That wraps up live coverage of the final instalment of the 2024 Bush Summit from Port Hedland, WA.
Thank you to all the readers who checked out what the biggest names in Australia had to say about the issues affecting the regions.
Live: Bush Summit 2024 Port Hedland; Gina Rinehart, WA leaders speak on the issues of the regions
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart says more federal red tape will scare off the nation's biggest companies, calls for the 'elimination' of taxes.
Welcome to Port Hedland for the final instalment of the national Bush Summit.
Follow below for live coverage of the big issues in rural and regional Australia.
Updates
That's a wrap: Bush Summit 2024 closes
Red tape forcing producers offshore: Rinehart
Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has warned federal Labor risks alienating Australia's two largest producers, Rio Tinto and BHP, with "increased government tape" increasingly forcing the mining giants offshore to rival countries.
"Only 20 per cent of the pipeline of major resources projects now get through the increased government tape to deliver development and consequent high paying jobs and more. This is reality. And the consequences should be obvious," Mrs Rinehart told the Bush Summit in Port Hedland on Friday.
The mining mogul, whose private Roy Hill iron ore complex competes with Rio and BHP, said her rivals were increasingly looking offshore, rather than prioritising Australian investment.
"Rio have been amazing, investing productive billions in the Pilbara where it has successful world class ports and gigantic infrastructure, and huge untapped ore resources, off it goes to invest — we’re told — $6bn in Simandou, Guinea," Mrs Rinehart said.
"What does that do for Aussie high-paid mining jobs, revenue, opportunities? Nothing."
The resources leader said BHP was also considering marginal investments offshore.
"BHP is investing hundreds of miles into the arctic circle, into a mine that, given the extreme weather, can only operate up to three months each year," Mrs Rinehart said.
"BHP has invested billions into successful world class railways, towns, infrastructure right here in Port Hedland and in the Pilbara. And yet now BHP sees it wise to invest in an extreme weather place it can only operate three months a year."
Mrs Rinehart said Australia was missing out on extra revenues and jobs for the mining industry.
"We can’t blame the multinational companies for doing what they see is in their shareholders’ interests, but why are we pretending all is ok, this doesn’t matter, not recognising these future billions and billions of revenue over decades now won’t be available here, and, why aren’t we doing something about it," she said.
"Where is the red carpet for the BHPs and Rios, who’ve invested in our country and created and enabled for us Aussies so much? We’ve had huge warnings, isn’t it time to face reality and act?"
MCA slams IR hit
Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable has slammed the federal government’s multi-employer bargaining laws, which threaten to add a major cost hit to the resources industry.
Three coal miners were compelled by the Fair Work Commission to enter negotiations last week, which Ms Constable has said sets a “dangerous precedent” heightening the risk of strikes and disruption of operations.
The MCA boss said it was the latest in a line of regulatory imposts which had damaged the industry.
“What the government has given to the union movement is unfettered access to our industry again,” Ms Constable told the Bush Summit on Friday.
“So, what we're going to see is going right back to where we were in the 1970s and the potential for patent bargaining … That's a really bad thing for Australia when we're already seeing major costs being put to this particular industry,” she said, pointing to increased energy prices and carbon abatement costs.
Business leaders and industry chiefs, concerned about souring relations with the Albanese government, are warning companies could be forced to pull investment.
"The Fair Work Commission said that there was enough commonality between the supervisors and managers where they had to come together and look at bargaining as a single enterprise," Ms Constable said.
“Now that's very, very dangerous, because what it means is that it's not just about coal mines, think of the Pilbara and iron ore.
“We've got all of the big miners that are subject to multi employer bargaining, we've got a Roy Hill, we've got a Rio Tinto, we've got a BHP, we've got an FMG, amongst others, that are at risk now of having to come together as a single enterprise."
WA ag minister concedes it's time to move on from sheep export
Western Australia’s agriculture minister Jackie Jarvis says the state’s wool producers are likely to “struggle” when the Albanese government’s live sheep export ban comes into effect, but conceded it’s time to accept the decision and move towards a new model.
The Labor state minister has been vocal about her opposition to the federal policy, which she has raised in Canberra. “I've made my thoughts very clear numerous times,” Ms Jarvis said.
“The first interview I did as the new Ag Minister, two years ago, reiterated my support for the live export industry.
