Latest news with #Goldfields
ABC News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Former minister says WA government could easily enact shire takeover
Former local government minister Tony Simpson says a so-called boundary adjustment could be sealed with the "stroke of a pen", amid concerns from ratepayers about the proposed tie-up of two councils in regional Western Australia. The Shire of Coolgardie in WA's Goldfields is fighting for survival amid debts of more than $27.5 million and a government-led push to merge with its much larger neighbour, the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Representatives from both councils met this week in Perth with Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley, who also has her hands full with the troubled City of Nedlands. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is yet to publicly reveal if it is for or against the proposed tie-up, while the Shire of Coolgardie has threatened possible legal action. "I would think, given their financial situation, they would have better things to spend their money on," Ms Beazley told reporters on Wednesday. The government's language has carefully avoided the words merger or amalgamation, despite the end result being effectively the same, with the Shire of Coolgardie dissolved. Ms Beazley said the process would include public consultation. "They are two very different things; it's just because one entity is adjusting the boundaries, only affecting one other, so it is not affecting multiple local government areas." Under WA's Local Government Act, a merger or amalgamation requires majority support from ratepayers in both local government areas. But Mr Simpson said the boundary adjustment put forward for Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie-Boulder could be accomplished with the "stroke of a pen". "In a merger, local government goes to the polls and if 50 per cent of a community turns up and says no, you've got yourself into a corner where you can't force it any further," he said. Mr Simpson, who is a City of Karratha councillor, said he tried unsuccessfully during his time as minister to reduce the number of Perth councils from 30 to 15. "I failed miserably, for a number of reasons," he said. "Local governments put up a very good battle." Mr Simpson said the combination of the Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie-Boulder councils would make the Goldfields region stronger. "A larger local government has a stronger capacity to deliver more services and keep rates flowing. That is proven over and over, so I think it would be worthwhile," he said. "If the debt is the only issue, we should put that aside in the business case and have a look at the strength of the two local governments coming together." Former Kalgoorlie-Boulder mayor John Bowler, also a former local government minister in the Carpenter government, said there was little incentive for the larger city to take on Coolgardie. Mr Bowler said the Shire of Coolgardie's plan to sell council-owned workers' accommodation should be allowed to play out to see if it could return debt to manageable levels. "I don't think anything's going to happen while there's unrecovered debt," he said. "Why should the ratepayers of Kalgoorlie-Boulder pay for the mistakes of Coolgardie? "First of all, I think we have to let Coolgardie see how they go with the sale of that camp." Mr Bowler said he was approached to play a role in the tie-up, but said he would not consider getting involved until the Shire of Coolgardie's debt was retired. "The trouble is the size of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is about 10 times bigger and it really wouldn't be a joint, equal merger," he said. A long-time resident of the tiny community of Widgiemooltha and former Coolgardie shire councillor, Jan McLeod, said any takeover by Kalgoorlie-Boulder would limit her community's voice. "Any representation on council will be lost by sheer weight of numbers," she said. "It's not good for local government, which is the government closest to the people." Ms McLeod said there would be a loss of identity for residents. "The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder does not service any regional towns; there will be staffing issues," she said. Ms Beazley denied there would be staffing issues. "That's the solutions and options we're working through at the moment," she said. "There would still need to be local services and a footprint in Coolgardie to ensure that community is well served."
