The towns where a pub steak costs you $45

    By Daniel Piotrowski
    news.com.au
    February 27, 2013

    $8.90 for a bottle of Coke
    $40 - $50 pub steaks
    'Astronomical' rises in cost of living


A BOTTLE of Coke can cost nearly $9, a pub steak more than $40, and rent for a three-bedroom house can suck more than $1500 a week out of your bank account.     :o

These are some of the "astronomical" prices people pay to live and work in outback mining towns.

A new parliamentary report finds the resources boom and a "fly-in, fly-out" culture is pushing the cost of living in regional areas well beyond city prices.    

Support services have warned the cost of living is placing a huge strain on local families - especially those who don't work in the mines.     :(

"We have observed astronomical rises in the cost of housing and in the cost of living in remote communities," said Rosemary Young, the national director of Frontier Services, a Uniting Church group who provide support to outback communities.

"This has resulted in a huge strain on local families," she said. "They are finding it harder and harder to meet these rising costs and sadly, in some cases, families can no longer afford to remain in the communities in which they belong."

The parliamentary report, Cancer in the bush or salvation for our cities, said the divide between the prices in the city and the bush was being fuelled to an "extreme level" by fly-in or drive-in workers.

The report said a three-bedroom house in resources hubs Moranbah (Queensland) and Port Hedland (Western Australia) can attract triple the rent of a Sydney property with Harbour views.

Even fly-in, fly-out mining workers, often cashed up with huge salaries, believe prices in mining centres can be obscene.
Port Hedland mine

FIFO culture at outback mines has fuelled a huge rise in the cost oif living for locals and workers.

"Costs in the Pilbara are ridiculous," said Melissa Petrie, who visits the Karratha region four or five times a year for work.

A restaurant meal or pub steak can cost between $40 and $50, and a three-bedroom house in the town of Onslow can cost up to $1500 a week, she said.     :o

That same rental price has also been seen on the other side of Australia in Queensland. Former resources worker Bianca Dodd, whose partner works in mining, said when she was in Moranbah in 2011, a three-bedroom house could snatch $1500 a week.

In Queensland's Bowen Basin mining hub, $4 Coke cans are the "norm", Ms Dodd said. A Sydney convenience store was selling a 375mL can for $2.40 today.

One worker who visited South Hedland, just south of Port Hedland, said she had purchased a 600mL Mount Franklin bottle and a 600mL Coke Zero for $8.90 each.     :o

Mick Connelly, a WA Transport Worker's Union representative in the Pilbara, said workers paid double they would in the city in many remote lunch bars.

"[It's] just unbelievable," he said. "For a box with a handful of chips, pieces of fish and prawns you're looking at $19, $20."

A Roxby Downs, SA, resident said she had seen a hot dog - just bread, sausage and sauce - sold for $8.

The prices are being driven up by the huge salaries of the fly-in/drive-in mining workers, a lack of local small business competition and distance from major cities.

On the other hand, the parliamentary report said fly-in/fly-out work had allowed many Australians to become wealthy without uprooting their families from the cities.

It can also allow partners to pursue fulfilling careers and spend large time away from work "to concentrate on full-time parenting", the report said.

Support groups have called on the government to act on the report's recommendations to supply more affordable housing and enhance small business in remote regions.

KPMG demographer Bernard Salt, who completed a study on mining towns for the Minerals Council, said mining towns had higher incomes and lower levels of unemployment than other parts of the country.

The study did not look at the cost of living.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/cost-of-living/the-towns-where-a-pub-steak-costs-you-50/story-fnagkbpv-1226586764308#ixzz2M8KrNSuJ

WE NEED A GOVERNMENT WEBSITE

PUB STEAK PRICE WATCH :D :D

No.

What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed.

Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money?

Kat wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 8:15am:

No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money?

How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes.

The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction.


BTW it might be a pretty good peice of steak and worth the $45.

When in Perth on business last year I bought a $45 steak which was actually the CHEAPEST on the menu as some were $60+... and it was a lousy steak.

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 8:47am:

When in Perth on business last year I bought a $45 steak which was actually the CHEAPEST on the menu as some were $60+... and it was a lousy steak.

Yep, that sounds about right.

Steaks in Perth are around $45 - $53.

Quality and service in Perth restaurants aint what it used to be either.

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 8:26am:

Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good peice of steak and worth the $45.

Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though.

Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country.

SOB

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 9:30am:

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good peice of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB

Oh Miss Borg you have done it agian.

"Greggory"?   :D :D :D :D :D :D

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 9:30am:

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good piece of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB

It was kat not greg


The reason we don't legislated the price of cooked food, other than being ridiculous and impossible to  enforce, it would put companies out of business as soon as their costs exceeded the allowable price,
they would have to stop selling and shut up shop.

It was a stupid suggestion and one with a little forethought would not have been made.


We have a very good system to regulate the cost of just about any item, it called the market; if no-one is willing to pay for it then they will not be able to sell it and then they will have to go out of business or price the item differently.

It is easier and vastly more efficient than having governments legislate every single permutation of a piece of friggen steak and its allowable maximum price. Surely you can see how ridiculous that would be?

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 10:36am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 9:30am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good piece of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB It was kat not greg The reason we don't legislated the price of cooked food, other than being ridiculous and impossible to  enforce, it would put companies out of business as soon as their costs exceeded the allowable price, they would have to stop selling and shut up shop. It was a stupid suggestion and one with a little forethought would not have been made. We have a very good system to regulate the cost of just about any item, it called the market; if no-one is willing to pay for it then they will not be able to sell it and then they will have to go out of business or price the item differently. It is easier and vastly more efficient than having governments legislate every single permutation of a piece of friggen steak and its allowable maximum price. Surely you can see how ridiculous that would be?

*Kat then

The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele?

We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere.

SOB

KJT1981 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 10:35am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 9:30am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good peice of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB Oh Miss Borg you have done it agian. "Greggory"?   :D :D :D :D :D :D

Go away troll

SOB

greggerypeccary wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 9:20am:

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:47am: When in Perth on business last year I bought a $45 steak which was actually the CHEAPEST on the menu as some were $60+... and it was a lousy steak. Yep, that sounds about right. Steaks in Perth are around $45 - $53. Quality and service in Perth restaurants aint what it used to be either.

we found some really nice places to eat, but ive noticed that price is no guarantee of good food. IN fact, sometimes it is the opposite.

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 11:32am:

*Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB

So every three months or so the government would have to re-issue the new maximum prices for all variations of cooked meats to account for inflation.


BTW $45 is not  "completely ridiculous" price for a steak dinner in any decent pub or resturant, so I don't know what the bugger you are on about. Like I said the market will determine if the price is "completely ridiculous" not the government and especially not a government this incompetent.

I decide if I want to pay $45 or not, not some dimwit in canberra.


Stop demanding to be spoonfed and start making your own decisions like an adult.

