Aurukun needs bauxite mine to normalise the economy, says MP Billy Gordon

Independent Queensland MP Billy Gordon and indigenous leaders said Friday, last week, the Palaszczuk (39th Premier of Queensland, Australia) government needed to do more to ensure economic development of the troubled Cape York community of Aurukun. He stressed upon the need for opening the bauxite mine there so that people had work and means for living.

Mr. Gordon was briefing press about the civic reform initiatives that have been taken and being implemented in recent times to restore normalcy in this somewhat politically unstable region of Queensland.

He said local leaders were right to demand greater government attention for economic development in the region.

The indigenous MP said he was bewildered that the proposed Aurukun bauxite mine was “not anywhere near opening”, four years after the government-owned lease on the massive lode was put out to tender.

The former Newman government gave preferred proponent status to multinational Glencore over a company that intends to offer the local Aboriginal community a stake in the bauxite mine. “There has been progress in this community, and clearly a lot more needs to be done especially in empowering the community in running its health program, and getting that right,’’ Mr Gordon said.

“But the other critical issue is to normalise the economy and get the bauxite mine happening, to give people jobs, opportunity but nothing seems to be happening,” he pointed out.