CME coordinated the initiative during challenging Perth lockdown circumstances, with our members quick to provide their financial support, to be distributed between two key organisations – the Perth Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund and the Red Cross.   

Contributions to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund cover the immediate relief requirements of those impacted by the Perth Hills fires, while contributions to the Red Cross have been ring-fenced to support their response and medium to long term recovery work in WA, including teams on the ground working in evacuation centres. 

A significant number of workers at CME member companies have been impacted by these fires and many others have friends and families who have been affected.  People have lost their homes, livestock and pets, along with priceless memories. Others have been displaced and are uncertain of when they will be able to return home. 

Whilst contributions to the Bushfire Community Support Initiative can’t replace what many of those people have lost, it will hopefully make things a little easier for them in the days, weeks and months to come. 

CME would like to thank AngloGold Ashanti Australia, BHP, Chevron, Evolution Mining, Inpex, Minara Resources, Mt Gibson Iron, Newmont, Northern Star Resources, Ramelius Resources, Rio Tinto, Roy Hill, Shell, South32, Talison Lithium, Thiess and Woodside who have contributed so generously to the initiative. 

For more information contact Susan Cull: s.cull@cmewa.com

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Each year WIRA celebrates outstanding individuals and organisations in mining and resources, and the work that is being done to provide attractive career opportunities for and enhance recognition and participation of women in our sector.

The stories of our WIRA finalists are as inspirational as they are impressive. I can’t wait to see all these role models recognised on March 5 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Of course, the fact we are able to contemplate an event of almost 1000 people is a testament to how things can change in only a few short weeks.

Last time I penned a Discovery column in early February, Perth and the South West of WA were in lockdown. Now we’re back to the freedoms we’ve enjoyed for much of the past nine months. From a global perspective we’ve been exceptionally fortunate.

Many of you will have seen the news this week of the first COVID-19 vaccinations in WA. The Minerals Council of Australia this week released a position statement on the national vaccination rollout, and the CME Workplace Health and Safety Team will continue working with member companies to ensure workers in our sector considered to be vulnerable or who come in contact with vulnerable communities are vaccinated as soon as is practicable.

I’d like to finish off this column by announcing the exciting news that Susan Cull has been appointed to the position of State Manager (Regional) for CME.

Many of you will have worked with Susan in her current role as Manager – Workforce Capability and will be well aware of her in-depth knowledge of our sector’s challenges and opportunities and also her tremendous work ethic. Susan has been a driving force behind the creation and ongoing impact of WIRA.

I’d like to congratulate Susan on her new role, in which I know she’ll be extremely successful.

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Onslow went back-to-the-future with great effect as the threat of a global pandemic closed in.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3agNxn0

Driverless utes make maintenance easier at WA mine site

The mobile maintenance crew at FMG’s Christmas Creek mine site previously faced more than 330,000 kilometres a year behind the wheel just to collect equipment and parts.

Now those items are being brought to them…

Read more: https://bit.ly/3psAm6S

The technological solution keeping miners safe at work…and beyond

Automated safety solutions that sound like something out of a science fiction film are being employed at mine sites across WA.

Read more: https://bit.ly/2NyDO2g

Our Instagram post of the month 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CMEWA (@cmewa)

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New opportunities for Goldfields businesses  

The GE Business Register is now up and running and interest has been strong. As of late February, 150 businesses had already registered, enjoying increased visibility and opening up the potential for extra work.  

The Register is an online platform encouraging local small, medium, and large businesses to increase local spending. Businesses have the option to register on the platform to improve their visibility to suppliers and purchasers, and also to register as suppliers to the mining industry and showcase their skills and capabilities to mining companies.  

The Kalgoorlie Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KBCCI) has a resource dedicated to the Register and can help Goldfields businesses join up and answer any of their questions.  Please contact Sharon Henderson at the KBCCI at hello@gebusinessregister.com.au if you have any queries. 

Only two months to go until SMERC  

The Goldfields Surface Mines Rescue Competition (SMERC) will be held over three days from April 30 to May 2. Evolution Mining has very kindly offered to host this year’s event and 10 teams have already nominated to compete. SMERC 2021 sponsorship packages have also been released and are selling fast.   

SMERC is always a highlight on the Goldfields calendar and this year’s event promises to be no different. For event details, contact Emma Woodcock at Merc@cmewa.com 

For more information, contact Ryan O’Hanlon: R.OHanlon@cmewa.com

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Established in July 2019, the Inquiry has focused on evaluating the progress of the Australian Government’s Northern Australia agenda, as set out in the Our North, Our Future: White Paper on Developing Northern Australia.  

The Committee’s focus to date has been on identification of the barriers to investment in infrastructure and economic development across northern Australia. 

