COMMENT: There is no time to waste when it comes to securing the future of Weipa, which is Cape York’s biggest economic hub.
Normalising Weipa is going to be such a complex process that it needs to begin now so it can be done in a sensible and sustainable manner.
There is about 10 years of mining left at Andoom and that will prove to be a critical time for the township. How will it survive without mining on its doorstep and ships collecting bauxite from the port?
There are many, many questions.
Rio Tinto’s future in the Cape appears to be solid for at least another 50 years, but how Weipa fits in remains to be seen. No one is asking Rio Tinto to leave town, we are simply asking them to hand back the keys to the community so locals can start working to shore up Weipa’s future.
Cape York Weekly calls on Rio Tinto and the Queensland government to appoint a special task force to implement a responsible handover of the community.
The year 2025 has a good ring to it. That would allow the town to get organised and bring new industry to the Western Cape in preparation for the Andoom closure.
Weipa is too big to fall. The time is now to take action to protect the town’s future.
– Matt Nicholls, Editor/Publisher