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 11:32am:

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 10:36am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 9:30am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good piece of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB It was kat not greg The reason we don't legislated the price of cooked food, other than being ridiculous and impossible to  enforce, it would put companies out of business as soon as their costs exceeded the allowable price, they would have to stop selling and shut up shop. It was a stupid suggestion and one with a little forethought would not have been made. We have a very good system to regulate the cost of just about any item, it called the market; if no-one is willing to pay for it then they will not be able to sell it and then they will have to go out of business or price the item differently. It is easier and vastly more efficient than having governments legislate every single permutation of a piece of friggen steak and its allowable maximum price. Surely you can see how ridiculous that would be? *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB

do you ever eat out???? there are HEAPS Of restaruants and there are no captive audiences.

another FAIL by SOB

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 11:47am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:32am: *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB So every three months or so the government would have to re-issue the new maximum prices for all variations of cooked meats to account for inflation. BTW $45 is not  "completely ridiculous" price for a steak dinner in any decent pub or resturant, so I don't know what the bugger you are on about. Like I said the market will determine if the price is "completely ridiculous" not the government and especially not a government this incompetent. I decide if I want to pay $45 or not, not some dimwit in canberra. Stop demanding to be spoonfed and start making your own decisions like an adult.

No why would they have to do it every 3 months or so? They would be stopping ridiculous extremes not normal inflation.

Mining towns. Thats what the article was about. Its completely ridiculous to expect ppl that live in mining towns (especially the ones that were there before it became a mining town) to pay those exorbitant prices.

SOB

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 11:53am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:32am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 10:36am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 9:30am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good piece of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB It was kat not greg The reason we don't legislated the price of cooked food, other than being ridiculous and impossible to  enforce, it would put companies out of business as soon as their costs exceeded the allowable price, they would have to stop selling and shut up shop. It was a stupid suggestion and one with a little forethought would not have been made. We have a very good system to regulate the cost of just about any item, it called the market; if no-one is willing to pay for it then they will not be able to sell it and then they will have to go out of business or price the item differently. It is easier and vastly more efficient than having governments legislate every single permutation of a piece of friggen steak and its allowable maximum price. Surely you can see how ridiculous that would be? *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB do you ever eat out???? there are HEAPS Of restaruants and there are no captive audiences. another FAIL by SOB

Looks like its your fail because i never mentioned audiences.

The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else.

SOB

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:01pm:

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:53am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:32am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 10:36am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 9:30am: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:26am: Kat wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 8:15am: No. What we need is set maximum retail prices that it is illegal to exceed. Who never thought that price-gouging wouldn't occur, when mining employees are on such good money? How about $2 that way everybody loses except the buyer, well until the providers cease to exist, but until then they're fine. You city dwellers seem to forget the further away from the city people get, the more expensive everything becomes. The market sets the price, we don't live in a grubby communist country that micro manages every single aspect of our lives, yet. As much as labor and the greens are trying to head in that direction. BTW it might be a pretty good piece of steak and worth the $45. Greggory's suggestion would stop the extremes though. Remember you said that next time lib supporters are saying we live in a communist country. SOB It was kat not greg The reason we don't legislated the price of cooked food, other than being ridiculous and impossible to  enforce, it would put companies out of business as soon as their costs exceeded the allowable price, they would have to stop selling and shut up shop. It was a stupid suggestion and one with a little forethought would not have been made. We have a very good system to regulate the cost of just about any item, it called the market; if no-one is willing to pay for it then they will not be able to sell it and then they will have to go out of business or price the item differently. It is easier and vastly more efficient than having governments legislate every single permutation of a piece of friggen steak and its allowable maximum price. Surely you can see how ridiculous that would be? *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB do you ever eat out???? there are HEAPS Of restaruants and there are no captive audiences. another FAIL by SOB Looks like its your fail because i never mentioned audiences. The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else. SOB

So what?...The petrol on the Nullabor has about 100X the transport costs to get it out there..

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:01pm:

The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else. SOB

1) They charge more because the abos are given too much money by the government and will pay anything to get high.
2) 10X is BS. If you payed more than $2 a litre you would be very unlucky.

Another fail by the Borg.

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:00pm:

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:47am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:32am: *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB So every three months or so the government would have to re-issue the new maximum prices for all variations of cooked meats to account for inflation. BTW $45 is not  "completely ridiculous" price for a steak dinner in any decent pub or resturant, so I don't know what the bugger you are on about. Like I said the market will determine if the price is "completely ridiculous" not the government and especially not a government this incompetent. I decide if I want to pay $45 or not, not some dimwit in canberra. Stop demanding to be spoonfed and start making your own decisions like an adult. No why would they have to do it every 3 months or so? They would be stopping ridiculous extremes not normal inflation. Mining towns. Thats what the article was about. Its completely ridiculous to expect ppl that live in mining towns (especially the ones that were there before it became a mining town) to pay those exorbitant prices. SOB

Because that is when the inflation figures come out, remember you were the one who recommended that the government micro manage pubs and restaurants instead of using market forces, so you should have known that inflation figures come out quarterly and therefore the prices would need to be adjusted accordingly for those who can't think for themselves.


Most mining towns and especially the ones usually mentioned have always been mining towns, moranbah was built by Utah for the sole purpose of housing mining families so that argument is (as per usual) pointless and irrelevant.


I don't know why, other than being very poor, you think $45 is "exorbitant". Could you explain to everyone why you need the government to control every aspect of your life instead of being able to make your own decisions like the rest of us adults? 

Life is about making choices, you should try it some day.

Quantum wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:19pm:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 12:01pm: The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else. SOB 1) They charge more because the abos are given too much money by the government and will pay anything to get high. 2) 10X is BS. If you payed more than $2 a litre you would be very unlucky. Another fail by the Borg.

if i have to pay $2/liter on the nullarbour i would expect and be grateful it is there.

It's not just the steak .... Try flying in. Often Quantas is the only carrier to fly to these locations , and a ticket that is normally $60 each way, cost $600 just in time for the rotation of workers flying in and out .. the rest of the week , it's back to $60. For someone who has to fly that means it costs them $1200 every week to fly home and back .... ridiculous. A guy I know would rather take a 12 hr drive each week ... $80 fuel each way ...

It's so  bad that I was told Clive Palmer wanted to build his own airstrip outside his mine and supply his own planes ...

Quantum wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:19pm:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 12:01pm: The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else. SOB 1) They charge more because the abos are given too much money by the government and will pay anything to get high. 2) 10X is BS. If you payed more than $2 a litre you would be very unlucky. Another fail by the Borg.

BS aboriginals have nothing to do with it.

I went across the nullabor in 1989 and it was over $1.50 a litre then,. Hate to think what it is now.

SOB

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 1:41pm:

Quantum wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 12:19pm: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 12:01pm: The article was about mining towns. Captive clientele. Ppl that live in  the area. It happens all over though. On the nullabor if you run out of petrol its about 10X more expensive than anywhere else. SOB 1) They charge more because the abos are given too much money by the government and will pay anything to get high. 2) 10X is BS. If you payed more than $2 a litre you would be very unlucky. Another fail by the Borg. BS aboriginals have nothing to do with it. I went across the nullabor in 1989 and it was over $1.50 a litre then,. Hate to think what it is now. SOB

Around $2.50 a litre....which isn't bad, since it's about $1.80 per litre where I live now.

