Australasian Mining Review
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/26056
4 Of course, the natural disasters that beset Queensland and other parts of Australia this summer have complicated our task. We have a massive rebuilding task ahead, including getting the infrastructure that supports Queensland’s coal industry back on track. The demands of flood recovery will only compound the huge strains being placed on our labour market by the mining boom. The resources sector was already facing a potential shortfall of 36,000 tradespersons by 2015. After three decades when unemployment was our major problem, we now face shortages of labour – a problem unmatched anywhere in the industrialised world. All these challenges – intergenerational equity, infrastructure and ensuring we have the skilled labour force to deliver - require government and industry to work together closely, and I look forward to continuing to work with industry to realise the opportunities presented, for this generation and the next, by Mining Boom II. Martin was elected to Federal Parliament as the Member for Batman in1996 and served continuously as a Shadow Minister until the election of the Labor Government on 3 December 2007. Martin served successively as Shadow Minister for: Employment and Training - 20 March 1996 to 26 August 1997 Employment and Training, Population and Immigration and Assistant to the Leader on Multicultural Affairs - 26 August 1997 to 20 October 1998 Employment, Training and Population - 20 October 1998 to 3 October 1999 Regional Development, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Services and Population - 03 October 1999 to 25 November 2001 Regional and Urban Development, Transport and Infrastructure - 25 November 2001 to 23 August 2002 Regional Development, Transport, Infrastructure and Tourism - 23 August 2002 to 02 July 2003 Urban and Regional Development, Transport and Infrastructure - 2 July 2003 to 26 October 2004 Primary Industries, Resources and Tourism - 26 October 2004 to 24 June 2005 Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism - 24 June 2005 to 10 December 2006 Transport, Roads and Tourism - 10 December 2006 to 3 December 2007 Previously, Martin was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) after working for the Federated Miscellaneous Workers’ Union of Australia since 1975. As president of the ACTU, Martin was a member of advisory councils and foundations including the Social Security Review, the Economic Planning Advisory Council, the National Labour Consultative Council and the Advance Australia Foundation. Martin was also a member of the ILO Governing Body from 1990 to 1996. Martin was born in Sydney in 1953 and was educated at St Patrick’s, Strathfield. He has a Bachelor of Economics degree (Hons) from Sydney University. Martin and his wife Patricia have two children. Martin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June 1996.