodrome would be available for charter aircraft

and smaller general aviation aircraft.

"There are no plans at this stage for general public flights as it is up to a commercial carrier to arrange such flights," Cr Smith said.

The airport upgrade is designed to cater for aircraft capable of carrying up to 70 passengers.

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BUSINESS page18 page19 Affordable housing projects take form Arrow monitors water levels

Easternwell offers new grants

C

ONSTRUCTION is almost finished on a Roma affordable housing project, with project partners Horizon Housing and Santos GLNG expecting the development to be ready by the end of August.

The Roma Community Housing Project on the new Acacia Rd near the hospital will feature 16 fullyfurnished studio apartments to house key workers including apprentices, trainees and customer service staff.

Santos GLNG social performance manager John Phalen said the $1m project was the first development of Santos GLNG's housing The Acacia Rd affordable housing project is set to open by the end of the month. commitments to the region and was happening in record time.

JOHN PHALEN Santos GLNG social performance manager

“$1m project was the first development of Santos GLNG's housing commitments to the region and was happening in record time”

"These apartments will make a considerable difference to ease housing pressures for key workers and we're looking forward to the first tenants taking occupancy in the coming months," Mr Phalen said.

Horizon Housing CEO Jason Cubit said the project had been fast-tracked, reaching the halfway mark in only eight weeks.

"We began construction in May and the first tenants will move in around the start of spring - which is welcome news to many key workers," Mr Cubit said.

"It's really vital to provide opportunities for these workers in order to foster a sustainable workforce for the future."

Builders Sandsky Developments engaged 14 local sub-contractors for the Roma Community Housing Project.

Andrew Stansbie, a local civil works contractor for Sandsky said the local economy would be boosted by local contractor involvement in other affordable housing projects in the pipeline.

"Once complete, the development will help other locals undertake trades here without having to worry too much about housing costs, so it's winwin," Mr Stansbie said.

At the new affordable housing site in Wandoan are (from left) Phil Berting, Cr Ray Jamieson, Jason Cubit, Mayor Ray Brown, Leah Charteris, Anna Campbell, Natasha Wright and Helen Darcy.

W

ANDOAN residents can expect some relief from climbing rental prices after a new residential development was announced for their town.

The announcement was made as part of the affordable housing project of the Western Downs Housing Trust, and represents a step in the right direction for towns struggling with high rents.

The proposed development will accommodate key industry service

workers and local residents.

The proposed new development will consist of four townhouses, including two three-bedroom and two twobedroom dwellings, on 880sq m of vacant land.

Mayor Ray Brown said the affordable housing project would ease accommodation pressures currently experienced in the town.

"Extensive work has been jointly done

by Western Downs Housing Trust, Horizon Housing Company and

Western Downs Regional Council staff, and now we are ready to kick-start this development," Cr Brown said.

"This project will address the strong need for affordable rental housing in Wandoan, and ensure quality accommodation is accessible for local residents and resource industry workers in the future."

The estimated $900,000 development will be funded by QGC and co-delivered by the Western Downs Housing Trust and Horizon Housing Company, with a scheduled completion date of July 2014.

The trust is also working on a major project in Chinchilla, where it is currently giving away a two-bedroom weatherboard house.

Trust secretary Greg Jones said the house was being offered up for free in order to clear the Barber Street block where it plans to build five townhouses.

The lucky recipient will, however, need to pay all costs involved in removing and relocating the building.

Applications should be sent to Western Downs Housing Trust: PO Box 1121, Dalby, 4405.

For more information phone Mr Jones on 5577 5716.

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down to BUSINESS

Duffs win best commercial building SM & KA Duff Builders are delighted with the recognition from their peers after taking out one of the major awards at the Darling Downs Master Builders Awards night.

The Roma-based building company won the award for Best Commercial Building under $5 million.

SK & KA Duff Builders won the award for the Sharp Engineering building in Duke

St, Roma and they will now go into the running for the state awards later this year.

SK and KA Duff Builders coowner Stephen Duff said the company was honoured to win the award.

"To be judged by your peers and win the award was great," Mr Duff said.

"For a very small mum-anddad operation with four employees, it is very

satisfying."

Mr Duff said the Sharpe building was done on budget and on time and using mostly local subcontractors.

"We won the same category in 2008 for the Department of Natural Resources building in Roma," he said.

The awards night was held on the evening of July 27 at the City Golf Club in Toowoomba.

Stephen Duff (right) receives the award for Best Commercial Building under $5 million at the Master Builders Awards for the Darling Downs region.

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We are Dulux® Accredited Painters based in Toowoomba, but servicing the local area as well. So if you need a painter in Roma, Chinchilla, Miles, Wandoan, St George, or points in between, we can assist with all of your painting needs.

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Awards recognise building quality SM & KA Duff Builders provides expert, professional construction services you can rely on. Based in Roma, they help customers in all sectors make their visions a reality.

