Cr Peter Yench is calling on Cobar Shire Council to support him in his quest to change the NSW Government Act that would bring about a ban on 100 per cent Fly in/Fly Out (FIFO) workers to mines in NSW.
Cr Yench also plans to take the matter to the National Party’s Federal and State annual general meeting in Nyngan next month to see if he can gain their support for changes to NSW Government legislation.
“Recently the Queensland parliament passed new laws banning 100 per cent employment of FIFO workers to mines,” Cr Yench said.
“The Act will apply to large resource projects that have 100 or more employees and are located within 125km of a regional community with at least 200 residents.”
Cr Yench said there were a number of tax advantages for employers to employ FIFO and DIDO (Drive In/Drive Out) workers.
“These tax advantages are providing the wrong result,” he said.
Cr Yench believes the government is subsidising a system which is “anti-regional by nature”.
He called for subsidies to attract employees to offset the high costs of permanent
housing.
“While the local mines generate big money, the FIFO/DIDO workforce take that big money and spend it in their home towns and the local community is missing out,” Cr Yench said.
He is calling on support to encourage the NSW Government to develop a policy or an Act similar to the Queensland parliament’s ban on 100 per cent employment of FIFO workers to mines.
Cr Yench, who is also a member of the Orana Regional Development board, said he intends to raise this matter for discussion at their next meeting in an effort to gain wider support.
