No foreigners will take Aust mining jobs with EMA: PM

I read this article with great interest and happy to hear that 1700 jobs will go to Aussies, lets look after our own back yard and stop this talk about skills shortages, getting a bit tired of it, I run a Technical Recruitment Firm and supply to the mining Industry, I have 30 Australian Engineers ready to start work now, so stop the HYPE and stop putting in these ridiculous PSA Agreements shutting out company's who want to supply professionals. I recently spoke to a HR Departments in one of Australia's leading Mining Operations, apart from the fact the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing they informed me that they had all their recruitment bedded down with Preferred Suppliers and even if I did have an Engineer who was right for their business they would not be interested in viewing the CV as my company was not on their list. Get oif the Lists and start opening your MINDS, these big miners should stop letting their HR Departments run their company's and start having open dialougue with company's who can supply professionals or skilled trades instead of wasting time bringing people in from overseas.

i agree wholeheartedly with Nicks comment a young tradesman has just completed his trade and is looking for work in the mining industry and the PSA HR company is asking for a fee euivalent to a weeks wage to get listed and no Guarantee of a job.

What about the ITB process? My company recently bid for a large project with a very large gas company (one that our pollies are so proud to sell our assets to) and was knocked back in favour of a UK company. Strangely enough, during a tradeshow 2 months before tender award, we were told by the UK company that they had won the Tender and how much they bid. Jobs for Aussies? No, jobs for preferred suppliers, preferably one's that offer "incentives" such as overseas trips to the UK, etc. Do you really believe these companies will hire Aussies when they can get cheaper labour and less IR problems from the Phillipines, Indonesia, etc. By the way, I didn't see caucasian mentioned, do they also cost too much?

The above comments only reinforce what I have heard from experienced professionals that have applied for mining jobs. (Example: A friend was told by a manager at a mine site, 'I would employ you but you will never get through our HR system.') The escape clause in the political commitment is 'able', There may be many Australians who are 'ready and willing'. their 'ability' can always be questioned - rightly or wrongly. The only Aussie jobs we can be sure of will be the extra bureaucracy in the new 'jobs board'!