The company provides the expertise that any building or construction project requires.Their skilled professionals are focused on delivering the results you need with a proven history of award-winning projects.

Stephen Duff is the company's director and licenced builder. Stephen has over 20 years in the industry and a wealth of experience and happy customers behind him.The company uses all local tradesman and suppliers working from a strong family-owned financial base and guaranteeing high quality workmanship and design integrity throughout the entire project.

Duff Builders is not only affiliated with great companies locally - they are partnered with The Housing Industry and Master Builder Associations of Australia.Their buildings are also testament to their reputation for great workmanship and include the recent award winning Sharpe Engineering Administration Building located at 82-86 Duke Street, another award-winning building for the Department of Natural Resources in Quintin St, Roma, and the dental surgery (Kevin McGuire Building) with state of the art facilities in Bungil St, Roma.There are also numerous residential homes in various estates and on properties around the town and district.

SM & KA Duff Builders Pty Ltd are ready to assist you with residential, commercial and industrial projects.

Give them a call on 4622 4633.

STEPHEN DUFF SM & KA Duff Builders Company Director

"For a very small mum-and-dad operation with four employees, it is very satisfying."

Our accuracy means no project delays!

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Call Stephen Duff 0428 728 043 Awarding Winning Builders - Building for the Oil & Gas Industry within the Surat Basin

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Easternwell community grants

C

OMMUNITY groups across the Surat Basin region have a golden chance to fix their tired old buildings or fund new support services with Easternwell community grants now up for grabs.

Easternwell, one of Australia's leading drilling and well servicing companies, launched its latest round of community grants on August 20.

More than $20,000 will be awarded to eligible

community groups, associations and committees in key areas of the company's operations, including the Surat Basin.

Established in August 2011, Easternwell's community grants program provides financial and social assistance to the areas of education, community, health, indigenous, safety, training and youth.

Since it began, the program has provided over $90,000 to more than 56 groups and organisations across the

country.

Dalby State School, a recipient of the 2012 Community Grants program, received $2,000 to go towards improving the outdoor equipment for their infants, toddlers and early phase students.

Dalby State School Principal Mona Anau said the funding had made a huge difference.

"The money received from Easternwell went towards supporting the school's new active early learning program,

which was designed for young children under four years of age," Ms Anau said.

Easternwell's chief operating officer Darren Greer said the program was established to support small, lesser known groups that provide lasting benefits to the community.

"We are committed to ensuring the future growth of the Surat Basin and with each lot of funds allocated, the sustainability of each recipient is a little more secure," he said.

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Groundwater modelling

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RROW Energy is hoping to improve modelling of the sensitive Condamine Alluvium after installing new groundwater monitoring bores on an intensively farmed property near Dalby.

Arrow has placed four groundwater monitoring bores into the Condamine

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Alluvium and deeper formations to study water movement between the Alluvium and the Walloon Coal Measures, as part of the Condamine Interconnectivity Research Project.

The Queensland Government's Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) oversees the project in which Arrow will

ARROW's new groundwater monitoring bores on a farm near Dalby (Photo courtesy of Arrow Energy)

WHAT IS THE CONDAMINE ALLUVIUM

The alluvial groundwater systems of the Condamine River and its tributaries cover an area of around 8500 square kilometres, commencing in the headwaters near Killarney and extending downstream to the Balonne River north of Glenmorgan.

The alluvium and tributaries have been extensively used for irrigation, industrial, stock and domestic purposes.The cumulative impact of major irrigation growth in the 1960s led to overuse of groundwater. In 1970 the government limited further access to Condamine River alluvial groundwater systems. A moratorium to limit development of groundwater in this area was published in June 2008.This moratorium was recently amended to further restrict new take of groundwater in the system.

collect and analyse groundwater samples from deep within the monitoring bores.

The results will feed into OGIA's Surat Cumulative Management Area groundwater model to be reported in their Underground Water Impact Report (UWIR).

The UWIR shows that planned CSG development will result in some leakage of water from the Condamine Alluvium into the underlying Walloon Coal Measures over a long period.

The OGIA uses groundwater models to predict impacts on groundwater users as a result of drawdown in groundwater levels from agriculture and industry.These are used to assign make good obligations to the responsible company.

Although OGIA said the year to year

leakage is small compared to other discharge and recharge to the Condamine Alluvium, it was an important issue because the Alluvium was an essential water resource for irrigation which was "already heavily stressed under existing groundwater extraction".

Arrow said the site would be rehabilitated and the land occupied during drilling will be returned to its original state ready to crop once the analysis was completed in September.

"Three of the monitoring bores will continue to be used for Arrow's monitoring obligations under the UWIR," an Arrow spokesperson said.

