RESOURCES SECTOR — GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
588. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Mines and
Petroleum:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's strong response to COVID-19 that has kept our resources
sector operating safely throughout the pandemic. Can the minister outline to
the house what this government's success in supporting our resources
sector has meant for Western Australian jobs and the Western Australian
economy, as well as the rest of the country?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
I am very pleased to answer that
question to our giant-killing ''King of the Pilbara''! I am very
pleased to say that last financial year there was $210 billion of petroleum and
mineral sales from Western Australia. That is a record achievement. Nearly 150 000
people are employed in the industry. That increased from 135 000 in the
previous year. Of course, this was achieved because the resources sector was
able to operate safely throughout the pandemic. It is a tribute to the way the workforce in the sector and the
management of the businesses were able to work together with the government under the leadership of the
Premier to keep Western Australia's resources sector safe and strong
during this time. That has allowed Western Australia's domestic economy
to grow by 5.7 per cent, which is almost double the growth rate in the rest of
the nation, where it was only 2.9 per cent.
Western Australia is exporting over
half of all goods exported from the nation. Western Australia was able to defy
the economic turmoil seen around the world and in other states like New South
Wales. I understand that each week the commonwealth government tips into New
South Wales $1.3 billion of taxpayers' money. It is pleasing to see
that whilst, obviously, iron ore led the way, we have also seen $16.6 billion
of gold sales in Western Australia, up four per cent from the previous year, and
nickel at $3.5 billion—a significant high. We have also seen success in
alumina, bauxite and other materials.
It
is not just that: mineral exploration hit $2.1 billion, a 21 per cent increase
from the previous year, which means that Western Australia's share of
exploration expenditure is now 65 per cent of the national total. It is
normally 50 per cent of the national total. A sum of $21 billion was
invested into the mining and petroleum sector last year. There is $127 billion worth of resource projects underway
here in Western Australia. That is an incredible achievement and is a tribute
to the fact that the government of Western Australia has been able to work so
strongly with the resource sector. If
anybody wants to ask the representative bodies in the mining sector, they will
tell them that there has never been a closer relationship than there is between
the current government and the industry here in Western Australia. Mineral and
petroleum exports from Western Australia have increased by 100 per cent since
this government came to office. It went from $105 billion in the last
year of the Liberal–National government to $210 billion this year.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON: I always love to
hear the flapping gums from the other side, but the simple facts are that the
Western Australian Labor government has been
able to manage, in conjunction with the leadership and the workforce of
the mining industry, a great success. I cannot imagine anybody, except perhaps
the member for Cottesloe, being upset about that!
The SPEAKER: The Deputy
Leader of the Opposition, with the last question.