CME chief continues FIFO defence

Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief executive Reg Howard-Smith used the last business breakfast meeting to continue his defence of fly-in, fly-out work practices.

Mr Howard-Smith told questioners at the Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce’s business breakfast there was no evidence mental health issues were more common among FIFO workers than in the broader community.

He said this had not changed in the wake of the Federal and State Government parliamentary inquiries, which had been largely critical of the practice.

He also cited a recent CME-sponsored independent survey of 2600 FIFO workers to point out that more than seven of every 10 surveyed said they would quit their current roles if they had to change from FIFO.

“At the end of the day there has got to be incentives and attractions to live (in the regions) and people can then make the choice, ” he said.

“Companies in the resources sector are still competing, even though it is a bit of a downturn, for the best people.

“I’m not anti-Port Hedland ... but at the end of the day it has to come back to choice.”

Mr Howard-Smith’s comments came in response to questions by local business owners Roger Higgins and Jan Ford, who argued the region’s population was not growing fast enough and that some Pilbara residents were being forced on to FIFO rosters.

Mr Howard-Smith said he agreed Hedland and the Pilbara were nice places to live and said resources companies also took mental health issues seriously.

He said one of the sector’s proudest achievements was the fact it was now Australia’s largest employer of indigenous people.

He also used his talk to point out that the iron ore price was now hovering around its historical level of about $50 a tonne.

When outlining the large amounts of community investment made by big miners, such as BHP Billiton, into regional communities, Mr Howard-Smith also called for a re-evaluation of the State Government’s Pilbara Cities vision.

He said it was time for more dialogue around how the vision could achieve its goals of population and business growth.

In a boost for local planners hoping to see Hedland’s Lumsden Point developed, he said he could see an opportunity for the project but that it needed help.