"All of the monitoring bores will remain on the property for ongoing monitoring activity, before being fully rehabilitated."

planning, environment & native title law specialists Directors

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Coal Seam Gas Landholder Update Specialist lawyers, p&e Law are holding free information and advice evenings for Landholders on the latest issues affecting coal seam gas development in Queensland. The presentation will include: s 4HE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR NEGOTIATING A #ONDUCT AND #OMPENSATION !GREEMENT ##! s #OMPENSATION PRINCIPLES s %NVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INCLUDING GROUNDWATER AND hMAKE GOODv REQUIREMENTS s ,ATEST DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDING THE NEW #OMMONWEALTH hTRIGGERv AND ,AND #OURT CASES s 4IPS AND ADVICE WHEN NEGOTIATING WITH #3' COMPANIES -ATT 0ATTERSON PARTNER AND LAWYERS !DAM 0HILLIPS AND ,AUREN #OMAN ARE HOSTING THIS PRESENTATION FROM PM PM IN both Roma and Dalby SEE DETAILS BELOW Monday, 2 September 2013 AT THE 2OMA %XPLORERS )NN &UNCTION 2OOM 7ARREGO (IGHWAY 2OMA AND Tuesday, 3 September 2013 AT THE $ROVERS -OTOR )NN

$RAYTON 3T $ALBY To secure yourself a seat, please liaise with Denise Nelson on email denise@paelaw.com by Wednesday, 28 August 2013.

4HE TEAM WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK INFORMALLY ABOUT MATTERS concerning your property.

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Residents say high voltage power network is ‘too close to homes’

T

HE prospect of a government owned company using legislation on a new project to put family, homes and businesses at risk has a group of landholders in Wallumbilla North up in arms.

The company is Powerlink Queensland which has been requested by Santos GLNG and Australia Pacific LNG to establish direct connections into the high voltage transmission network to supply power to future gas processing facilities in the area west of Wandoan and east of Injune.

The project Wallumbilla residents are upset about is the proposed Yuleba North to Blythdale Transmission Line which links power stations near Wandoan with Santos GLNG's gasfields near Roma.

Eighteen landholders have formed the Woodduck Landholder Group, named after the State Forest adjoining their properties, to confront this risk. Not because they are against the project but because the preferred alignment comes too close to homes, property entrances and school bus zones.

The group has asked Powerlink Queensland to ensure the 275,000 volt transmission line is placed in in an area that will: • guarantee the health and safety of people in the vicinity of transmission line developments, particularly children who must wait for school buses at designated locations • maintain a one kilometre safety buffer between transmission lines and family homes • minimise the impact of transmission line developments on farming businesses So far Powerlink has refused to accede to those demands though they say discussion is ongoing.

Powerlink CEO Merryn York said she

Woodduck Landholders Group's Rebecca Beissel with son Beau Beissel and daughter Maggie Beissel and Jenny York are concerned Powerlinks' transmission project will affect their health and safety. personally wrote to the group on July 18 to guarantee they would do everything they reasonably could to look at their alignment requirements.

"Powerlink is making every effort to work with the group and has offered to workshop alignment options including their preferred option, despite its location outside the project Study Corridor," Ms York said.

"In addition, we have completed the fieldwork necessary to consider the group's preferred alignment."

In a letter to the Western Star the Landholder group said they had been

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"bullied, threatened and intimidated" by Powerlink.

"We have been subjected to endless lies, misinformation, negligence, incompetency and unethical behaviour," the letter said.

"Alarmingly, landholders have no legal rights in this process to protect their homes, families and businesses."

This latter statement refers to the fact the project is being developed as "community infrastructure".

This allows Powerlink to acquire land rights for easements and substation sites under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 which does not offer the same safeguards

as acts used for the coal seam gas industry.

The landholders say that only the CSG industry will benefit from the projects however Santos GLNG are staying out of the argument.

"Santos GLNG is not involved in the construction or operation of the highvoltage transmission network, it is owned and operated by PowerLink," a company spokesman said.

"As such PowerLink is responsible for dealings with private landholders on matters relating to the new transmission line."

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GasFields Commision questions Government plan SHANE CHARLES GasFields Commisioner

T

HE GasFields Commission has raised concerns about the Queensland Government's plan to remove the requirement for Social Impact Management Plans (SIMP) for resource projects.

At its August meeting in Toowoomba,

commissioner Shane Charles said there could be potential implications for regional communities with the transition from SIMPs to the new Social Impact Assessment (SIA).

The Queensland Government brought in the new SIA guideline in July in a move it said was towards a "risk-based, outcomesfocused approach as opposed to detailed, prescriptive regulation".

However there have been community concerns the SIA conditions would be more lax than the SIMPs they replace.

The commission said it would seek

There could be potential implications for regional communities with the transition from SIMPs to the new Social Impact Assessment (SIA). clarification from the Coordinator General's Directorate within the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning on the changes.