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 12:25pm:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 12:00pm: BigOl64 wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:47am: Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Feb 28th, 2013 at 11:32am: *Kat then The price cap would obviously vary with inflation. Duh. So you think its okay to make your price completely ridiculous if you have a captive clientele? We have laws already to stop ppl price fixing yet milk and bread are always within a few cents of each other everywhere. SOB So every three months or so the government would have to re-issue the new maximum prices for all variations of cooked meats to account for inflation. BTW $45 is not  "completely ridiculous" price for a steak dinner in any decent pub or resturant, so I don't know what the bugger you are on about. Like I said the market will determine if the price is "completely ridiculous" not the government and especially not a government this incompetent. I decide if I want to pay $45 or not, not some dimwit in canberra. Stop demanding to be spoonfed and start making your own decisions like an adult. No why would they have to do it every 3 months or so? They would be stopping ridiculous extremes not normal inflation. Mining towns. Thats what the article was about. Its completely ridiculous to expect ppl that live in mining towns (especially the ones that were there before it became a mining town) to pay those exorbitant prices. SOB Because that is when the inflation figures come out, remember you were the one who recommended that the government micro manage pubs and restaurants instead of using market forces, so you should have known that inflation figures come out quarterly and therefore the prices would need to be adjusted accordingly for those who can't think for themselves. Most mining towns and especially the ones usually mentioned have always been mining towns, moranbah was built by Utah for the sole purpose of housing mining families so that argument is (as per usual) pointless and irrelevant. I don't know why, other than being very poor, you think $45 is "exorbitant". Could you explain to everyone why you need the government to control every aspect of your life instead of being able to make your own decisions like the rest of us adults?  Life is about making choices, you should try it some day.

So you try to make it about me rather than the ppl its really about which is captive clientele. Why shouldn't they be protected from greedy ppl that will taker advantage of anything they can to make a quick buck?

SOB

Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is.....

Frances wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 5:37am:

Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is.....

So therefore it's OK to gouge as much as possible of it out of them?

Ah, no, it isn't.

And what about the 'locals' or non mine-workers, who get nowhere NEAR these wages.

Let 'em go without?

Oh, that's right, they're only 'losers' or 'bludgers', I forgot.

Frances wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 5:37am:

Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is.....

To continue on the same line as Frances, you must factor in the cost of getting the supplies there, the shop rent not to mention the wages for cooks and waitresses, that I should imagine would be a damn side more than they would be in Perth, plus Crooks love affair with..............penalty rates.

Frances wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 5:37am:

Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is.....

What kat said and also we are talking about the non-miners. the ordinary ppl that were living there before this crap who are being forced to pack up and move.

SOB

Kat wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 6:23am:

Frances wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 5:37am: Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is..... So therefore it's OK to gouge as much as possible of it out of them? Ah, no, it isn't. And, Big 'Ol only a total smack-wit would pay $45 for a steak. Nothing whatsoever to do with 'being poor'. THAT old put-down is wearing VERY thin.

Gouge? Nothing to do with gouging. It's to do with distance, rent and wages.




Prices from a well known restaurant.

SCORCHED ONION $46
     
baked onion with chickpeas, baba ganoush, warrigal greens and a tahini dressing*      
       

SALMON $54
     
seared fillet of king salmon with dragon tongue beans, herb farfalle and tomato         
       

BARRAMUNDI $54
     
roasted fillet of Cone Bay barramundi with pumpkin brandade and a caper and piquillo pepper vinaigrette      
       

JOHN DORY $58
     
seared fillets with mussels, parsley root, baked white carrots and lime      
       

CHICKEN $56
     
roasted breast and leg with boudin blanc, crispy skin, sweet corn and leeks and a tarragon jus      
       

DUCK $58
     
roasted spiced duck breast with beetroots and figs            
       

LAMB $58
     
roasted fillet and slow cooked lamb shoulder with fennel and black olive         
       

BEEF $58
     
grass fed scotch with rainbow chard, cep mushroom croustillant and a smoked bone marrow and red wine sauce      

Bottle of coke - $9.     :(

Quote:

The report said a three-bedroom house in resources hubs Moranbah (Queensland) and Port Hedland (Western Australia) can attract triple the rent of a Sydney property with Harbour views.

Total BS. 

Check the rentals for the eastern suburbs, Hunters Hill and Mosman with harbour views.

From around $5,000 to $12,000 per week.

wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 7:07am:

Bottle of coke - $9.     :(

Crook, again you have NFI.

Too much money, too much excess, this is a bubble that will bust as quickly as it rose. And sooner than  you think.

At those prices,  I will give the coke a miss.     :(

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 7:02am:

Kat wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 6:23am: Frances wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 5:37am: Cost in the Pilbara are ridiculous?  Yes, they are, but so are the wages paid by Rio Tinto.  Labourers are paid more than $100,000, truck drivers without mining experience $120,000, tradespeople doing general maintenance around $160,000 or more, supervisors and foremen between $135,000 and $230,000, train drivers $200,000 or more, and experienced managers get $250,000 plus.  I don't see what the problem is..... So therefore it's OK to gouge as much as possible of it out of them? Ah, no, it isn't. And, Big 'Ol only a total smack-wit would pay $45 for a steak. Nothing whatsoever to do with 'being poor'. THAT old put-down is wearing VERY thin. Gouge? Nothing to do with gouging. It's to do with distance, rent and wages. Prices from a well known restaurant. SCORCHED ONION $46       baked onion with chickpeas, baba ganoush, warrigal greens and a tahini dressing*               SALMON $54       seared fillet of king salmon with dragon tongue beans, herb farfalle and tomato                  BARRAMUNDI $54       roasted fillet of Cone Bay barramundi with pumpkin brandade and a caper and piquillo pepper vinaigrette               JOHN DORY $58       seared fillets with mussels, parsley root, baked white carrots and lime               CHICKEN $56       roasted breast and leg with boudin blanc, crispy skin, sweet corn and leeks and a tarragon jus               DUCK $58       roasted spiced duck breast with beetroots and figs                     LAMB $58       roasted fillet and slow cooked lamb shoulder with fennel and black olive                  BEEF $58       grass fed scotch with rainbow chard, cep mushroom croustillant and a smoked bone marrow and red wine sauce

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 7:16am:

Quote: The report said a three-bedroom house in resources hubs Moranbah (Queensland) and Port Hedland (Western Australia) can attract triple the rent of a Sydney property with Harbour views. Total BS.  Check the rentals for the eastern suburbs, Hunters Hill and Mosman with harbour views. From around $5,000 to $12,000 per week.

The median rent in Moranbah is about $1900 per week for a place like this:

http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/stories/2012/09/millsave.jpg

That would be the lower end of the market compared to most Mosman properties.

You can get this house in Mosman with panoramic sea views for $790 per week.

http://images.domain.com.au/img//2013218/20521/8187200_3_TE.JPG

For $1900 per week, you can get something much more spectacular than the first example.

muso wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 7:30pm:

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 7:16am: Quote: The report said a three-bedroom house in resources hubs Moranbah (Queensland) and Port Hedland (Western Australia) can attract triple the rent of a Sydney property with Harbour views. Total BS.  Check the rentals for the eastern suburbs, Hunters Hill and Mosman with harbour views. From around $5,000 to $12,000 per week. The median rent in Moranbah is about $1900 per week for a place like this: http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/stories/2012/09/millsave.jpg That would be the lower end of the market compared to most Mosman properties. You can get this house in Mosman with panoramic sea views for $790 per week. http://images.domain.com.au/img//2013218/20521/8187200_3_TE.JPG For $1900 per week, you can get something much more spectacular than the first example.

Good try but wrong.

Try Mosman NSW.

Quote:

A new parliamentary report finds the resources boom and a "fly-in, fly-out" culture is pushing the cost of living in regional areas well beyond city prices.

So flying people in and out pushes up rent prices?

