http://aspirecq.com/?p=55
We give our resources away to multi-national companies, let them introduce FIFO, let them discharge whatever into our rivers, let them use the infrastructure we the taxpayers have funded; so at the very least shouldn’t we insist they invest in one of our resources, our youth, by giving them the opportunity to be gainfully employed and learn a trade. At least they will be one asset that will increase in value after the resource boom ends. Hope you enjoy the following blog.
‘There’s a woman from some HR department on the phone for you’. Having not received a phone call before, at best a letter, but usually nothing, he was hesitant to hear the outcome to his latest job application. As the phone went back on the docking station a satisfied smile soon broke into a huge grin. “That training I got, it’s going to pay off. I’ve got a job with the mines”.
A couple of weeks ago I questioned with 1.2 million Australians unemployed and 2.2 million underemployed, why the need for foreign labour. Liveability near where the jobs are is one issue. It was good to see this week one state election candidate help try to address this with a free family fun park proposal for Rockhampton. The Rockhampton region needs to position itself as a place where families of mine/resource workers can live. Infrastructure like this proposal and for Yeppoon, along with fast train access to Gladstone and out west to Alpha would make it more enticing for people to move closer to where the jobs are.
Another issue that was brought to my attention was the high cost to get all the training and tickets required to make a person potentially employable by the mines. A $7000-$10000 outlay. If you’re unemployed this outlay would be a substantial hurdle, if not insurmountable. Why not introduce a HEC’s type of repayment scheme, suggested a reader to this column. Just like a university student, the person receiving the training repays the cost of it out of their income once it exceeds a pre-determined amount. Sounds like a great idea. The Government would be making an investment in its own citizens which would be repaid once they gained employment and the income exceeded the set amount.
With the Government also collecting income tax and extra GST with more gainfully employed Australians. Something I question whether they’ll be collecting taxes from the fly in fly out (FIFO) foreign workers. The person who advised me of the idea has written to the State Minister of Mines suggesting it, but has yet to receive a reply.
However instead of the Government creating another level of bureaucracy to handle this would the mine/resource companies be better to fund and administer it. They could therefore give a clearer indication of persons they deem suitable for the work and thus eligible for the training and funding. Not providing false hope to the participants who outlay the huge dollars but aren’t likely for whatever reason to gain employment with the mines. Plus arguably the mines/resources companies could administer such a scheme more efficiently than the government.
Either way there does appear to be merit in this HEC’s type proposal. Hopefully someone who has the power to appraise it fully can bring it to the attention of the people who do really want to get more Australians employed does so.