Notes from the President...

Hello and welcome to the July Newsletter. Well, we have had another interesting month, with a couple of announcements that could prove interesting for the Mount Isa Region.

We saw a huge amount if interest in 'Australian Mining Investments' lease at Rocklands, just northeast of Cloncurry. This certainly put Cloncurry into the news headlines with reporters flocking to the town and plenty of people scrambling to get shares in the company, in the hope they were going to strike it rich, but alas, their hopes were dashed on Monday when the long awaited report was delivered to the Australian Stick Exchange.

The report more than halved the estimated size of the Rocklands copper project, which in turn sent the share price tumbling southwards by about 50odd percent. The report indicates a resource of about 25 million tonnes which is still a rather large resource. But with more drilling to be done, there is a good chance that there is more ore out there – time will tell.

Copper Co Lady Annie project has moved one step closer after they secured a 61 million dollar financial package for their mine site 140klms north of Mount Isa.

The company plans to set up a solvent extraction and electrowinning plant that they acquired from Mount Gordon. Mining & production is expected to start by the second quarter of 2007. The only real hurdles left are the granting of statutory approvals and access for infrastructure the company is expected to obtain these approvals by the end of October.

A couple of weeks ago, about July 5th, the National Federal MP for Dawson De-Anne Kelly hosted a delegation in Bowen to promote the proposed 'Iron Boomerang' project which is basically a project costing some $50 billion and it would be the largest commercial project ever undertaken in Australia and would link coal fields and Abbott Point with Western Australia's Pilbara iron ore province via a twin 3000klm rail line.

The idea is to make pig iron here in Australia and export it instead of exporting both iron ore and coal, as we do presently. We in Mount Isa could do the same thing by utilising Summit Resources iron ore deposits in the Constance range region up near Century.

Instead of building a rail line from Mount Isa to Tennant Creek, Summit has a proposal to build one up through Century then link up to the Adelaide to Darwin line, just south of Newcastle Waters. This way, we could bring coal up from the coalfields through Mount Isa, up to Constance Range region, add it to the iron ore and make pig iron, then send the pig iron via rail to Darwin and export it overseas, most probably to China.

Not many people have probably noticed, but on the 27th June, Kim Beazley announced Labour's 5 point plan for Small Business. This is a brief outline of what he said:

• The plan has a simple goal, to save small business time and money
• Gives back for the effort and enterprise small business puts in
• Rewards small business in five key areas -
  1. Business skills
  2. Superannuation
  3. Red tape
  4. Cash flow
  5. Communication technology

It is interesting that one of Mr Beazley's daughters has taken on a small business recently; Mr Beazley will no doubt now be able to see first hand and appreciate the problems that we as small business owners face on a daily basis.

If anyone would like some more information on this, please go to www.alp.org.au/media/0606/speloo270.php.

CUSTOMER SERVICE RECOGNITION

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

VERITY SPOEHR
THE MOUNT ISA IRISH CLUB

Verity Spoehr, Functions Organiser at the Mount Isa Irish Club is this month's winner of the Customer Service Recognition Award.

Verity has great attention to detail and no request is too much for her to handle. From planning major functions such as the annual Carpentaria Minerals Province Mining Expo Gala Opening Function and the Mount Isa Business Awards to smaller functions such as the Chamber's Annual General Meeting and private dinner parties, every aspect of the functions is taken care of.

We would like to thank Verity for her great customer service. Congratulations!

EASIFIND UPDATE

The 2006/07 Edition of the Easifind is well and truly under way and on track for a September release. Cassandra's currently visiting advertisers and if you would like to place an ad or upgrade an existing ad, please call the Chamber office to speak with Cassandra.

BEST DRESSED PREMISES UPDATE

The Best Dressed Premises competition is on again!! Get your workplace dressed up in the theme of:

"Lets Rock & Ride
Kalkadoon's Last Stand"

This is a great event to get the whole town into the Rodeo atmosphere.
If you would like to nominate to be part of this event, please return the form that has been included in this newsletter to the Chamber office by 31st July, or please contact the Chamber or the Rotary Rodeo office.
Judging will take place on the 8th & 9th of August.

OUTBACK WOMEN ON THE MOVE

Thursday 22nd June saw the official launch of Outback Women on the Move at the Mount Isa Irish Club, with about 120 women (and a handful of men) attending.

Guest speaker Symantha Perkins, ABC North-West Queensland manager Jacqui Donegan and band, Straight Up, provided the entertainment during the evening.

Outback Women on the Move is a non-profit organisation, aimed at facilitating networking between women in North-West Queensland.

This new initiative has been operating for less than six months but already has more than 100 members and the committee is confident that, with the support of local businesses, this will continue to grow.

A special thank you must go to all the sponsors who made the evening possible: Centacare Employment, Mount Isa Water, the Mount Isa Irish Club, The Queensland Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation and Office For Women, Ray White Real Estate, Isaco Office National, Hot FM, The North West Star, Liquip Engineering and Western Mowers, Rutherfurds, the Zonta Club of Mount Isa and the Zonta Breakfast Club of Mount Isa.

Prizes were donated by the Redearth Boutique Hotel, Queensland Country Credit Union, the Southbank Hotel Townsville, Workpac, QH20, and Hastings Deering.

The next function will be a luncheon on Friday, 22nd, September at the Redearth Boutique Hotel Ballroom from 11.30am - 2.30pm. Guests for the luncheon will be inspired and entertained by three successful women from our region while enjoying lunch.

The speakers are:

• Jacqui Donegan: Regional Manager - ABC Nth West Radio
• Karen Read: General Manager Finance - Xstrata
• Annie Clarke: Mayor - Burke Shire Council

Tickets for this event are $30.00 p.p and available from the Chamber office. Pre-purchased tickets are essential.

Membership to the Outback Women on the Move is simple - please call Cassandra on 0404 840 113.

NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to...

• Neovision Photography
• Pickerings Mount Isa Motors Pty Ltd
• Real Way Real Estate
• CH Dental (Heather & McGuiness)
• Dom's Restaurant

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Chamber of Commerce memberships are now due for renewal during the months of July and August. All members must be financial to be eligible to vote at the September Annual General Meeting.

If you have any queries, please call the office.

THE 2006 CS ENERGY MOUNT ISA BUSINESS AWARDS

The 2006 CS Energy Mount Isa Business Awards are being held on the 21st October at the Mount Isa Irish Club.

The night will commence at 6.30pm for a 7pm start and tickets are on sale for $65.00 p.p and are available from the Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce.

This year will see the introduction of the Hall of Fame Perpetual Award for businesses that have won more than 3 times.

(N.B. There are no EFTPOS facilities at the office - Cheque, Cash or Direct Deposit only.)

DATE CLAIMERS

Regards
David Glasson
President
Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce