Mining boom puts pressure on older lower paid locals

The mining boom has provided local mine workers with six figure pay packets in central Queensland but it has skyrocketed the cost of living and forced older council workers to move elsewhere.

As reported in The Australian, Adrian Guest, 59, is approaching retirement after spending most of his working life in Biloela. Once a mine worker himself he has worked as the town’s sewage plant operator on $38,000 in recent years and said that the impact of the mining boom had made it economically difficult for lower paid workers.

“The town has just become that expensive to live in. The wages from the council are practically a third of what people are earning in the mines. It’s really making it impossible for council workers and some of the other old industries in the town to survive.”

Mr Guest referred to the high cost of petrol, soaring rent and food prices, and recent council rate increases including a 15% increase last year. In addition he said the council was considering a new Work Choices arrangement which would mean that instead of working a nine-day fortnight with penalty rates every third weekend, he would be asked to work a five day week – probably from Wednesday to Sunday – without penalty rates.

After 45 years in Biloela, Adrian Guest said he and his wife would reluctantly leave town in the next two years. “I’m getting up towards 60. It’s just too dear to live in the town. My wife and I are not the only ones. There are people we’ve known for years who are basically doing the same thing.”