The Age
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Gas is a gamble – and WA just doubled down
Premier Roger Cook says gas is good for the world, 'even if it doesn't make a good hashtag or look good on a bumper sticker.' It's a revealing remark – especially as Woodside's North West Shelf, Australia's largest gas project, has just been approved for a life extension out to 2070. That decision alone will lock in billions in gas-related investment for decades to come, shaping Western Australia's economic trajectory long after most of the world has moved on from fossil fuels. The message is clear: WA is doubling down on gas. But for many West Australians, this is starting to feel like a gamble with high stakes and few winners. It might be good for energy giants and shareholders, but for households, small businesses, and the state's long-term prosperity, the risks are mounting. We've been here before. When the mining boom collapsed around 2014, the pain wasn't limited to the Pilbara or Goldfields. Perth's housing market slumped, fly-in fly-out jobs disappeared, and state revenues fell off a cliff. The entire economy had been hitched to global commodities – and when prices crashed, so did WA's growth. Now, the same pattern is repeating. WA is a gas heavyweight – exporting 47 million tonnes of LNG last year and supplying around 60 per cent of Australia's gas. Yet despite its vast reserves and a 15 per cent domestic reservation policy, local households are still facing higher gas prices, driven not by local scarcity but by exposure to international markets. Since 2020, wholesale gas prices in WA have tripled, and consumers now face some of the highest retail gas prices in the country. If one of the world's most gas-rich jurisdictions, backed by a domestic reservation, can't deliver affordable gas to its own people then the system clearly isn't working in the public interest. It's a glaring contradiction: vast local supply, a legislated carve-out, and yet rising costs for the very people the policy was meant to protect. International energy markets are growing more volatile, not less. Global demand is softening, supply is ramping up, and price swings driven by conflict or speculation are becoming the norm. Key buyers like Japan are cutting back their LNG imports whilst on-selling around half the gas we sell them, a sign that demand is not what it once was. China's LNG imports have fluctuated significantly since 2020. And yet, instead of planning for a diversified future, WA is entrenching its reliance on gas. The approval of the North West Shelf extension to 2070 isn't just a regulatory tick, it's a signal to markets, governments and financial institutions that WA intends to stay in the gas game for the long haul. That decision will direct capital, infrastructure and political energy toward propping up a sector that faces deep structural risk – not just from climate constraints, but from basic economics. There's another economic danger. Every new dollar committed to gas is a dollar not invested in emerging industries like clean energy manufacturing, critical minerals processing, green hydrogen, green ammonia or green iron. While other states and countries build competitive advantage in renewables and advanced manufacturing, WA is backing an industry that's losing momentum and market certainty. This is the real missed opportunity. WA has what it takes to lead in the clean economy: land, labour, minerals, world-class ports and skilled workers. But for too long, successive governments have prioritised resource exports over building sovereign capability. The result is a lopsided economy, vulnerable to global shocks, and increasingly disconnected from where the world is heading.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Gas is a gamble — and WA just doubled down
Premier Roger Cook says'Gas is good, like it or not.' It's a revealing remark—especially as Woodside's North West Shelf, Australia's largest gas project, has just been approved for a life extension out to 2070. That decision alone will lock in billions in gas-related investment for decades to come, shaping Western Australia's economic trajectory long after most of the world has moved on from fossil fuels. The message is clear: WA is doubling down on gas. But for many West Australians, this is starting to feel like a gamble with high stakes and few winners. It might be good for energy giants and shareholders, but for households, small businesses, and the state's long-term prosperity, the risks are mounting. We've been here before. When the mining boom collapsed around 2014, the pain wasn't limited to the Pilbara or Goldfields. Perth's housing market slumped, fly-in fly-out jobs disappeared, and state revenues fell off a cliff. The entire economy had been hitched to global commodities—and when prices crashed, so did WA's growth. Now, the same pattern is repeating. WA is a gas heavyweight—exporting 47 million tonnes of LNG last year and supplying around 60 per cent of Australia's gas. Yet despite its vast reserves and a 15 per cent domestic reservation policy, local households are still facing higher gas prices, driven not by local scarcity but by exposure to international markets. Since 2020, wholesale gas prices in WA have tripled, and consumers now face some of the highest retail gas prices in the country. If one of the world's most gas-rich jurisdictions—backed by a domestic reservation—can't deliver affordable gas to its own people, then the system clearly isn't working in the public interest. It's a glaring contradiction: vast local supply, a legislated carve-out, and yet rising costs for the very people the policy was meant to protect. International energy markets are growing more volatile, not less. Global demand is softening, supply is ramping up, and price swings driven by conflict or speculation are becoming the norm. Key buyers like Japan are cutting back their LNG imports whilst on-selling around half the gas we sell them, a sign that demand is not what it once was. China's LNG imports have fluctuated significantly since 2020. And yet, instead of planning for a diversified future, WA is entrenching its reliance on gas. The approval of the North West Shelf extension to 2070 isn't just a regulatory tick—it's a signal to markets, governments and financial institutions that WA intends to stay in the gas game for the long haul. That decision will direct capital, infrastructure and political energy toward propping up a sector that faces deep structural risk—not just from climate constraints, but from basic economics. The danger isn't only environmental. It's economic. Every new dollar committed to gas is a dollar not invested in emerging industries like clean energy manufacturing, critical minerals processing, green hydrogen, green ammonia or green iron. While other states and countries build competitive advantage in renewables and advanced manufacturing, WA is backing an industry that's losing momentum and market certainty. This is the real missed opportunity. WA has what it takes to lead in the clean economy—land, labour, minerals, world-class ports and skilled workers. But for too long, successive governments have prioritised resource exports over building sovereign capability. The result is a lopsided economy, vulnerable to global shocks, and increasingly disconnected from where the world is heading.