Questions received by CME included trends in the resources sector; trade implications; supply chain considerations for northern operations and markets and; opportunities to improve fringe benefit and remote area tax arrangements to improve liveability of regional towns in the north of WA.  

CME was represented at this hearing by Paul Everingham, Chief Executive, Adrienne LaBombard, Manager – Economic Competitiveness and Roannah Wade, Senior Policy Adviser – Land Access & Exploration.  

The Committee is due to deliver the final report to the Parliament by 28 April 2021. The interim report was published on 3 December 2020.   

For more information, contact Roannah Wade: R.Wade@cmewa.com  

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It was exciting to hear that South32 Worsley Alumina recently hosted a group of 23 students from 13 different high schools, as part of a Girls Focus on Mining program  coordinated by Curtin University’s WA School of Mines. 

The visit was scheduled over 12 hours to simulate a typical resources sector working day. The girls and their mentors toured the mine and the refinery, following the Bayer process and finishing with alumina wagons being loaded ready to transport to port. The group also heard from employees from the Worsley laboratory, process, chemical and mechanical engineering, capital projects and visualisation and data teams. 

Girls Focus on Mining aims to introduce young women to career options in the mining industry and highlighting the fact there is a job to suit everyone. 

The Worsley tour builds on the success of the Girls Focus on Mining tour in the Goldfields in January, supported by Super Pit co-owner Saracen Mineral Holdings and Curtin University’s WA School of Mines. As part of the camp, 48 students from Year 10, 11 and 12 from across WA spent part of their school holidays building on their existing interest in science, engineering and the mining sector. 

Collaboration grows in the South West

A group of South West members have been meeting regularly to formulate ideas for a collaborative community development project that will be meaningful to the communities across the South West and Peel regions, but which also promotes the benefits of the sector.  What started with four member companies at the first meeting in October 2020, grew to a group to 10 at a meeting held on 3 February – including Talison, Tronox, South32, Alcoa, GHD, Doral, Simcoa, Albemarle, Newmont and Iluka. 

The February meeting, held remotely during the Covid-19 lockdown, included a presentation from Brian Hayes, Ranger Coordinator for Chevron, about the Sea Ranger program which employs five rangers to work on conservation and land management projects in our State’s north. Brian spoke with pride about the rangers’ work to monitor the endangered turtle population in Onslow.  

The group also heard from Jai Wilson from the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, who spoke about the progress of the South West Settlement and potential future opportunities for collaboration including an Aboriginal ranger program.  

CME’s Manager of Workforce Capability, Susan Cull, shared her insights into various education and training programs in the regions including the Goldfields Education Mining Industry Alliance (GEMIA) and the Inspiring Girls program for students in Years 10,11 and 12. 

CME welcomes participation by all South West members at the next meeting, to be held on 2 March at 12.45pm in the administration building at the South Regional TAFE in Bunbury. This will follow the South West Regional Council meeting, which will include a presentation from TAFE about meeting the training needs of the sector and a tour of the trade training centre. 

For more information contact Sharon Upston: s.upston@cmewa.com

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Describing the EPBC Act as “complex and cumbersome”, Samuel highlighted its ineffectiveness and lack of modernisation, the unnecessary duplication with State-based regulation, and the resultant additional cost impost to business with no benefit to environmental outcomes. 

Samuel’s Final Report proposes a suite of reforms aimed at contemporising the EPBC Act, streamlining environmental approvals, devolving decision-making, improving stakeholder consultation and community confidence and supporting sustainable development.

You can read more about the details of the Final Report in our information circular.

In response to the Final Report, the Minister for the Environment, Hon Sussan Ley MP, committed to considering Samuel’s recommendations in consultation with stakeholders as the Government’s reform agenda is developed. Minister Ley also committed to progressing the establishment of a ‘single touch’ environmental approvals system and further streamlining reforms, in alignment with National Cabinet’s commitment on 11 December 2019. 

EPBC Amendment (Standards and Assurance) Bill 2021 introduced 

On Thursday 25 February, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Standards and Assurance) Bill 2021 was tabled in the House of Representatives. 

The Bill proposes amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to introduce a head power to set National Environmental Standards and establish an independent Environment Assurance Commissioner following recommendations from the Final Report of the Independent Review of the EPBC Act, publicly released 28 January 2021. 

See the Explanatory Memorandum for further information and context on the Bill and read CME’s information circular here.

EP Amendment Act 2020 Commencement Proclamation 2021 

On 5 February 2021, the Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2020 (EP Amendment Act 2020) Commencement Proclamation 2021 was gazetted. The Act amendments were passed by both houses of the Western Australian Parliament in November 2020 and represent the most significant modernisation of the Act since its introduction in 1986. 

For more information, read CME’s information circular here.