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 9:19pm:

Quote: A new parliamentary report finds the resources boom and a "fly-in, fly-out" culture is pushing the cost of living in regional areas well beyond city prices. So flying people in and out pushes up rent prices?

yes. ... where traditionally a mine would build the accommodation and infrastructure to house it's workers, FIFO means the mines don't build anything ..... the towns own resources are quickly taken up by the excess demand which in turn drives up prices.

John Smith wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 9:36pm:

freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 9:19pm: Quote: A new parliamentary report finds the resources boom and a "fly-in, fly-out" culture is pushing the cost of living in regional areas well beyond city prices. So flying people in and out pushes up rent prices? yes. ... where traditionally a mine would build the accommodation and infrastructure to house it's workers, FIFO means the mines don't build anything ..... the towns own resources are quickly taken up by the excess demand which in turn drives up prices.

But they do build infrastructure. They call them camps.

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 9:41pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 9:36pm: freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 9:19pm: Quote: A new parliamentary report finds the resources boom and a "fly-in, fly-out" culture is pushing the cost of living in regional areas well beyond city prices. So flying people in and out pushes up rent prices? yes. ... where traditionally a mine would build the accommodation and infrastructure to house it's workers, FIFO means the mines don't build anything ..... the towns own resources are quickly taken up by the excess demand which in turn drives up prices. But they do build infrastructure. They call them camps.

doesn't do any good to the town .... unless the townsfolk can buy the old tents to go camping once the mine has finished with them

You've never seen a mining camp have you?

Not being able to afford a meal at the pub or a bottle of coke? First world problems.

Well, the miners can afford it.
If the locals can't, then just perhaps they should take to lynching the occasional miner.
That'll keep the overpaid mineral gathering monkeys out of town and soon the prices will return to a much more affordable level.

It's oh so obvious.

Your chin looks weird.

People can't help the way they were born.
Why are you so cruel?

life please change you avatar to something a bit more subtle

I'm sorry. That was mean of me.

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:03pm:

life please change you avatar to something a bit more subtle

Yeah, Life. Far out. Take the mask off.

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 9:49pm:

You've never seen a mining camp have you?

nope ...

That's a nice lava lamp.

John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault.

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:25pm:

That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault.

what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it.

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 8:04pm:

Good try but wrong. Try Mosman NSW.

Well I just Googled it. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-mosman%2c+nsw+2088/list-2

You can get three bedrooms for $750 per week.

Perhaps the original claim of three times was a bit on the high side, but you can certainly get much better value in Mosman NSW than in Moranbah.

What exactly is it meant to be anyway? Looks like a pawn from a pink chess set. (lol - just looked at the hyperlink  :-[ )

John Smith wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:31pm:

freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it.

If she works in a supermarket, it should not be that hard for her to figure out where she could get a coke for under $9 from. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. Anyone working for minimum wage in a town with a massive mining boom happening has rocks in their head. Some of the larger boom towns have to get fly in fly out managers for the local maccas. More than half the town would be raking it in. The rest are just lazy whingers or people who don't actually live in these towns but want to whinge on anyone's behalf. Even fruit towns have trouble getting pickers in these days.

freediver wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 5:17pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:31pm: freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it. If she works in a supermarket, it should not be that hard for her to figure out where she could get a coke for under $9 from. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. Anyone working for minimum wage in a town with a massive mining boom happening has rocks in their head. Some of the larger boom towns have to get fly in fly out managers for the local maccas. More than half the town would be raking it in. The rest are just lazy whingers or people who don't actually live in these towns but want to whinge on anyone's behalf. Even fruit towns have trouble getting pickers in these days.

From what I've been told, once the miners are in town, prices skyrocket everywhere ... usually these towns have only 1 or 2 shops  ... if you were the shop keeper would you keep your prices down for locals? Your not talking about a new town that is set up for miners, you are talking about an existing town where people have jobs and homes long before the miners came .... you want them all to drop everything to try and cash in? someone has to serve you at the shop ... otherwise it won't matter how much the coke costs ....

Quote:

you want them all to drop everything to try and cash in?

It's not my choice. It's theirs. They can sit back and whinge instead if they want. Someone always gets left behind.


Quote:

someone has to serve you at the shop ... otherwise it won't matter how much the coke costs ....

I've been to little shops in these towns. The sort of cafe's and bakeries that often go bankrupt and shut down completely in other small towns. In the boomtowns there is a queue for food from 5am and 3 or 4 employees working madly to serve everyone (some people are smart enough to cash in). The food is the same price as everywhere else and competition still does it's thing. They just sell 20 times as much. I'd be complaining more about the new rush hour and queueing up with a dozen tradies for a pie.

The supermarkets in the mining towns have the same prices as any other supermarket in a major city. In fact, having lived in a mining town for 7 years, I usually found you could often  get more bargains there than in the bigger centres, and you could eat out reasonably inexpensively at the services club.   

The supermarkets at peak times provide jobs for local school kids. In Queensland, Moranbah is only 200k from Mackay. Moura is about the same from Gladstone or Rockhampton, and most of the rest of them (Tieri, Middlemount, Clermont and Capella) are close to Emerald, which has reasonable facilities, so most people don't think anything of driving to one of these bigger centres.

well as I said previously I was going by what I've been told by a tenant of mine .. I've never been in one of these towns so I have no firsthand experience. .. given that, I cannot argue with you or Muso ...

muso wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 6:23pm:

The supermarkets in the mining towns have the same prices as any other supermarket in a major city. In fact, having lived in a mining town for 7 years, I usually found you could often  get more bargains there than in the bigger centres, and you could eat out reasonably inexpensively at the services club.

Thats interesting, thats certainly not the case in WA mining towns where the price of everything is roughly at least double. Wonder what the difference is between QLD and WA.

muso wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 5:11pm:

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 8:04pm: Good try but wrong. Try Mosman NSW. Well I just Googled it. Take a look for yourself: http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-mosman%2c+nsw+2088/list-2 You can get three bedrooms for $750 per week. Perhaps the original claim of three times was a bit on the high side, but you can certainly get much better value in Mosman NSW than in Moranbah. What exactly is it meant to be anyway? Looks like a pawn from a pink chess set. (lol - just looked at the hyperlink  :-[ )

There is Mosman and then there is Mosman.

What happened to the house with panoramic water views for $790 a week that you used as an example?

There are eight units in Parramatta for rent all over $700 per week, the dearest being $945 per week, one at $850, six from $700 to $850 per week so it is all relevant.

freediver wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2013 at 5:17pm:

John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:31pm: freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it. If she works in a supermarket, it should not be that hard for her to figure out where she could get a coke for under $9 from. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. Anyone working for minimum wage in a town with a massive mining boom happening has rocks in their head. Some of the larger boom towns have to get fly in fly out managers for the local maccas. More than half the town would be raking it in. The rest are just lazy whingers or people who don't actually live in these towns but want to whinge on anyone's behalf. Even fruit towns have trouble getting pickers in these days.

So how are you saying she should do it? Steal it? Drive 200 km to buy it?

