The Liberal Government of Western Australia has received praise for its mining agenda. Can you elaborate on some of the key near-term priorities of the government?

Absolutely. One of the top priorities for our government is to streamline the approvals process. We want to implement an online tracking system that can be used across all departments, similar to what the Department of Mines and Petroleum already has in place. By having an online system, we hope to reduce any miscommunications between departments that might slow down the approvals process. The government has allocated funds towards achieving this goal.

Another priority for us is to capture and store environmental information into a database, much like the mineralogy database that we already possess. This way, mining companies can access historical environmental information, which should make the approvals process smoother and also highlight any potential bottlenecks.

What steps is the state taking to address the increasing cost of doing business in Western Australia?

There are several initiatives that the state government is working on in order to reduce the cost of labor in Western Australia. However, this must be done in collaboration with the federal government. We need skilled labor, which often depends on the availability of Section 457 visas that allow temporary skilled workers to immigrate to Australia. Unfortunately, the problem is not as severe in the eastern states as it is in Western Australia.

Currently, Western Australia only has three members of parliament representing us federally, so there is not a strong incentive to address this issue. However, the Minister for Training and Education is working hard to promote trades to meet the demands of the resources industry. With the iron ore industry expanding and LNG projects coming onstream, the demand for labor is expected to ease in the next few years, which should help to reduce labor pressures and associated costs.

We’ve seen a concerning trend of declining exploration expenditure in Australia. How effective do you think state incentives, such as the Exploration Incentive Scheme, can be in addressing this issue?

It is essential for the government to offer exploration incentives to companies, as exploration is a crucial precursor to mining. The Liberal government is committed to continuing the A$100 million Exploration Incentive Scheme, which is currently set to run through 2015, but we hope to see it continue beyond that. Data shows that there is a genuine multiplier effect with such schemes in place, making it a worthwhile investment in Western Australia. We believe that the Exploration Incentive Scheme will help to increase the state’s competitiveness in the global mining industry. Recent data shows that almost 75% of companies exploring in Africa are based in Perth, which highlights the potential for Western Australia to become a mining hub.

Could you discuss the government’s efforts to diversify Western Australia’s mineral production?

Western Australia is a richly endowed region with vast mineral deposits including nickel, copper, gold, bauxite, mineral sands, rare earths, garnets, and the world’s biggest iron ore deposits. While the state is known for its iron ore production, the government is making significant efforts to diversify the commodity base. The Ministry of Environment has recently given approval for the first new uranium mine in Western Australia. This is a positive development for the state’s economy and hopefully, it will pave the way for the development of other minerals.

The government has extensive data on every type of mineral in the state and is very supportive of any company exploring and developing them. Furthermore, there has been a lot of magnetite iron ore development of the highest quality in recent years. Despite efforts to diversify the commodity base, the government takes pride in the level of expertise that companies in Western Australia have developed over decades of mining iron ore. Companies in the region possess advanced technology, infrastructure, and logistics that make them stand out in the global mining industry.

What is the long-term vision for Western Australia’s mining industry?

Western Australia’s large landmass, most of which is still unexplored, presents a significant opportunity for mineral discovery. There are still vast mineral deposits to be explored, and new discoveries are being made every week with the help of advanced technology, historical data, and exploration grants. New mining techniques and methods of extraction have made deposits that were previously considered uneconomical, viable.

Western Australia’s economy has always been based on mining, which has resulted in a strong mining culture in the state. Despite increasing environmental constraints on mining and exploration, the industry has continued to succeed by meeting the conditions. With extensive geological data available to companies, Western Australia will continue to be a great place to explore for minerals. The success of major companies operating in the region highlights the potential that exists in the state. The government envisions that Western Australia will continue to be a hub of mining activity globally, and Perth will remain a center of mining activity worldwide.

What are some of the key initiatives that the government has put in place to streamline the mining approval process in Western Australia?

The Liberal government of Western Australia has implemented a few key initiatives to streamline the approvals process for mining projects in the state. One such initiative is the implementation of an online tracking system across all departments, which is similar to the system currently in place within the Department of Mines and Petroleum. The online system will help alleviate any miscommunications across departments, which can often slow down the approvals process. To achieve this goal, the government has allocated funds.

Another initiative is the capture and storage of environmental information into a database similar to the one already in place for the mineralogy of the region. This database will provide historical environmental information that a mining company can access. These two initiatives will help make the approvals process smoother and highlight any bottlenecks in the process.

What is the state doing to address the increasing cost of doing business in Western Australia?

The state government is working to reduce the cost of labor in Western Australia by enacting several initiatives. However, cooperation with the federal government is necessary to achieve this goal. One such initiative is the promotion of trades by the Minister for Training and Education, which aims to meet the demands of the resources industry. The state also relies on temporary skilled workers who can immigrate to Australia with the accessibility of Section 457 visas. However, the availability of skilled labor is a more significant issue in Western Australia than in the eastern states.