In other commission news, Commissioner Ian Hayllor reiterated the need for greater communication and education for landholders on the process of compensation for affected water bores. Mr

Hallyor said he was liaising with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) on developing a new fact sheet and guide to help better explain the “make good” process for landholders.

Commissioners Hayllor and Raine are also assisting EHP to engage with relevant rural stakeholders to gain feedback on the department's proposed guidelines for best use of CSG produced water.

What if there was a genuine heavyweight equipment rental alternative in the Surat Basin?

GasFields Commissioner Shane Charles raised concerns about the State Government's new Social Impact Assessment policy for resource projects.

Pat Staines Mobile 0417 671 088 Phone 07 4627 2660 Email towing@machinerysolutions.com.au 146 Mary St, Miles QLD 4415 www.machinerysolutions.com.au

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Onsite has a broad range of rental equipment spanning the length and breadth of the country, and we proudly service many of Australia’s largest Mining, Construction, Industrial and Government Organisations.

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More success for FKG

CMS new distributor of Faresin Telehandlers CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY SOLUTIONS Ph: (07) 4627 2660

CONSTRUCTION Machinery Solutions is pleased to announce their partnership with Faresin Industries as a distributor for the Faresin Telehandler range.

Peter and Deb Delaforce, owners of CMS, have been looking for some time to compliment and expand their business with a new range of equipment for hire and sale.

Faresin Industries is a state-of-the-art company whose focus is constantly directed towards their customers' needs.

Mr Delaforce said the Faresin brand was associated with quality, innovation, capability and performance along with the latest technology.

"The Faresin Telehandlers are quieter and more resistant, they provide increased visibility with few visual obstacles while moving and ensure greater safety in control resulting in safety and satisfying the needs of the user."

CMS specialise in maintenance, sales and hire of access and earthmoving equipment to the construction, mining and government industries and since expanding to Miles and Wandoan in 2012 they have experienced strong growth and the new range of Faresin Telehandlers will add more opportunity for their existing customer base and potential

Head ofďŹ ce Roma

customers.

As a Faresin Telehandler distributor CMS will be backing up their new equipment and hire fleet with warranty and service to the new range through their workshop and field service teams.

Based in Brisbane, Miles and Wandoan, CMS offer local support and service to their clients across their hire and sales divisions.

For more details on the Faresin Telehandler range of equipment contact CMS on Ph: (07) 4627 2660 or via website: www.machinerysolutions.com.au

BASIN Murphy Pipe and Civil Communications Manager Glenn Pfluger was on hand to present a $2000 cheque to Wandoan Swim Club students and their coaches Leesa Rathbone (left) and Christine Sinnamon.

Spare parts business keeps Surat Basin moving Tilly's has the solution to your parts problems.

Tilly's Crawler Parts has built a reputation of being an easy company to deal with and having the flexibility to offer quality second hand parts and non-genuine new parts for Caterpillar and Komatsu at realistic prices.

According to general manager Don Frost,Tilly's quality control on the second hand system means that customers can receive the parts they are looking for in "as is" condition or to Tilly's reconditioned specifications.

"The aim is to give the customer the best possible value for money in both second hand and new parts," Mr Frost said.

"Our new parts have been sourced from all over the world and often from the same factory as the genuine item.

"So for the genuine advantage on parts and price

Tilly's is the first and last stop for your parts needs."

The current stock of new parts, to suit Caterpillar and Komatsu, is the best it has ever been with over 25,000 line items available.

Tilly's offers a full track press service with same day turn around when work is booked in.Tilly's carries a large range of undercarriage for immediate delivery.

Ground Engaging Tools (G.E.T) has become an important part of the Tilly's business with G.E.T being imported direct from international factories to Toowoomba and Tillys' now stocks the highly regarded BYG range of G.E.T. Tilly's is also always on the lookout for machines to buy for dismantling so if you have been thinking of selling contact Tilly's on 1800 076 280 or 1800 TILLYS

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Mining camps made easy R emote living in outback Queensland can put a worker through some of the harshest weather conditions in Australia. United Camp Hire provides an oasis at the end of the sand storm.

The Brisbane-based company was set up by a group of people who have been involved in the mobile camp and catering business for an extensive period of time.

UCH can offer prospective clients not only all of their mobile camp requirements, but also a full turnkey package covering catering, housekeeping and camp management. designed to provide the highest level of comfort, yet are robust enough to handle the harsh conditions synonymous with remote mining, exploration and

construction environments."

UCH camps can be configured to suit personal requirements and are available for short or long term hire for periods to suit the client's needs. Camps can be delivered to any location in Australia and are installed and maintained by their team of qualified and safety focused personnel.

United Camp Hire's container style accommodation is ideal for limited access locations and suitable for all climates and environments.The sturdy design allows the camps to be relocated on a regular basis if required.

