Confusion over Kurra lease extension

There is still confusion about whether the lease for Newman’s Kurra Village workers’ camp has been extended or not ahead of its looming December 31 deadline.

The camp accommodates 600-1100 workers at any one time, compared with about 1000 BHP Billiton workers who reside in Newman.

On one side, BHP claimed the lease was a done deal.

“The WA Government has approved the Kurra lease extension, ” a company spokeswoman said.

On the other, Minister for Lands Terry Redman said it hadn’t been approved.

“As I remain unconvinced about the need for Kurra Village to be retained at its current size and without good integration into the community I, as of today, have not renewed this lease, ” he said.

The confusion appeared to have arisen as a result of Kurra Village partly resting on crown land and partly on land covered by a State Agreement Act.

This meant it required approval from both Mr Redman’s Department of Lands and the Premier’s Department of State Development.

While the Nationals currently oppose the camp’s lease extension, their coalition partner Colin Barnett has backed its extension in his role as Minister for State Development.

Mr Redman said the Nationals’ opposition was based on the party’s push to maximise residential workforces in regional communities.

“Where a FIFO workforce is required, there needs to be a greater focus on integrating FIFO workers into local communities and this position aligns with the State Government’s Pilbara Cities vision, ” he said.

Nationals Pilbara MP Brendon Grylls was more strident.

He said it would be “unconscionable” to renew Kurra Village’s lease now the mining construction phase had mainly passed and rents had become “cheaper (in Newman) than in Perth”.

“I strongly put on the record there is no case for renewal of the lease here in Newman, ” he said. “It would be an affront to anyone who has invested into Newman, either in small business or real estate if we do that.”

But BHP said FIFO rosters gave their workers choice.

“By maintaining a range of accommodation options we are better able to give our workforce a choice to meet their individual needs, ” the company spokeswoman said.

“We are not prepared to mandate that our FIFO workforce become residentially based, but we will continue to encourage a strong residential presence in Newman.”