Resources sector
Brief ministerial statement
Mr David Michael (Balcatta—Minister for Mines and Petroleum) (9:20 am): I inform the house this morning of the remarkable performance of Western Australia's resources sector during the 2024–25 financial year. Despite volatile international conditions, the sector has remained resilient, with the mining industry alone employing 134,009 full-time equivalent onsite positions. Additionally, employment in the petroleum sector was 9,428 FTE, and the headcount in our minerals exploration sector was 4,248 FTE. Western Australia's workforce enabled the resources sector to achieve $220 billion in sales on production. This was a strong result, given challenging market conditions, and it reflects the ongoing strength of mine production and construction activities in Western Australia. Headline figures for 2024–25 included iron ore sales totalling $122 billion, liquefied natural gas sales valued at $36 billion and all-time-high gold sales of $29 billion. Also, the alumina industry recorded its second highest sales value for a calendar or financial year of $8.2 billion.
Encouragingly, investment in Western Australia's mining and petroleum industries remains solid at $33 billion. With a healthy pipeline of development activity, the exploration sector also saw continued investment, totalling $2.57 billion. This expenditure reflects industry's appetite for greenfield and brownfield exploration, despite inherent risks. Our government understands the challenges of exploration, and I would like to re-emphasise our commitment to supporting the sector through initiatives such as the Exploration Incentive Scheme. In October, I announced the 39 successful projects that will receive funding under round 32 of the EIS's Co-funded Exploration Drilling Program. EIS-backed discoveries continue to unlock new opportunities across regional WA. That is why our election commitment to boost it was so important.
We are also investing in state-of-the art technology, like the HyLogger-4 at the Geological Survey of Western Australia's core library. This technology enables quick analysis of geology to help explorers more effectively target resources and reduce costs. Data from the HyLogger-4 is freely accessible to exploration companies through the National Virtual Core Library. The Cook Labor government fully supports and appreciates the massive contributions the resources sector makes to Western Australia, and we will always continue to support it.