"We pride ourselves on delivering a professional, well maintained product while developing a close working relationship with our clients".

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building the BASIN

C

Building on award success

OMMERCIAL construction and civil contractor FK Gardner and Sons Group (FKG) has established thriving working relationships in the Surat Basin region for more than 15 years. The work stemming from the region has ensured the continued growth of the company, which now employs over 900 people across Australia.

FKG's success was recently recognised when they received nine accolades at the recent Queensland Master Builders, Downs and Western Region Awards Evening held at the City Golf Club in Toowoomba. Amongst these awards was the highly coveted Project of the Year which was awarded to FKG's new head office complex, located on McDougall Street in Toowoomba.

When viewing the premises, it is easy to see why it caught the eye of the judges. The development is unlike anything else currently available in the wider Darling Downs area. This can largely be attributed to the tailor made design which was completed by FKG's in house design team.

Aside from the incorporation of a

• I feel as though our new facilities further enhances our company's family culture through inclusions like our Early Learning Centre, gym and pool, which complement our existing employee benefits" Mr Gardner said.

In addition to the FKG Head Office Complex Project of the Year and Category, FKG also secured the following awards: • Health and Education Facilities $5million - $20million, Goondir Health Centre, Dalby • Industrial Building over $10million,Vinidex Industrial Facility,Toowoomba • Innovation in Workplace Health and Safety - Planning for Safety Campaign • Civil Contractor of the Year - Jellicoe Street Bridge • Apprentice of the Year Wade Davidson • Apprentice Employer of the Year • Women in Construction Rhonda Mugford For FKG, this year marks the fifth straight win for the group in the Civil Contractor of the Year

fresh, open plan office area, boardrooms that feature the latest technology, a large galley kitchen including wood fired pizza ovens and impressive outdoor entertainment area, the facility also

category.

Mr Gardner attributed these achievements to his construction team members.

"It is an honour to be recognised

by Queensland Master Builders for

ction onstru C l ia erc Comm

boasts a number of beneficial amenities for team members to utilise including a gym, pool and Early Learning Childcare Centre.

For FKG Executive Chairman Gary Gardner, the project was one that he was particularly passionate about. The completed complex had to reflect the current culture at FK Gardner and Sons.

all of our hard work; it is testament to the project team and subcontractors who worked on the various projects" he said.

All of the projects and individuals listed above will now progress to the Queensland Master Builders State Awards to be held on the October 4 at the Sofitel in Brisbane.

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building the BASIN basin

Lending a hand Surat Basin business set toon employ 30 the land indigenous people THE deep connection between the land and its traditional owners will be the bedrock for a new Surat Basin business venture that is set to employ 30 indigenous people.

A crowd of more than 100 people gathered in Miles for the launch and open day of Iman Operations' two new companies - Surat Basin Land Management Services (SBLMS) and Murra Commercial Cleaning.

National operations manager Paul Paisley said the businesses had been set up using royalties paid by resource companies to the Miles region's traditional owners, the Iman people.

Mr Paisley said it was the deep connection the Iman people had with the region that inspired one particular side of the business.

"That's why we went into land management," he explained.

"These people belong to the land and this business combines their beliefs with their work."

The businesses are now seeking contracts in the resource industry across a range of areas including land management, water carting and cleaning.

And while the focus is squarely on the Surat Basin, Mr Paisley hopes to expand nationally.

"This venture really is something special and it's something that this whole region can be proud of," he said.

Guests at the open day were treated to bush tucker and also a traditional dance performance.

Celebrating the opening of SBLMS in Miles are (from left) Danny Doyle, Paul Paisley and Martin Doyle.

For interested companies or individuals Dynamic Drilling are currently offering the following for hire or lease – • Training Room for hire • Sharing yard and shed space with road frontage on Cooper street • Water truck hire

For more information and enquires please phone 46729400 or email admin@dynamicdrilling.com.au

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building the BASIN

Spaceframe wins prestigous award

T

he builder of the Santos GLNG Roma Logistics Hub has been recognised at this year's Downs and Western Downs Master Builders Housing and Construction Awards.

Spaceframe won the industrial building ranging from $5 million to $10 million award in the region and will be judged against other regional winners in the state final in October.

Spaceframe, founded in Brisbane in 1972, is renowned for its design and construct innovations and solutions.

The Roma Logistics Hub is a modern logistics facility served by a fibre optic link, a Warehouse Management System and state-of-the-art video conferencing to allow easy communication with the Project's Brisbane headquarters.

Santos GLNG Vice President Queensland Trevor Brown said the award was

recognition of the quality work Spaceframe had carried out for the Santos GLNG Project.

"The Santos GLNG Roma Logistics Hub is almost a year old now and has meant the number of trucks going through the town of Roma has been greatly reduced," Mr Brown said.

