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Membership Become a Rockhampton Regional Development Limited member Contact our office now! Phone: (07) 4927 0292 Email: enquiries@rrdl.com.au	Click to jump to article: BHP Billiton still optimistic Central Queensland Not Affected by Chinese econimc slump Coal Haulage Strong For New Challenger Dysart Mines Rescue team The World's Best Kiwi Invasion Landowners To Get Mine Approach Advice Record Queensland Exploration Trainees On The Tracks Rio Tinto Says China Could Fall Into Recession China Prepares To Combat World Finance Crisis World First UCG In Queensland
Upcoming Events - Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Click here to view  Coastal Capture - Capricorn Coast Tourist Organisation Newsletter  Click here to view  Skilling Solutions Queensland Smart News & Views Newsletter Click here to view  Useful Contacts for Business, Industry and Government Information Small Businesses visit www.business.gov.au   Industry http://www.industry.gov.au/  http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/ AusIndustry Hotline: 13 28 46   Business and Industry Development contact Prue Hinchliffe, Principal State Development Officer, Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry SDC Rockhampton, Level 1, 149 Bolsover Street PO Box 947, Rockhampton QLD 4700 Phone:  4938 4982 Fax:  4938 4986 Email: prue.hinchliffe@dtrdi.qld.gov.au  Web:  http://www.sd.qld.gov.au/    Not-For-Profit contact Katherine Hicks, Life Be In It Administration Services (Work for the Dole - An Australian Government Initiative) Office 7/99 Musgrave Street, North Rockhampton QLD 4701 Phone: 4921 2633 Fax: 4921 2633 Email: comsec.nqlive@bigpond.com Download brochure here  No Cost Business Review contact Warren Hale, Business Adviser, Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Commerce Queensland Rockhampton Office 212 Quay Street PO Box 829, Rockhampton QLD 4700 Mobile: 0488 358 925 Phone: 07 4922 1278 Fax:  07 3013 3438 Email: warren.hale@enterpriseconnect.net.au  Web:  enterpriseconnect.gov.au Hotline 131 791	BHP Billiton Still Optimistic BHP Billiton chair Don Argus says that the Australian economy is basically very sound and our biggest danger is being US-centric. According to Mr Argus, the financial chattering classes seem to be missing the real China story. “North-east Asia is going to be the world’s chief motivating economic force over the next 40 years,” Mr Argus said.   “Led by China and India, economic growth in these economies has been strong with solid support from growth in domestic demand and strong trading activity with other emerging market economies.”   This economic trend will continue to move into central China, no matter what happens within the US.   According to Argus, China has a well planned economy and despite the fact they consumer 91% of their own production, they are becoming a major world trade player.   By 2025, there will be 221 cities in China with a million or more inhabitants.   India is also developing their own economy force with a population of 1.4 billion people. Although it has little or no coal deposits, their iron ore deposits could spell change for the country.   Argus indicated that inadequate infrastructure planning and spending could disrupt the industry.   He said that in spite of a 40 year explosion of demand from China, poor infrastructure was holding back Australia’s export performance.   “Demand is exceeding supply like you can’t believe,” he said.  Return to top   CQ Not Affected By Chinese Economic Slump  The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) boss Michael Roche believes Central Queensland’s coal mining industry will not be affected from a slowdown in the Chinese economy. As the world’s financial markets continue to crumble, Mr Roche said “the strength of mining in the CQ region is the best thing we have going for the economy at the moment.”   He also said the falling Australian dollar is compensating for falling coal prices.   This analysis was supported by Macarthur Coal which reported its coal deliveries were unaffected in the September quarter by the global financial turmoil with several cargoes of thermal coal shipped during the quarter at prices in line with Japanese benchmark price for 2008.   “In addition, the company has recently priced several cargoes at levels well above the 2008 benchmark prices for shipments during the 2009 year,” a Macarthur Coal spokesperson said.   “It remains evident from the large number of enquiries that the company is currently receiving on a regular basis from potential customers that demand for coal continues to be strong.”   Return to top   Coal Haulage Strong For New Challenger Asciano Pacific National increased its coal haulage volume to 3.37 million tonne kilometres for the three months to September 30, an increase of 11.2% over the corresponding quarter last year.   The high volumes were thanks to continued customer demand and improvements completed last financial year.   