Addressing the opening session of Paydirt’s 21st edition of Africa Down Under Conference in Perth, Minister for Mines and Petroleum Bill Johnston told delegates the growth in Western Australia’s resources and petroleum sector had been truly phenomenal in those 20 years.
“20 years ago, WA’s resources sector was worth $27.5 billion, last year sales of mining and petroleum products recorded $246 billion,” Minister Johnston said.
A statement that was literally met with applause by the senior delegations from African countries with aspirations around thier emerging mining sectors.
WA has enjoyed 14 consecutive quarters of increased investment spending in both the minerals and petroleum sector, with just under $26 billion invested last year.
“WA’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the developed world, with our average Gross State Product growing at 4% – well above our national average of 2.7%,” he said.
The Minister said for 20 years Africa Down Under had demonstrated the strength of WA’s enduring partnership with Africa and our desire to continue to build a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with African nations.
“We are also looking at the future, we want to remain globally competitive. We need to make sure we mine smart. This is driven by very sophisticated technological solutions to mining activities here in Western Australia.
“We are committed to building future opportunities in our mining industry here in Western Australia, particularly in critical minerals.
“We want to be recognised as a leader in the sustainable development of our outstanding natural resources.”
Western Australia is the first Australian jurisdiction to commence commercial production of battery grade lithium hydroxide and nickel sulphate. The State is also the only jurisdiction to offer processed rare earths outside of China.
The Cook Government is committed to partnering on skills and development and ensuring the resources are available to benefit mining activity in Africa. The State is open to exploring all opportunities to capacity build, not just in the industrial workforce but in administrative capacity.
“We are working with resources companies to ensure the ethical exploration of resources, so African people can benefit from their resources. We also hope to continue to have strong support from the Commonwealth Government to ensure we can fully develop our capacity in partnering with African nations.”
The Western Australian Government remains future focused for the opportunities for the State and for African nations to grow and diversify our resource sectors together.
Minister for Mines and Petroleum Bill Johnston addresses delegates