The Santos GLNG Roma Logistics Hub comprises 3,000 square metres of covered warehousing with over 1500 pallet spaces,

fully equipped offices and staff facilities. It's been designed to cater for a range of inventory and includes bulk storage.

"It took eight months to build and is the equivalent of around 11 Olympic swimming pools in size and is 11 metres tall," Mr Brown said.

"Santos GLNG wishes the team at Spaceframe all the best for the Queensland finals later this year."

Spaceframe won their award for the Santos GLNG Roma Logistic Hub. Full list of winners Specialty & Construction • Trade Contractor - Carpentry, Joinery, Shopfitting & Cabinet Making - Andrew Lack - Moore Stephens Office Fit Out • Trade Contractor - Swimming Pool, Outdoor Living & Landscaping - Downs Designer Homes Pty Ltd Caithness Court • Health & Education Facilities up to $5 million - Sommer & Staff Constructions Pty Ltd - MacKintosh House • Health & Education Facilities $5 million - $20 million - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd - Goondir Health Clinic • Sporting & Community Service Facilities up to $5 million - G & K Lawson Constructions Pty Ltd Church of Christ Toowoomba North • Tourism & Hospitality Facilities over $5 million - J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders - Reedy Creek

Faster Simpler Smarter

• Refurbishment/Renovation up to $5 million - J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders - Hume Street - Griffith University Medical Fitout • Retail Facilities up to $5 million - J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders - Highfields Woolworths • Industrial Building up to $5 million - RKL Building & Design Pty Ltd Hillman Street • Industrial Building $5 million - $10 million - Spaceframe Buildings Pty Ltd - Santos GLNG - Logistics Facility • Industrial Building over $10 million - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd Vinidex Industries Facility • Commercial Building (office accommodation) up to $5 million Stephen Duff T/A SM & KA Duff Builders - Sharpe Engineering • Commercial Building (office accommodation) $5 million - $15 million - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd - FKG Head Office Complex • Commercial Building (office

accommodation) over $15 million - J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders - Chinchilla COPS • Innovation in Workplace Health & Safety - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd • Innovation in Environmental Management - J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders Housing • Best Heritage Style Home - Scott Shelton T/A Shelton Homes - Protea • Housing for Sloping Sites over $426,000 - Emmert Homes Pty Ltd Ballard Creek • Home Renovation/Remodelling Project up to $275,000 - Ross T Turner - Bullen Manor • Home Renovation/Remodelling Project $276,000 - $575,000 Roulston Builders Pty Ltd Deconlay • Home Renovation/Remodelling Project over $576,000 - D J Buckley Builders Pty Ltd - Argyle Stud • Best Bathroom - D J Buckley Builders Pty Ltd - Argyle Stud • Best Kitchen - Downs Designer

Homes Pty Ltd - Kara House " Individual Home up to $275,000 - Cas Designs (Qld) Pty Ltd T/A Hotondo Homes Kingaroy Marcoola • Individual Home $276,000 $375,000 - Antonio Building Pty Ltd - Bella Maison • Individual Home $376,000 $475,000 - Mark Winter T/A Mark Winter Constructions - Winter House • Individual Home $476,000 $625,000 - TS White Builders Pty Ltd - Bain House • Individual Home $626,000 $775,000 - Edan Zerbst - Astbury House • Individual Home $776,000 - $1 million - WFL Multitask Pty Ltd Rowbotham Street • Individual Home $1 million - $1.5 million - RKL Building & Design Pty Ltd - Loughlin House • Individual Home $1.5 million - $2 million - Downs Designer Homes Pty Ltd - Kara House

• Individual Home over $2 million M J Fallon Pty Ltd T/A Martin Fallon Family Homes - Jensen Residence Majors • Civil Contractor of the Year - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd - Jellicoe Street Bridge • 2013 David Turton Memorial Award - Edward (Ted) Storey 'Dalby Wheatmen' Rugby Club Extension • Apprentice of the Year - Wade Davidson • Apprentice Employer of the Year FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd • Women in Building Award Rhonda Mugford • Rising Star Award - Nick Sweet • President's Award - Mark Winter T/A Mark Winter Constructions Winter House • Project of the Year - FK Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd - FKG Head Office Complex • House of the Year - Downs Designer Homes Pty Ltd - Kara House

Spaceframe, a proud family enterprise built from a solid 40 year construction platform, are a dyanmic, leading provider of design and construction services across multiple industry sectors and now a Master Builders Regional Award Winner.

Master Builders Housing and Construction Downs & Western Award Winner Industrial Building over $5M-$10M Santos, Roma Brisbane Award Winner Industrial Building under $5M SSS Auto Parts,

places and Lending a hand on the land

page 29 page 30 page 31 Moongool wins Santos award Apprentices win big

T

HE Price family from Yuleba confirmed their status as one of Queensland's great cattle breeders taking out two major gongs at

this year's Brisbane Ekka.

