Levi’s Great Grandparents were Maltese immigrants who made Mackay their home when they came to Australia on a cattle ship. Mackay and the mining industry gave Levi’s family the ability to build what they have and live the life they now do.
Levi is the Natural Resources Operations Manager with SGS Australia based in Paget. Mining wasn’t something Levi thought he would end up in but after spending five years in the army on various deployments and missing home, it’s where he ended up.
“A friend of mine knew someone who worked for a coal lab and they were looking for a coal technician. I thought why not, I’ll give anything a go.
“The mining industry was part of the world that I grew up around. When you live somewhere like Mackay, it becomes apparent early on what the industry does: it actually keeps the towns going, it’s the bottom line for a place like Mackay. It provides stable work for life.
“My father and my brother, uncle, all dads’ friends and my friends work in mining. It’s one of those jobs where people show up, work hard and can build a solid life for themselves close to home.
“When I came home from the army, I saw what that stability meant for my family and friends and the Mackay community. I wanted to be that little cog in the big machine that helped provide stability for my community,” Levi said.
Levi has been with SGS for five years, working his way up from coal tech to operations manager. Long story short, his job is to analyse and certify coal, so it hits certain marks to then go out for export or wherever it’s going.
Levi loves his job and says he would happily do it for the rest of his life.
“The industry has given us the tools to look after our people and our community. We are so lucky to have this resource and be able to use it to look after our family. I love this industry.
“I sound like a broken record, but coming from a regional area community is everything. Coal helps community, it builds and supports everyone in it.”
Levi said the importance of the coal industry was really driven home to him when he came home from deployment during the downturn.
“Mackay was an absolute ghost town. To go from hustle and bustle and people putting money into the community and supporting one another to nothing, it was unbelievable.
“There’s so much false rhetoric out there about the coal mining industry and government around coal. They’re not thinking. You might not like coal but your friend who has a flower shop in Mackay, do you like their business? Because if you believe in the nonsense that’s out there, there is a 90 per cent chance your friend’s flower business won’t be successful.”
Levi said he honestly believes Coal Australia is the voice that we need.
“It’s the voice of common sense, it’s as simple as that.
“Coal Australia and organisations like @ The Coalface are the refreshing breeze of common sense that you can see cutting through the media when all you normally get is nonsense and negativity and plain lies about the industry.
“We all need to be that strong voice cutting through.”
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