The Age
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Gas is a gamble — and WA just doubled down
Premier Roger Cook says'Gas is good, like it or not.' It's a revealing remark—especially as Woodside's North West Shelf, Australia's largest gas project, has just been approved for a life extension out to 2070. That decision alone will lock in billions in gas-related investment for decades to come, shaping Western Australia's economic trajectory long after most of the world has moved on from fossil fuels. The message is clear: WA is doubling down on gas. But for many West Australians, this is starting to feel like a gamble with high stakes and few winners. It might be good for energy giants and shareholders, but for households, small businesses, and the state's long-term prosperity, the risks are mounting. We've been here before. When the mining boom collapsed around 2014, the pain wasn't limited to the Pilbara or Goldfields. Perth's housing market slumped, fly-in fly-out jobs disappeared, and state revenues fell off a cliff. The entire economy had been hitched to global commodities—and when prices crashed, so did WA's growth. Now, the same pattern is repeating. WA is a gas heavyweight—exporting 47 million tonnes of LNG last year and supplying around 60 per cent of Australia's gas. Yet despite its vast reserves and a 15 per cent domestic reservation policy, local households are still facing higher gas prices, driven not by local scarcity but by exposure to international markets. Since 2020, wholesale gas prices in WA have tripled, and consumers now face some of the highest retail gas prices in the country. If one of the world's most gas-rich jurisdictions—backed by a domestic reservation—can't deliver affordable gas to its own people, then the system clearly isn't working in the public interest. It's a glaring contradiction: vast local supply, a legislated carve-out, and yet rising costs for the very people the policy was meant to protect. International energy markets are growing more volatile, not less. Global demand is softening, supply is ramping up, and price swings driven by conflict or speculation are becoming the norm. Key buyers like Japan are cutting back their LNG imports whilst on-selling around half the gas we sell them, a sign that demand is not what it once was. China's LNG imports have fluctuated significantly since 2020. And yet, instead of planning for a diversified future, WA is entrenching its reliance on gas. The approval of the North West Shelf extension to 2070 isn't just a regulatory tick—it's a signal to markets, governments and financial institutions that WA intends to stay in the gas game for the long haul. That decision will direct capital, infrastructure and political energy toward propping up a sector that faces deep structural risk—not just from climate constraints, but from basic economics. The danger isn't only environmental. It's economic. Every new dollar committed to gas is a dollar not invested in emerging industries like clean energy manufacturing, critical minerals processing, green hydrogen, green ammonia or green iron. While other states and countries build competitive advantage in renewables and advanced manufacturing, WA is backing an industry that's losing momentum and market certainty. This is the real missed opportunity. WA has what it takes to lead in the clean economy—land, labour, minerals, world-class ports and skilled workers. But for too long, successive governments have prioritised resource exports over building sovereign capability. The result is a lopsided economy, vulnerable to global shocks, and increasingly disconnected from where the world is heading.