The Prices won the coveted Santos-sponsored Champion of Champions interbreed bull and Champion of Champions inter-breed pairs sashes.

Moongool Gunsmoke, a Charolais bull, won the Champion of Champion bull award for the Price family and it was paired with an Airlie Charolais from the McLachlan Group

Ostwalds train for the future

for the inter-breed pairs award.

Breeder Ivan Price said it was always a thrill to go to the Ekka and to come away with some success.

"We've been going down

Out and about in Dalby

there for 24 years now and we've been lucky enough to win the Champion of Champions inter-breed pairs four times," Mr Price said.

"This is the first time we've won the Champion of Champions interbreed bull."

The Champion of Champions' competition brings the winners from each cattle breed together and crowns the overall best bull and cow on display at the entire Ekka.

Santos GLNG Vice President Queensland Trevor Brown said the event was the jewel in the crown for Queensland's stud cattle breeders and they were delighted to be part of it.

"All exhibitors who qualified for the Champion of Champions should be

very proud of what they have achieved, it was a top quality line up of stud cattle," he said.

Mr Price said Moongool Gunsmoke was a real industry focused type bull.

"He weighs 1022kg and he is only 23 months of age," he said.

"He is heavily muscled and has 16-20mm of fat.

"In the cattle industry you want cattle with good fat scores and great muscle scores."

As well as sponsoring the Champion of Champions award, Santos GLNG was the major sponsor of the Droughtmaster competition.

Mr Brown said this was same breed that the company has on its cattle properties around Roma and Injune.

Queensland leads CSG industry

Back: Santos Queensland vice president Trevor Brown, Glen Waldron holding Moongool Charolais and Blake Munro.

Front: Ivan Price with Alastair Bassingthwaighte holding the cup. (Contributed)

THE coal seam gas industry is booming in Queensland as New South Wales continues to lag behind the Sunshine State, new figures have revealed.

Data from the gas industry lobby, collated from internal company information, revealed $60 billion pouring into Queensland through gas resources.

The industry figures show more than 27,000

people are now employed in Queensland on gas projects, with 300 new wells on line in the first quarter of this year.

But in the same period, APPEA external affairs director Michael Bradley said no new wells came on line in NSW. He said the state continued to import 95% of its natural gas needs, and the failure to address the problem could result in higher energy costs.

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FACES page32

Arrow sends kids to Suncorp Stadium

Apprentice figures in award

R

Roma TAFE student Jesse Johnston remains focussed on his career after narrowly missing out on a major award at the Queensland Training Awards.

Competing in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year category, Jesse was pipped by another TAFE student at the Toowoomba-based official awards night, Chantal Harth from Nurunderi TAFE. Jesse is employed by Golden West Apprenticeships and hosted by Santos GLNG to service and maintain large gas engines and compressors.

Jesse recently graduated from his Certificate II in Engineering and has taken up his Certificate III. Jesse said there he learned everything from tuning G3600 gas engine to measuring cylinder bores on compressors.

"My career dream is like everyone else's - to win the lotto," Jesse said.

"But really, I'd like to become a one-of-a-kind tradesman."

Roma TAFE's Workplace Training Officer Sue Roche said they were proud of Jesse's achievements.

N

INE young apprentices from the Roma region are among 30 successful candidates for the Origin Community Skills Scholarship program for 2013.

The Roma apprentices who will

"We're incredibly proud of Jesse and his achievements - he's a great student with a good sense of humour and a strong work ethic.These qualities will take him far, both in this competition, and in his career," Ms Roche said.

Surat Basin future bright with exceptional apprentices

be learning and earning in their local communities are: Luke Cant, Johnathon Ballard and Brody Hourn (Flemings Welding Service), Cooper Mellon (Roma RACE), Shannen MacDonnell (O&G Joinery), Darcy Cavanough (Sharpe Engineering), Emma

QTA Darling Downs finalist Jesse Johnston at the Roma TAFE Campus.

To introduce current and former scholarship winners,an induction day and presentation will be held in Miles on Wednesday, September 4

Gelhaar (Hair FX on McDowall), Austin Wells (NJ Contracting) and Hayden Pallisier (KHB Construction, Mitchell).

The MacDonnell family from Roma are a great example of how the program works, with 17year-old Shannen this year joining

elder brothers Scott, 19, and Ashley, 21, as previous scholarship winners.

Shannen, a school-based apprentice studying Certificate III in Cabinetmaking, said she was very pleased to win the scholarship.

"It will really help me throughout my apprenticeship with costs and transport," Shannen said.

"When I finish school I'll have to start paying board at home."

Proud parents Kelly and Terry said the fact all their children had won scholarships and were able to find work locally helped them to stay in their local community.