SOB

freediver wrote on Mar 1^st, 2013 at 10:25pm:

That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault.

i can tell you one area where the locals certainly do not benefit and that is in the provision of medical services.
most of these small country towns are extremely under doctored and the locals are very protective of their doctors and treat them with great respect.

the stories i hear of miners flooding the area and doing shift work and then rocking up to country hospitals at the end of their shift (maybe midnite0 and becoming abusive and demanding the doctor be called in to treat a welders flash or get a piece of metal flake out of the eye or a myriad of other things >:( >:(
this has led to an exodus of gp's from some towns (mooranbah has lost 2) and locals now have to drive 100 km to mackay for treatment.

very selfish and not on

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 4:42am:

freediver wrote on Mar 2nd, 2013 at 5:17pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:31pm: freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it. If she works in a supermarket, it should not be that hard for her to figure out where she could get a coke for under $9 from. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. Anyone working for minimum wage in a town with a massive mining boom happening has rocks in their head. Some of the larger boom towns have to get fly in fly out managers for the local maccas. More than half the town would be raking it in. The rest are just lazy whingers or people who don't actually live in these towns but want to whinge on anyone's behalf. Even fruit towns have trouble getting pickers in these days. So how are you saying she should do it? Steal it? Drive 200 km to buy it? SOB

I would suggest thinking about it spot.

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 28^th, 2013 at 8:47am:

When in Perth on business last year I bought a $45 steak which was actually the CHEAPEST on the menu as some were $60+... and it was a lousy steak.

Longy,
You should not have eaten more than a few mouth fulls &
then demanded your money back.

Well said bobby.  If they are charging those prices.  It is know as what is called -  a try on.     :(

wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 11:02am:

Well said bobby.  If they are charging those prices.  It is known as what is called -  a try on.     :(

Hear hear Crook,
I really like the way you stand up for what is right -
whether it be for workers being exploited by bosses or
those who are ripped off by unscrupulous businesses.

aquascoot wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 6:34am:

freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. i can tell you one area where the locals certainly do not benefit and that is in the provision of medical services. most of these small country towns are extremely under doctored and the locals are very protective of their doctors and treat them with great respect. the stories i hear of miners flooding the area and doing shift work and then rocking up to country hospitals at the end of their shift (maybe midnite0 and becoming abusive and demanding the doctor be called in to treat a welders flash or get a piece of metal flake out of the eye or a myriad of other things >:( >:( this has led to an exodus of gp's from some towns (mooranbah has lost 2) and locals now have to drive 100 km to mackay for treatment. very selfish and not on

also not true

Most mines would fire people just for leaving site with an injury.

freediver wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 11:15am:

Most mines would fire people just for leaving site with an injury.

Is this post utter bullsh1t day or something?


It looks good for the retards, making out that the mines deliberately and systematically break the law, but it is total horsesh1t none the less.

It is not breaking the law. The mines have people onsite to deal with these injuries, and if not, would organise for them to go where there is actually a person on staff. They would not let people go driving round the countryside injured in the middle of the night trying to wake up a GP. This is not out of concern for the GP, but to avoid the OHS minefield from the injured worker.

freediver wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 11:57am:

It is not breaking the law. The mines have people onsite to deal with these injuries, and if not, would organise for them to go where there is actually a person on staff. They would not let people go driving round the countryside injured in the middle of the night trying to wake up a GP. This is not out of concern for the GP, but to avoid the OHS minefield from the injured worker.

There you go, a very poorly structured sentence leading to misinterpretation. Thankfully your second post is better and yes correct.


BTW, if the injury is bad enough they will be taken to the hospital and the oncall GP will get woken up to treat the patient. Just like every other human being in the town.

The Pub with No Steer......

Yes - I have discussed in another arena, such things as the fly-by-night culture in the coal seam gas exploitation industry, which on Insight on SBS I saw raised the spectre of $1000+ a week rents DURING construction time, and how local families could not keep up.

Well, the 'resources boom' benefits very few.. very few, and only the big boys in reality.
 
Also the cost of housing in a boom towns leads to boom town rats who pay big-time to own a house in a mining boom town that lasts not as long as the mortgage, and either sell on and get out early enough or lose the lot when the town goes ghost.  And of course they are held hostage to the company store of owning/buying a home in town and needing the job which in reality does not pay them mega-bucks as a result of costs etc, meaning they can't get uppity at work and expect any Union or anything else rights.  The New Serfdom writ large.

My argument was/is, of course, that companies seeking these mega-boom profits should provide housing.... subsidised or not.. for families etc - as well as training for workers so as to ensure an ongoing flow of qualified performers in the industry.

The whole thing is based on quick profit for the big boys - nobody else - the rest pay for the privilege of living in a hot, dry, dusty shlt-hole of a Third World economy in homes that will be worthless in twenty years when they have a thirty year mortgage......

Oh - sorry!  Did I step on anyone's toes there? Then sit on it!

:D ::) :'(

ADDS:-  Can I corner the market on ghost towns?  Must be a fortune's worth of them out there soon....all going for $100 a town.... kinda like that film Paris Texas.. where the kids says when looking at his dad's photo of his block of desert land - "Yeah - but  what are we going to eat?"

;D

AND ADDS:-  The biggest single product of the mining boom is high quality bulldust, which is processed in the Canberra Refinery into high quality top export grade Bullshit!  WITH a massive local consumption rate!

:'(

freediver wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 11:57am:

It is not breaking the law. The mines have people onsite to deal with these injuries, and if not, would organise for them to go where there is actually a person on staff. They would not let people go driving round the countryside injured in the middle of the night trying to wake up a GP. This is not out of concern for the GP, but to avoid the OHS minefield from the injured worker.

incorrect, towns such as mooranbah, clermont, springsure, rolleston, blackwater have what they call medical superintendent with rights to private practice.
basicly the doctor is given a free building and staff and is "allowed" to see patients during sessions when he is able to bill medicare.

ie, he recieves a base salary from the state government and can supplement his income with federal funding from medicare.
this only occurs as an incentive for doctors working in rural towns and usually only when they are solo practitioners.

the rub is, by being the hospital superinterdent you take on the obligation to see ALL comers who choose to attend the casualty dept of the hospital.
the locals respect this and try to see the doc during his private clinic times.
the miners dont.

ask doctors in rural towns what they think of the mining influx

heres one link from a guy i know

http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/news/latest-news/warning-of-healthcare-crisis-in-mining-town

i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place.

Good site Aqua:


Quote:

Doctors in the fast-growing Queensland mining town of Moranbah are warning the region’s healthcare services are a “time bomb” as explosive property prices combine with a crippling patient load and an ageing workforce. Rental prices in the central Queensland town are over $3000 a week, driven by a thriving mining industry built on fly-in fly-out workers. The most basic houses sell for over $600,000 — far more than in Mackay or Brisbane. Dr Reyno Nieuwoudt, practice principal of Moranbah Medical, said the practice had this year subsidised doctors’ housing to the tune of $100,000. “It’s just not sustainable,” he told Australian Doctor. He and the town’s two other senior doctors are planning to retire in the next five years. That leaves two registrars,...

Quote:

My argument was/is, of course, that companies seeking these mega-boom profits should provide housing.... subsidised or not.. for families etc - as well as training for workers so as to ensure an ongoing flow of qualified performers in the industry.

What if the families don't want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere in some hick town where the locals blame them for all the money they bring in? Is you solution to this problem really to add even more burden to the town?


Quote:

i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place.

Crap. Even tiny gas stations have pee in a jar facilities onsite.