ABC News
19-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Leinster residents hope for restart after closure of BHP nickel mines
Chloe Craig wants to give her daughter Haylee the same childhood she experienced growing up in a mining town described as an "oasis in the desert". Leinster was established in vast bushland about 970 kilometres north-east of Perth during Western Australia's 1970s nickel boom. It was built for workers and their families in the days before fly-in, fly-out work rosters became standard practice in the resources sector. Ms Craig's family moved to WA's northern Goldfields in 1991 and lived on a pastoral station, before settling in the "closed town" of Leinster. "It's a great lifestyle … I've grown up here, now she's growing up here," she said of Haylee. "The freedom she gets out here is second to none and not a lot of kids get it these days. "It definitely isn't the same as when I grew up — there was a lot more kids and a lot more freedom … you came home when the lights came on." A year ago, that lifestyle appeared to be under threat. The moment Leinster locals hoped would never come arrived in the form of a major announcement to the stock exchange on July 11, 2024. BHP's decision to suspend Nickel West originated from the mining giant's global headquarters in Melbourne and filtered through the ranks of the nickel bosses in Perth's St George's Terrace. "Everyone's heart sank, it was the unknown," Ms Craig said. "It was massive for the town. At the time it was horrible." The town's population halved, virtually overnight, as workers either took redundancies or were redeployed within BHP. "Not on Christmas Day, but leading up to it and afterwards, there were removalist trucks everywhere and people leaving left, right and centre," Chloe's partner Harry Reynolds said. "We thought we were safe out here for a long time, we thought nickel was all good. "Then all of a sudden, they shut the doors." BHP estimates the population at Leinster has fallen from about 600 people to 220. West Australian law prohibits BHP from simply walking away from Leinster. Under the Nickel (Agnew) Agreement Act 1974, which was approved when Sir Charles Court was premier, the Big Australian is legally bound to provide water and power to the town site. It is also required to provide housing for police, education and medical staff for the town. Workers who live permanently in Leinster enjoy heavily subsidised housing and free utilities. Any change of the status quo requires state parliament's approval. The most recent update, in 2023, required BHP to prepare a community development plan, including "proposed strategies for community and social benefits" and to review its mine closure plans. It was the modernisation of the five-decade-old state agreement which gave Ms Craig's father, Peter, hope for the future amid major investment by BHP in an Australian-first nickel sulphate plant. That addition to Nickel West's Kwinana refinery was expected to produce enough nickel sulphate crystals to make 700,000 electric vehicle batteries each year. "When you see mining companies spending money, it gives you a sense of security," Mr Craig, the long-serving president of the Shire of Leonora, said. "Leinster was moving pretty fast for a two, three-year period, and nickel was pretty steady until the bombshell hit with Indonesia." Indonesia's emergence as a globally significant, low-cost nickel producer caught Australian producers off guard and changed market dynamics. The result was at least 10 nickel mines closed across WA last year, from the Savannah mine in the Kimberley to the Ravensthorpe mine on the south coast. The impact is magnified in the one-pub town of Leinster, where sombre celebrations are being planned for the town's 50th anniversary next year. "It's been a huge downturn in the population of Leinster, around 50 per cent if not more," Mr Craig said. He had been calling for answers leading up to the suspension announcement after months of speculation, during which he said the community was kept in the dark. The question on everyone's lips is whether the Leinster nickel operations will ever restart. "Who knows what the future is?" Mr Craig said. BHP has committed to reviewing its Nickel West business again in early 2027, which not only includes the Leinster operations but the Kalgoorlie nickel smelter and Kwinana refinery. BHP vice-president of WA nickel Dan Heal said about 350 of the 3,500-strong workforce has stayed on at Nickel West, including about 150 in the northern Goldfields at Leinster and Mount Keith. He would not say whether Nickel West would be put up for sale, but confirmed the Perseverance underground mine at Leinster was being maintained "in a state that keeps our options open for the future". "It's very early stages of our review and what comes next for nickel," Mr Heal said. Those options could be limited by low nickel prices which are expected to last towards the end of the decade. Members of Leinster's small business community who have invested heavily in the town's future are taking a glass half-full approach. Mathew Read manages a mechanical business, after moving to the town from New Zealand during the pandemic. "It's sad to see the town reduced to a small size," he said. "I'm not so sure if it will reopen or not … they're [BHP] spending a lot of money on the place, but whether it reopens or not I am not too sure. "We'll remain here in Leinster, we've definitely got a few years left here, as long as the town stays open, we'll be here for a long time yet." Tim Fletcher has worked in Leinster since 2011, and now runs his own electrical contracting business. "Long-term, I think it's going to be OK … I've got a positive outlook in regards to Nickel West," he said. Santina Morelli has lived in Leinster for eight years with her husband, who works at the nearby Agnew gold mine. Her home decor business sells everything from baby clothes to household items but she has been supplementing her income by working part-time at the local supermarket. "It's a ghost town during the day … it's very quiet," Ms Morelli said. "You don't see the children running around having fun like we used to. "There's quite a few families still in town — we've got 60 children in the school, but there was 120 before the shut down, so quite a few have left town." She volunteers for St John Ambulance and hopes to stay in Leinster until retirement in the coming years. "We love the lifestyle — it's not an easy lifestyle, but it's a simple one," Ms Morelli said. "Definitely hopeful [the mines will reopen] … we ask questions and 2027 is when we'll get the answer." Ms Craig and Mr Reynolds have no desire to move. "I've got no plans to leave … I want to be out here as long as possible," Mr Reynolds said. Ms Craig said she would wait to see what the future brought. "A lot of us who have stayed behind have young kids and we're happy to stay if the mine reopens," she said.
