Minute With The Mayor Mayor Ramon Jayo 5 August

I recently travelled to Canberra with the northwest Queensland delegation after notification from Glencore that they would be closing the Mount Isa copper smelter.

The closure of the smelter has significant flow-on effects for us who rely on agriculture.

About 17,000 jobs affected across various sectors will have a significant impact on our economy in North Queensland, of which we are a part. In addition, it puts our fertiliser supply under real pressure.

One of the by-products of that copper smelting is sulphuric acid and that’s key for making phosphate fertilisers.

In the Hinchinbrook region, some of our soils are phosphate-deficient.

The phosphate is mined at Phosphate Hill, about 200km from Mount Isa, and then blended with urea and other products in Townsville to make the fertilisers we all rely upon.

From there, it’s sent out to the cane fields, not just here in the Hinchinbrook region but across the east coast.

If that smelter shuts and we lose local acid supply, we’d have to start importing phosphate from overseas and then truck it all the way back to Phosphate Hill. Imagine the cost of that.

What’s that going to do to the price of our fertiliser?

These issues were raised with politicians. They listened, seemed to get it – now let’s see what they do about it.

On a brighter note, we just want to sincerely congratulate the Forrest Beach Surf Life Saving Club on their nomination for Club of the Year.

It just goes to show what a well-run group of dedicated volunteers can achieve. We wish them all the success going forward.