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As we entered 2021, CME continued with a clear and consistent message on the need for cost certainty to support continued growth in our sector and in turn, facilitate broader economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. 

In late January, CME liaised with the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association and Minerals Council of Australia to align industry views and lodged a Federal pre-Budget submission.  Our key recommendations included the need for: 

• A stable and competitive fiscal regime; 
• Promoting workforce mobility; 
• Continuing the momentum on deregulation. 

Following from our State Pre-budget submission last year, CME wrote to three major political parties, reinforcing this message. In February, CME received correspondence from the Labor, Liberal and WA National parties committing to no new royalties or taxes on the resources sector in the next term of Government.   

Final reminder on survey participation 

Last call for member company data on payments to employees, businesses, community organisations and government during the 2019-20 financial year. Please reach out to survey@cmewa.com if you are unsure of your company’s participation to date. 

Open consultations 

Consultation on the following has opened: 

• Draft Taxation Ruling 2020/21 Income tax and fringe benefits tax on employee accommodation, food and drink expenses, travel and living-away-from-home allowances. 
• Draft Practical Compliance Guideline 2020/21 on determining if allowances or benefits provided to an employee relate to travelling on work or living at a location. 
• Inquiry into prudential regulation of investment in Australia’s export industries. The Hon. Keith Pitt MP has stated a key focus of this inquiry will include looking into recent announcements by some banks and superannuation companies to withdraw investment in coal.  
• Inquiry into Australia’s resilience and vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions, with the Productivity Commission to provide a final report on Australia’s role as an exporter in May 2021. The Commission is interested in understanding: 
  – How firms manage and respond to disruptions in export market conditions and access; 
  – The impact these disruptions can have, including in regional areas. 
• Evaluation of the foreign investment reforms, with the Department of the Treasury to complete the review by 10 December 2021. 

Members interested in providing comments or feedback on the above should get in touch with L.Nguyen@cmewa.com.  

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The Minister was joined by 60 representatives from the WA resources sector to recognise the sector’s outstanding women and champions, who are leading the way for individuals and companies to create diverse and inclusive workforces.  

The winners of the 2021 Women in Resources Awards will be announced at the awards presentation dinner, hosted by Annabel Crabb on Friday 5 March 2021. Tickets are selling fast, so if you would like to attend this evening of celebration and entertainment, please visit the WIRA website to purchase tickets now. 

You can also read the full profiles of the 2021 finalists and participate in the awards by voting in the People’s Choice Award. 
 
The winners will go on to represent Western Australia as finalists in the 2021 Women in Resources National Awards. 


For more information, contact: Amanda Le Moine: events@cmewa.com 

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IWA is open to meeting one-on-one with companies or as a group.  If you have not already engaged with IWA and would like to arrange a meeting, contact a.labombard@cmewa.com . 

Some media releases you may have missed: 

• Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility – The extension amendment bill has been introduced into Parliament, which gives effect to previous announcements in July, September, December 2020 and February 2021. 
• Future Fuels Fund – The first round has been launched by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), which will make $16.5 million available for funding battery electric vehicle public fast charging infrastructure in capital cities and regional centres. Applications close 6 April 2021. 
• Hydrogen technology clusters – A $1.85 million investment into a network of 13 regional clusters has been unveiled, three of which are in WA. 
  – $200k to WA Hydrogen Technology Cluster, Hydrogen Society of Australia on behalf of a consortium 
  – $75k to Karratha Hydrogen Technology Cluster, City of Karratha with support from Yara Pilbara Fertilisers 
  – $75k to Peel and SW Metro Hydrogen Technology Cluster, Murdoch University
  – Yara – Received $995k in funding from ARENA to progress their joint feasibility study with ENGIE. 
• APA Group – Announced a landmark hydrogen pilot project to convert 43 kilometres of the Parmelia Gas Pipeline into Australia’s first 100 per cent hydrogen-ready transmission pipeline, targeting testing and research to be completed in late 2022. 

Future Fuels Strategy 

A reminder for members interested in deploying hydrogen, bio-fuelled or battery electric vehicle (EV) fleets to provide feedback on the discussion paper to L.Nguyen@cmewa.com before 31 March 2021. 

Some of the discussion paper’s questions include: 

• What are the priority charging and refuelling infrastructure blackspots? 
• What are the main barriers to adding new technologies into light and heavy-duty vehicle fleets? 
• What additional guidance do businesses need on EV taxation matters? 
• What are the priority issues in integrating large numbers of battery EVS into the electricity grid? e.g. security and bidirectional issues. 
• What are the opportunities for tariff reform to support rollout of public infrastructure? 
• What are Australia’s market niches in future fuels to maximise high-value domestic and export outcomes? 

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