General News
9 September, 2024
Mount Isa City Council requests meeting with Prime Minister
The council wants financial support to help Mount Isa transition away from one major employer.
Mount Isa councillors have sought a face-to-face meeting with Anthony Albanese as lobbying efforts commence to overhaul the city’s economic focus following the loss of 1200 copper mining jobs next year.
Mayor Peta MacRae told North West Weekly that a letter had been sent to the Prime Minister that requests a sit-down meeting in Canberra to discuss the council’s newly released economic diversification strategy.
The 240-page document outlines 60 specific local projects as part of a multi-billion dollar road map to enable the city to reduce its reliance on Glencore Mount Isa Mines as the primary economic driver in the city as well as meet the national policy objectives of the federal government.
Cr MacRae said she had spoken directly with Queensland Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm at the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils meeting in Mount Isa last week, who said he would arrange both a meeting with the Prime Minister as well as Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King.
“The funding we are seeking is substantial if we are going to do this correctly,” the mayor said.
“If we can get a return of money that is 2.5 years of the amount we give to the government each year then that will completely transform our economy and allow us to be a powerhouse for the next 100 years.”