Bobby. wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 3:54pm:

Good site Aqua: Quote: Doctors in the fast-growing Queensland mining town of Moranbah are warning the region’s healthcare services are a “time bomb” as explosive property prices combine with a crippling patient load and an ageing workforce. Rental prices in the central Queensland town are over $3000 a week, driven by a thriving mining industry built on fly-in fly-out workers. The most basic houses sell for over $600,000 — far more than in Mackay or Brisbane. Dr Reyno Nieuwoudt, practice principal of Moranbah Medical, said the practice had this year subsidised doctors’ housing to the tune of $100,000. “It’s just not sustainable,” he told Australian Doctor. He and the town’s two other senior doctors are planning to retire in the next five years. That leaves two registrars,...

thx bobby,

i would also point out to the viewers that when a one doctor town swells from 1000 to 5000 people, the option of just refusing to see the "johnie come lately's " does not exist.
there was a very interesting case some years back where a doctor in a seaside town in NSW was overun with thousands of holidaymakers in summer. whilst attending a surgery full of patients, a person at the beach had an epileptic seizure. a relative of the fitting patient ran up to his surgery and asked him to attend and his receptionist said he was too busy and to get an ambulance.

the courts later decided that under the hippocratic oath a doctor MUST attend any emergency when asked.
the patient suffered brain damage as a result of the delay in treatment and over $1000000 dollars was awarded against the doctor who never saw the patient and, in fact, did not know about the seizure until his receptionist informed him later that day.

the buck stops firmly with the country GP and if you want to overwhelm him, my advice would be that he vacate the area rather than have a physical breakdown trying to service greedy mining companies.

freediver wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 4:23pm:

Quote: My argument was/is, of course, that companies seeking these mega-boom profits should provide housing.... subsidised or not.. for families etc - as well as training for workers so as to ensure an ongoing flow of qualified performers in the industry. What if the families don't want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere in some hick town where the locals blame them for all the money they bring in? Is you solution to this problem really to add even more burden to the town? [quote]i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place.

Crap. Even tiny gas stations have pee in a jar facilities onsite.[/quote]

untrue

cant even be done at 9 out of 10 suburban laborities of major pathology companies.
need accredited facility with secure chain of control, special toilets where nurses can supervise urine production.

do you really think big mining companies do mandatory tests on their workers for pot, speed, ecstacy , opiates etc and just ask them to bring in a sample :D :D :D :D

people have been known to have all sorts of false containers to even try and fool a nurse standing directly beside them
one guy even inserted a catheter and ran a mates urine into his bladder to produce a clean specimen.

pee tests done at servos.  i'll bet even spot and drah will tell you thats rubbish :D :D :D

aquascoot wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 3:16pm:

i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place.

All drug testing is done onsite in accordance with the legislation and AS 4308 2001 Recommended practice for the collection, detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in urine, Standards Australia anbd has done for many years. Any positive sample are sent to a drug lab as per the standard.

Now you obviously have never worked anywhere near a mining town let alone on a mine site; so whoever is feeding you this horse sh1t you need to stop listening to them.


BTW they still get to see a doctor in town just like everyone else so once again I call horse sh1t on your entire post.

BTW, I actually work at many of the mine sites out of moranbah and have done so for the last 10 years, even lived in moranbah for a few as well.

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 8:24am:

aquascoot wrote on Mar 3rd, 2013 at 3:16pm: i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place. All drug testing is done onsite in accordance with the legislation and AS 4308 2001 Recommended practice for the collection, detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in urine, Standards Australia anbd has done for many years. Any positive sample are sent to a drug lab as per the standard. Now you obviously have never worked anywhere near a mining town let alone on a mine site; so whoever is feeding you this horse sh1t you need to stop listening to them. BTW they still get to see a doctor in town just like everyone else so once again I call horse sh1t on your entire post. BTW, I actually work at many of the mine sites out of moranbah and have done so for the last 10 years, even lived in moranbah for a few as well.

do it on site because the local blokes refused.
also rubbish because we do pre employment medicals for mine workers here in brisbane and as is usual for these companies, they just book there blokes in and expect it done.

are you telling me GP's in brisbane are not asked to do pre employment medicals including supervised drug tests (supervised by our nurses in our time)  i call horse poo on that one.

did you read the post from the doctor in mooranbah that i put in. are you calling horse poo on his claims.

if a miner has a heart attack at midnite at clermont ( a one doctor town )  will the doctor be woken or do the OH and S people look after that.

please tell me how many doctors the big miners have trained and put in rural communities.

and please detail the location of the servo's where the drug testing is done. :D :D :D :D :D

aquascoot wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 8:31am:

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:24am: aquascoot wrote on Mar 3rd, 2013 at 3:16pm: i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place. All drug testing is done onsite in accordance with the legislation and AS 4308 2001 Recommended practice for the collection, detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in urine, Standards Australia anbd has done for many years. Any positive sample are sent to a drug lab as per the standard. Now you obviously have never worked anywhere near a mining town let alone on a mine site; so whoever is feeding you this horse sh1t you need to stop listening to them. BTW they still get to see a doctor in town just like everyone else so once again I call horse sh1t on your entire post. BTW, I actually work at many of the mine sites out of moranbah and have done so for the last 10 years, even lived in moranbah for a few as well. do it on site because the local blokes refused. also rubbish because we do pre employment medicals for mine workers here in brisbane and as is usual for these companies, they just book there blokes in and expect it done. are you telling me GP's in brisbane are not asked to do pre employment medicals including supervised drug tests (supervised by our nurses in our time)  i call horse poo on that one. did you read the post from the doctor in mooranbah that i put in. are you calling horse poo on his claims. if a miner has a heart attack at midnite at clermont ( a one doctor town )  will the doctor be woken or do the OH and S people look after that. please tell me how many doctors the big miners have trained and put in rural communities. and please detail the location of the servo's where the drug testing is done. :D :D :D :D :D

So now you want to change the discussion to pre-employment medicals do you; I presume the drug testing conversation is over.

I keep pointing out to you that the miners are no different to anyone else in these towns, do if the doctors gets woken up for a local then that doctor will get woken up for the miner.



FYI, the servo comment wasn't me, so yeah I'll just ignore it.


You have dealt out a big bunch of stupid, please feel free to sort out your ideas before posting.

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 8:40am:

aquascoot wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:31am: BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:24am: aquascoot wrote on Mar 3rd, 2013 at 3:16pm: i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place. All drug testing is done onsite in accordance with the legislation and AS 4308 2001 Recommended practice for the collection, detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in urine, Standards Australia anbd has done for many years. Any positive sample are sent to a drug lab as per the standard. Now you obviously have never worked anywhere near a mining town let alone on a mine site; so whoever is feeding you this horse sh1t you need to stop listening to them. BTW they still get to see a doctor in town just like everyone else so once again I call horse sh1t on your entire post. BTW, I actually work at many of the mine sites out of moranbah and have done so for the last 10 years, even lived in moranbah for a few as well. do it on site because the local blokes refused. also rubbish because we do pre employment medicals for mine workers here in brisbane and as is usual for these companies, they just book there blokes in and expect it done. are you telling me GP's in brisbane are not asked to do pre employment medicals including supervised drug tests (supervised by our nurses in our time)  i call horse poo on that one. did you read the post from the doctor in mooranbah that i put in. are you calling horse poo on his claims. if a miner has a heart attack at midnite at clermont ( a one doctor town )  will the doctor be woken or do the OH and S people look after that. please tell me how many doctors the big miners have trained and put in rural communities. and please detail the location of the servo's where the drug testing is done. :D :D :D :D :D So now you want to change the discussion to pre-employment medicals do you; I presume the drug testing conversation is over. I keep pointing out to you that the miners are no different to anyone else in these towns, do if the doctors gets woken up for a local then that doctor will get woken up for the miner. FWI, the servo comment wasn't me, so yeah I'll just ignore it. You have dealt out a big bunch of stupid, please feel free to sort out your ideas before posting.