According to Asciano managing director Mark Rowsthorn, these good results highlight the benefits of diversity in their business and customer base.   Interestingly, Pacific National has entered into contracts with Xstrata Coal and Rio Tinto Coal Australia to haul 14 million tonnes of coal on the Goonyella and Blackwater lines between 2010 and 2020.      Return to top     Dysart Mines Rescue Team The World's Best The Moranbah North Mine rescue team have won an international mine rescue competition after competing in Nevada in September.   The seven member team completed against teams from China, Peru, Canada and across America.   Based at the Dysart Rescue Station, the team was trained by the Queensland Mines Rescue Service.   Queensland Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said no-one should be surprise at the win.   “The Queensland Mines Rescue Service ha been in the business of safety and training for more than 99 years, and have an international reputation for word’s best practice,” Mr Wilson said.   Return to top     Kiwi Invasion Central Queensland and the Rockhampton Region is the place where there are plenty of jobs and a good life style.   Rockhampton Regional Development was overwhelmed by the enquiries when they attended the New Zealand Herald: Your Career Expo in Auckland to help Central Queensland-based companies, including QMAG find skilled workers.   The Rockhampton region had 175 vacant positions to fill and more than 650 applications have been submitted from over the Tasman Sea.   Employers located within the Rockhampton Region are encouraged to register with CQ Jobs, a free service from Rockhampton Regional Development to access the international job seekers.   Return to top     Landowners To Get Mine Approach Advice The Bligh government will hold a series of information sessions across Queensland with hopes to reduce friction between farmers and the mining industry, Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said.   “We need them both. One gives us the food and fibre we need for our daily lives. The other is a key economic driver of the state’s strong economy.” Mr Wilson said.   The public information sessions will start in Roma on 30 October 2008, and move to Injune, Miles, Wandoan, Dalby and Felton.   As well as these information sessions, Regional Summits in Dysart, Dalby and Mount Isa are also planned.   These Regional Summits will provide the mining industry, rural produces and the local community an opportunity to examine the impacts of the resources boom and to discuss long-term plans for communities and the challenges they face. Return to top       Record Queensland Exploration Queensland Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson recently announced that the state has achieved record level of investment in mining and petroleum exploration in 2007-2008. Wilson said a record $563.3 million had been invested in Queensland mining and petroleum industry in 2007-2008.   “This record spend is due in no small part to our Smart Mining initiatives,” Mr Wilson said.   “It might sound dry on paper, but our Smart Mining initiatives are bringing in great returns on our investments.”   Thanks to the government’s new initiative, one of the world’s richest mineral resources regions have been discovered in the heart of north-west Queensland.    Return to top
MEDIA RELEASE ARCHIVE For a full list of recent Media Releases click here Click Here to access our eNews archives All Members of Rockhampton Regional Development Limited subscribing to our eNewsletter are welcome to submit public notices, advertisements or articles for inclusion. We also invite members to showcase their organisation, events or functions and recent achievements. If you have any suggestions or ideas for what you would like to see in future editions of Inside the Region we would like to hear them. Rockhampton Regional Development Limited welcomes feedback and comments that might help us to improve the products and services we provide. For further details and submission of items please email: media@rrdl.com.au   Please note articles should be brief, no more than 600 words and Rockhampton Regional Development Limited reserves the right to make editorial changes, decline the publishing of submitted items or withhold them for future publishing.	Trainees On The Tracks Twenty-five trainee coal train drivers will commence the practical side of their training, to eventually join the 300 drivers working in the Goonvella coal system.   Queensland Rail (QR) has put the recruits through their paces in a 16 week training program, before starting an additional three months practical training.   QR is halfway through a five-year, $3.75 billion infrastructure program to expand the capacity of the Central Queensland coal network.   The program is complemented by more than $2.3 billion of “above-rail” projects including new locomotives and wagons.   The first of the new German-built locomotives will be in service by December 2008.   Return to top       Rio Tinto Says China Could Fall Into Recession