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"The scholarship is great for young apprentices and in the long run it's been really good for us as a family," Mrs MacDonnell said.

Now in its seventh year, the Community Skills Scholarship program enables apprentices in the region to receive up to $13,500 (before tax) in scholarship payments while they complete apprenticeships in the local area.

To welcome the new candidates to the program, and to introduce current and former scholarship winners, an induction day and presentation will be held in Miles on Wednesday, September 4.

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Shannen MacDonnell at work at O&G Joinery.

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Remote communities in the driver's Lending aseat hand

L

Leading Queensland-owned industry services company Ostwald Bros is putting regional Australia in the driver's seat using state of the art simulator training technology to deliver new skills and job prospects to people in remote communities.

Ostwald Bros, in partnership with QGC, showcased its heavy machinery operator training simulators in Dalby which will bring sought-after expertise to Indigenous people and other underrepresented groups on the Darling Downs and Western Downs.

The simulators recreate realistic scenarios in operating a grader, scraper and excavator with the trainee seated at controls behind a digital display to experience all aspects of plant equipment operation in readiness for joining a team on-site.

"This is an excellent opportunity to develop industry-level skills through personalised learning with experienced trainers and will significantly boost the employment prospects of the successful participants," Ostwald Bros CEO, Brendan Ostwald said.

"Ostwald Bros has always enjoyed loyal support from our community and we take care to ensure we deserve that loyalty," Mr Ostwald said.

"We are very pleased to be offering this program to regional communities where people are less likely to have access to this level of training, to put real jobs within their reach."

Ostwald Bros is offering an intensive three-week program, written and designed by JT Workforce Connections, to provide operators with the chance to develop their skills in a safe environment and deliver skilled plant operators to the resource industries.

Participants graduate from the program with two completed units of competency that provide a pathway into a range of full qualifications from the Certificates in Civil Construction, Howard Ostwald, QGC Indigenous Relations Manager Ross Wilson,Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown.

Surface Extraction Operations and/or Resource Processing.

The units include essential information on the processes and expectations of safety in the workplace as well as training in effective communication.

"Anyone outside the Dalby area who is selected to take part will be offered local boarding," Mr Ostwald said.

To be eligible, participants must hold a current driver licence and at least a statement of attainment/ticket in scraper, grader, excavator, roller or compactor operations and be able to pass a pre-employment medical.

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Isaac Mundraby, Kate Mudge, Joe Holt and Jason Marini at Dalby.

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Tracey Holt, Joe Holt, Dave Anderson, Russell Harper at the Ostwald Bros training day at Dalby.

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ITTLE league players from Miles pulled on their footy boots and swallowed their nerves as they ran down the iconic Suncorp Stadium tunnel and onto the field normally graced by only their heroes.

Miles Devils under-7s and under-8s played in two "fast and furious" exhibition games during the half-time break of the NRL Brisbane Broncos versus St George Dragons game.

The lively Suncorp crowd was packed with family and friends who made the trip.

Miles under-8s coach Andrew Raff said his team of eight boys and two girls was squirming with excitement before their eight-minute game against the Toowoomba Valleys.

Allowed on the field to coach, Mr Raff made sure everyone got a fair go and a touch of the ball in the drawn 1-1 match.

"Everyone was so excited, but they still made some great tackles and threw some good passes," he said.

"The kids were very well supported."

Speaking on behalf of both Miles teams, Mr Raff said he was extremely grateful to Arrow Energy for the amazing opportunity.

Arrow Energy also provided 50 free

tickets per team so that families could come and support their children.

CEO of Arrow Energy Andrew Faulkner said he was proud the matches were made possible by Arrow's partnership with the Brisbane Broncos.

"I hope they cherished this opportunity

and enjoyed every moment," Mr Faulkner said.

"This opportunity is traditionally offered to Brisbane-based clubs but I am proud our Broncos partnership enables regional children to embrace this unique experience."

Coaches Bruce Bidgood and Tanya Rawcliffe with Miles under-7s (back left) Noah Bidgood, Konrad Treadwell, Jack Parkinson,Tyson Gilmore, Kaleb Treadwell, Jade Beardmore Bottom, (front left) William Mckellar,Tyler Crosland,Triston Orchard, Ryan Brown.

Charging on to Suncorp Stadium are Miles Devils juniors (from left) Noah Bidgood, Kaleb Treadwell, Ryan Brown, Jade Beardmore,William Mckellar,Tristan Orchard and Jack Parkinson.

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places and FACES ISSN 1835-6400

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Surat Basin News Published by Chinchilla Newspapers Pty Ltd, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413 Printed by APN Print Toowoomba 50 Industrial Avenue Toowoomba Q4350 2013 General Manager - David Richardson, 12 Mayne Street Chinchilla Q4413, PO Box 138 Chinchilla Q4413, Phone 07 4662 7368

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