good, so now we are in agreement

1  local doctors were overworked before the miners arrived
2  these doctors need to be woken up much more often now even if just to prescribe antibiotics for an earache or a toothache at 3 am when big john the miner cant put up with the pain til 8 am (like the locals do)
3  this has led to an exodus of doctors from country towns
4  qld health have replaced these doctors with bonded overseas trained doctors who often have little interest in the place and are serving out their bond.
5  the locals have lost the valuable resource of a doctor who may have been ther 20 years and delivered half the town.
6  when the miners leave, as per usual , they dont clean up their mess.


either way, it is the local farmers and community who suffer in the long run.
the FIFO guys can always access services back in brisbane on the weekend


BTW  , pre employment medicals include drug testing.
if you have ever had to deal with a big mining company, in terms of the paperwork involved in a compo claim or a return to work plan, you would never want to deal with one again. the bureacracy in mining companies paperwork
makes canberra look mild

aquascoot wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 8:51am:

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:40am: aquascoot wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:31am: BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 8:24am: aquascoot wrote on Mar 3rd, 2013 at 3:16pm: i would add the mines wanted the clinic to do drug testing of their workers but the local doctors refused (whose got time for this sort of OH and S crap)  so now the miners have to drive 100 km to mackay to pee in a jar.  serves em right for turning up like gate crashers and trashing the place. All drug testing is done onsite in accordance with the legislation and AS 4308 2001 Recommended practice for the collection, detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in urine, Standards Australia anbd has done for many years. Any positive sample are sent to a drug lab as per the standard. Now you obviously have never worked anywhere near a mining town let alone on a mine site; so whoever is feeding you this horse sh1t you need to stop listening to them. BTW they still get to see a doctor in town just like everyone else so once again I call horse sh1t on your entire post. BTW, I actually work at many of the mine sites out of moranbah and have done so for the last 10 years, even lived in moranbah for a few as well. do it on site because the local blokes refused. also rubbish because we do pre employment medicals for mine workers here in brisbane and as is usual for these companies, they just book there blokes in and expect it done. are you telling me GP's in brisbane are not asked to do pre employment medicals including supervised drug tests (supervised by our nurses in our time)  i call horse poo on that one. did you read the post from the doctor in mooranbah that i put in. are you calling horse poo on his claims. if a miner has a heart attack at midnite at clermont ( a one doctor town )  will the doctor be woken or do the OH and S people look after that. please tell me how many doctors the big miners have trained and put in rural communities. and please detail the location of the servo's where the drug testing is done. :D :D :D :D :D So now you want to change the discussion to pre-employment medicals do you; I presume the drug testing conversation is over. I keep pointing out to you that the miners are no different to anyone else in these towns, do if the doctors gets woken up for a local then that doctor will get woken up for the miner. FWI, the servo comment wasn't me, so yeah I'll just ignore it. You have dealt out a big bunch of stupid, please feel free to sort out your ideas before posting. good, so now we are in agreement 1  local doctors were overworked before the miners arrived 2  these doctors need to be woken up much more often now even if just to prescribe antibiotics for an earache or a toothache at 3 am when big john the miner cant put up with the pain til 8 am (like the locals do) 3  this has led to an exodus of doctors from country towns 4  qld health have replaced these doctors with bonded overseas trained doctors who often have little interest in the place and are serving out their bond. 5  the locals have lost the valuable resource of a doctor who may have been ther 20 years and delivered half the town. 6  when the miners leave, as per usual , they dont clean up their mess. either way, it is the local farmers and community who suffer in the long run. the FIFO guys can always access services back in brisbane on the weekend

So when I say you have "dealt out a big bunch of stupid", you hear, I totally agree with everything you say.  ;D


Is this a brisso thing, or is it just you?

i worked in blackwater, clermont, woorabinda and emerald .
clermont and emerald were pre mining days.
i was incredibly amazed at the toughness of the farmers.
dislocated shoulders or whatever, they;d just keep mustering the cows.

the miners were a different story, soft city boys most of them (this was mainly in blackwater which was a total mining town)  and yes they did used to come and demand treatment at the local hospital at all hours. and the nurses would always have to call in the doctor to sort it out.  you try and put up with 3 months of interrupted sleep. :D :D

as i said, refusing to see them was not an option, you would be sacked on the spot by qld health and lets be honest . even a headache could be meningitis , could it not.

i have no idea how any rural doctor puts up with the lifestyle.
they must be severe masochists  :D :D :D

aquascoot wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 9:30am:

i worked in blackwater, clermont, woorabinda and emerald . clermont and emerald were pre mining days. i was incredibly amazed at the toughness of the farmers. dislocated shoulders or whatever, they;d just keep mustering the cows. the miners were a different story, soft city boys most of them (this was mainly in blackwater which was a total mining town)  and yes they did used to come and demand treatment at the local hospital at all hours. and the nurses would always have to call in the doctor to sort it out.  you try and put up with 3 months of interrupted sleep. :D :D as i said, refusing to see them was not an option, you would be sacked on the spot by qld health and lets be honest . even a headache could be meningitis , could it not. i have no idea how any rural doctor puts up with the lifestyle. they must be severe masochists  :D :D :D

So you are talking about the '60s and 70s.

Maybe you should have said that in the begining of you post.

As in back in the 70's before mining was prevelent in the following communities, miners were total fvcktards. Because none of what you are saying has anything to do with mining for the last decade or so.

Most mine sites and even some of the camps have their own nurses and paramedics that deal with ALL the day-to-day medical issues for the miners and only the most severe medical issues are dealt with the local hospital and it has been this way for a very long time.

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 4^th, 2013 at 9:40am:

aquascoot wrote on Mar 4th, 2013 at 9:30am: i worked in blackwater, clermont, woorabinda and emerald . clermont and emerald were pre mining days. i was incredibly amazed at the toughness of the farmers. dislocated shoulders or whatever, they;d just keep mustering the cows. the miners were a different story, soft city boys most of them (this was mainly in blackwater which was a total mining town)  and yes they did used to come and demand treatment at the local hospital at all hours. and the nurses would always have to call in the doctor to sort it out.  you try and put up with 3 months of interrupted sleep. :D :D as i said, refusing to see them was not an option, you would be sacked on the spot by qld health and lets be honest . even a headache could be meningitis , could it not. i have no idea how any rural doctor puts up with the lifestyle. they must be severe masochists  :D :D :D So you are talking about the '60s and 70s. Maybe you should have said that in the begining of you post. As in back in the 70's before mining was prevelent in the following communities, miners were total fvcktards. Because none of what you are saying has anything to do with mining for the last decade or so. Most mine sites and even some of the camps have their own nurses and paramedics that deal with ALL the day-to-day medical issues for the miners and only the most severe medical issues are dealt with the local hospital and it has been this way for a very long time.

;D ;D good point, i'm not quite that old though ;)

Quote:

cant even be done at 9 out of 10 suburban laborities of major pathology companies. need accredited facility with secure chain of control, special toilets where nurses can supervise urine production.

