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ABC News
ABC News
Business
By Ashleigh Stevenson

100pc fly-in, fly-out workforces banned in major Queensland mines

Major mining companies operating in Queensland have been banned from flying in 100 per cent of their workforce.

Only large resource projects with at least 100 workers will be affected by the new laws, which were promised by Labor before the last election.

The mines also have to be within a 125-kilometre radius of a regional community with at least 200 residents.

Only two out of 50 mining projects in the state currently have a 100 per cent FIFO workforce, the Queensland Resources Council says, but the new laws will not force FIFO workers on existing contracts to lose their job.

It will apply to new worker contracts.

The laws were passed with bipartisan support on Thursday night.

"You are now back on that level playing field," Mines Minister Anthony Lynham told Parliament as the laws were passing on Thursday night.

"Recruitment will be done on the basis of the strength of the applicant not the postcode of the application.

"This bill will … prohibit discrimination against local residents in future recruitment processes for operational workers and enable existing FIFO workers to move into a local community if they choose."

A number of councils in mining districts have lobbied governments for years to change laws, citing the damage the FIFO practice caused in some towns.

Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington blamed Labor for allowing 100 per cent FIFO workforces in the first place.

She said a then-Labor government in 2011 approved those two mines to fly in all their workers.

"Totally bypassing all the local regional communities, all the local towns and all the local workers," Ms Frecklington said.

The Queensland Resources Council has previously criticised any ban, saying it was a "sledgehammer" approach, which would add red tape and heap extra costs onto companies.

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