Divergence, at moments like this it sometimes pays to not just
rely on a poll in the SMH, but take note of what people actually do.
Perhaps you should buy a copy of this weekend's AFR, which quotes
various stats and which is a little more complex in reporting on
the matter, than the common press.

According to the AFR, when Bluescope retrenched 1000 workers in
Wollongong last year, BHP offered them other jobs in WA and Qld.
Of the thousand, only 40 have accepted offers. In Adelaide
something like 6000 people lost their jobs from Mitsubishi and
Holden plants. An expo was organised by 10 companies for out of
state jobs, only 11 people took up their offers.

Even within a state, it can be a problem. When Harvey Beef dismissed
around 75 workers, the Govt rushed in millions of dollars of aid and
work in other meatworks, like in Katanning was organised. Something
like 3 people took up the offers. Fact is that people don't like
selling up their homes, move kids to other schools, leave their
friends, to go elsewhere, if they can avoid it.

The details in the AFR also show that its more expensive to hire
foreigners, costs are listed. Large companies have their reputation
at stake, unlike small operators, so its a different ballgame and
they cannot cheat the system. These are not fly by night operators.

But when you are building things that are world's best practise,
you need skills. The Phillippines have excellent welders for instance.
They live close by and when the project ends they can go
home again.
It makes perfect sense to use them, if no Australians
want the jobs.

Next, if you work in the NW, you will be drug tested. Its part of
their safety requirements. That disqualifies a whole lot of
Australians

Mining is not for everybody, and neither is living in a remote part of AU. Just because there is a job there will not make anyone make a decision to uproot everything to take a job far outside what situation they have been accustomed to.
Why not get foreign labor, no doubt they will have a huge turnover of staff, and if there is a downturn in orders, it will not affect the Australians that would have uprooted their lives to move to the wilderness.