Gladstone region Mayor Matt Burnett has welcomed government backing for the future of Boyne Smelters as fantastic news for that city and also for the Far North Queensland communities with a stake in bauxite mining.

Cr Burnett described himself as ‘the happiest mayor in Australia right now’ in the wake of news that the State and Federal governments would invest $2 billion in the Boyne Smelters aluminium plant’s ongoing operations.

“(This shows) that the State Government and the Federal Government – different political persuasions – see that this investment in Gladstone is important,” he said.

“Rio Tinto is investing $7.5 billion of their own. But people can call it a handout, or they can call it whatever they like, what it is is this government having skin in the game in manufacturing in Australia and we’re very excited about it.”

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The move secured at least 1000 jobs at Boyne Smelters and probably about 3000 jobs in the region, taking into account workers at the related QAL plant, contractors and suppliers, he said.

Then there were the Cape York communities like Weipa, Mapoon and Napranum who benefited from the ongoing Rio Tinto bauxite operations that produced the ore to feed the Gladstone processing plants, he said.

Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Ronaldo Guivarra said securing the future of the Boyne smelter had a flow-on benefit for the entire state.

“Aluminium is in our everyday and the key mineral to produce it comes from the western cape. Supporting onshore smelting means jobs across Queensland,” he said.

“The strength of Australian aluminium comes from the long history of the western cape, our history, our communities and our culture continues to drive the growth of this industry”

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