Not in my experience.


Quote:

do you really think big mining companies do mandatory tests on their workers for pot, speed, ecstacy , opiates etc and just ask them to bring in a sample pee tests done at servos.  i'll bet even spot and drah will tell you thats rubbish

They also have toilets onsite, believe it or not.


Quote:

are you telling me GP's in brisbane are not asked to do pre employment medicals including supervised drug tests (supervised by our nurses in our time)  i call horse poo on that one.

Try reading what he actually said.

Western Australia's growing fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforce is putting a strain on health services, with sexually transmitted disease, alcohol and drugs, risk-taking behaviour, stress and family breakdowns having major impacts.

AMA WA president David Mountain told a federal parliamentary hearing into FIFO practices in Perth on Tuesday that a dearth of healthcare workers - who faced the same isolation and cost-of-living pressures as others in remote mining communities - was compounding the problem.

"Given the fact it's incredibly hard to attract people to regional and remote Western Australia already, losing any further (medical) workforce in those centres would be catastrophic," Dr Mountain told the House of Representatives committee hearing, chaired by independent MP Tony Windsor.

Medical practitioners were being impacted by rising costs and runaway real estate prices that were making it unviable in some cases to stay in mining towns.

"I've never known any community to get kicked in the guts like this one."

Applause echoes round the Moranbah Community Centre as local MP Shane Knuth, a large man with a blunt approach who is a member of Bob Katter’s Australian Party, addresses a large crowd of locals.

“Never,” he says. “It comes to you again and again, and it’s coming again.”

In the media, the central Queensland town of Moranbah has been portrayed as a frontier town, menaced by thousands of miners living in work camps; its businesses boarded up; its residents fleeing to the city, selling up and driven out by astronomical property prices.

Tonight the hall is packed, some 400 locals brought together to discuss the latest news — and it’s not good.

Planners have given the green light for yet another work camp, one that will house 3258 more miners — the ‘fly-in, fly-out’ (FIFO) workforce who operate the mines that extract the coal that makes the dollars that shelter the Australian economy from global financial storms.

The Queensland Government seems keen, but the decision will only add to the 22,000 non-resident workers who have already descended on the region.

In the audience tonight are mums with screaming kids, anxious-looking dads, and old-timers who came here for the first mining boom back in the 1970s, which created Moranbah from a handful of dust.

Among them is one of the local GPs, Dr Reyno Nieuwoudt (pictured below).


Dr Nieuwoudt runs the Moranbah Medical clinic and works in the local nurse-run hospital. For the past 12 months he has railed against the way that economic forces, unleashed by this new-found prosperity, are threatening local health services — not just his clinic, but the hospital, the pharmacies and even the paramedic crews.

His clinic’s patient numbers have risen fivefold in just four years.

“A year ago we realised we were running in a crisis situation in terms of medical services," he says.

"We saw the mining projects in development. Moranbah is the most prominent town. We were starting to panic.”

He talks of the abnormally long working hours. The practice is also on-call for the local hospital, which is staffed by just two nurses.

“We found it extremely difficult to attract doctors,” he tells me.

“Here the accommodation is more expensive than any capital cities — even the sought-after areas. Because we are not directly employed by the mining companies, we don’t earn any more. It is Medicare or private fees — we don’t get additional money for living here.”

Men in orange fluoro jackets

Moranbah sits in a geographic slab of rural Australia called the Bowen Basin.

It’s Australia’s biggest coal reserve, producing high-grade metallurgical coal that is carried by rail from the open-cut mines to the coastal ports and then on to China and the rest of the world to make steel.

Surrounding Moranbah are 29 full-scale mining operations. A further 23 are planned. Cast your eye towards the horizon and virtually all the land from the back nine of the Moranbah golf course to the skyline — much of its riches as yet unearthed — is owned by mining companies.

Far from its frontier image, Moranbah is a clean, bright, apparently civilised suburban community with neat lawns and brushed driveways. There are no marauding gangs who, come night-time, roam the streets threatening the womenfolk.

Its status as a mining town is only apparent from the dozens of white 4x4 mining company vehicles driven by big men in orange fluoro jackets and workboots.

But it is amid the late afternoon traffic, along the main drag through the town, that you get a clue to the Moranbah prosperity problem.

It’s a hand-scrawled job advertisement on a piece of cardboard. The advertiser is offering $25 an hour for delivering pizza — plus a few extra bucks for each delivery. The mines mean zero unemployment — a nirvana of sorts.

But businesses relying on a relatively low-pay workforce have to offer wages above the odds or they just can’t compete with the mines.

With rents on a three-bedroom home upwards of $1000-$2000 a week the shop assistants, taxi drivers, hairdressers, school teachers, nurses, police officers and even the doctors are reluctant to come.

     
For instance Dr Renae Dall’Alba, Moranbah Medical’s GP registrar, and her husband Chris Reilly (pictured above), the local pharmacist, arrived four months ago. Without rental support, covering about 30% of their costs, they would not be here.

“We get subsidised by Priceline Pharmacy and the clinic," she says.

"It makes it more affordable because we couldn’t afford to live here otherwise. It just would not have been financially viable. We would have gone somewhere else.”

Mr Reilly, who works across the road from his wife, says these bulldozer economics have also meant that the pharmacy has seen 20-25 staff come and then go since January.

His pharmacy offers about $20 an hour for experienced staff, but cleaning the toilets in one of the mines pays $35 an hour. “Even the administration jobs are $70,000 and upward, and it’s difficult to compete for a small business.”

The other pressure comes from the large work camps. In Moranbah they are known as the ‘MAC camps’, built at a cost of millions of dollars by private enterprises such as MAC Services Group, which lease them to the mining operators.

Some camps, the ones that don’t feature on the news, are simply scraps of land with a few caravans parked on site, usually a temporary home for those working for the huge number of support i

thats just a couple of articles from australian doctor weekly on the impact of the mining boom.  plenty more if you want me to post them.

seems a lot of the locals dont share your enthusiasm ;) ;)

freediver wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2013 at 10:32am:

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Mar 3rd, 2013 at 4:42am: freediver wrote on Mar 2nd, 2013 at 5:17pm: John Smith wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:31pm: freediver wrote on Mar 1st, 2013 at 10:25pm: That's a nice lava lamp. John, I thought the idea was not to impact upon the town. I'm pretty sure the locals are not complaining about selling $9 coke bottles and $45 steaks to cashed up miners. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. what about the local supermarket chick, who now has to pay $9 for a bottle of coke or $7 for water? her rent has gone up from $200 per week to $1500 .... how does she survive? that is one example. .. there would be thousands ... the busness owners may do alright out of it, but anyone on a fixed wage will suffer for it. If she works in a supermarket, it should not be that hard for her to figure out where she could get a coke for under $9 from. If you can't see a way to benefit from that situation it is your own fault. Anyone working for minimum wage in a town with a massive mining boom happening has rocks in their head. Some of the larger boom towns have to get fly in fly out managers for the local maccas. More than half the town would be raking it in. The rest are just lazy whingers or people who don't actually live in these towns but want to whinge on anyone's behalf. Even fruit towns have trouble getting pickers in these days. So how are you saying she should do it? Steal it? Drive 200 km to buy it? SOB I would suggest thinking about it spot.

Why do you never ever answer any questions?

SOB