“I've discussed this with our counterparts in Canberra many times, they are certainly aware of our view … We know that the legislation for the live sheep ban passed the senate with the help of the crossbench and we want to move forward.
“I am concerned that our wool producers are going to struggle a bit, but I actually really want to work out what we can do to create a sense of optimism about our industry.”
Rinehart calls for elimination of payroll tax
Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart has called out 'dangerous policies' and taxes on businesses which will affect Australians for generations.
Speaking at The Australian's Bush Summit in Port Hedland, Mrs Rinehart said "handouts may be popular for pollies wanting and bureaucracies wanting to get larger, but we need the reduction of input costs.
"(We need) the elimination of payroll tax, stamp duty tax, license fees, as was promised decades ago when GST came in."
"Think how much it would help everyone around Australia if the excise tax on fuel was eliminated, helping especially those struggling with the increasing costs of living, and the too many struggling, or failing, businesses."
WA planning minister hits out at opposition building proposals
Reforming planning approvals is essential to resolving Western Australia’s housing shortage, the state’s Planning Minister John Carey has said.
“A major focus of our government has been planning reform to drive those costs down for development in Western Australia,” Mr Carey told attendees at The Australian’s Bush Summit in Port Hedland on Friday.
“If we don't cut red tape, the cost to get developments up will see them fall over."
In March, the WA state Labor government announced a new permanent application pathway for significant developments as part of broader measures to overhaul state planning approvals, enabling applicants to more easily bypass local government approvals.
But, Mr Carey warned proposals advanced by the WA Nationals to tighten approval proposals risked stymying the state’s attempts to bolster the supply of housing in regional and remote areas.
“What this will mean is if you're a builder in Western Australia trying to get the regional housing out the door, it's going to be more difficult,” he said.
“I can tell you, that's a disaster.”
Taxes 'killing the geese which lay the golden eggs': Rinehart
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has taken aim at prohibitive red tape, calling for tax cuts in order to assist companies with retaining employees.
"Why kill the geese laying the golden eggs … we need significant cutting of government tape," Mrs Rinehart told The Australian's Bush Summit in Port hedland.
"For example, payroll tax, Australia exports some 950 million tonnes of iron ore per annum translating to approximately $700m in payroll tax from WA producers.
"The government taxes that were meant to be dropped when GST came in … if such taxes were dropped, companies could operate longer and retain their staff for longer too."
'Not about picking winners': NAIF executive
Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund executive Cathie McBean has declared the government-backed investment scheme is “not about picking winners” in choosing which projects to support.
Speaking at The Australian’s Bush Summit in Port Hedland on Friday, Ms McBean assured attendees the NAIF undertook “rigorous due diligence” in making its investment decisions.
“We are very aware of the money that we are loaning, not granting — it has to be repaid,” she said.
“It's about picking or assessing the projects on their merits and that means that not all projects will move forward through our pipeline. Those that have rigorous due diligence and prove they have offtake and fill a commercial need will move forward.”
Asked if the NAIF could invest in projects that may ultimately fail, Ms McBean said there would always be a risk.
“As with any commercial entity, bank or special investment vehicle, yes,” she said.
'Never been better for bush comms': NBN
NBN general manager remote and regional Sam DiMarco says it's "never been a better day for comms in the bush," with the broadband business welcoming the competition from Elon Musk's Starlink.
In conversation at The Australian's Bush Summit in Port Hedland, Mr DiMarco said NBN has "run out broadband to all Australians," helping productivity and connectivity in regional Australia.
"We've seen exponential growth … if you bring connectivity to the regions, they prosper, look at the impacts to GDP. $5.1bn of GDP for regional WA, 2300 new jobs and enabling 1900 new businesses."
On the encroachment of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, which now has deals with Telstra and Optus, Mr DiMarco said: "Competition gets us on our toes and enables us to evolve our networks, as we've done.
"We've got a job to do for the whole country … More regional Australians are coming on board."
ANDEV co-chair pushes for special economic zones
Specialised tax rates and streamlined regulatory approvals should be introduced in northern Australia, says co-chair of Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision (ANDEV) Imants Kins.
“We need to have a special economic zone, or we also call it an integrated development zone,” Mr Kins told The Australian’s Bush Summit in Port Hedland on Friday.
“We need specific differential taxation rates in northern Australia, we need to see very simplified regulation, and we need to see a unified institutional structure, where ‘shock horror’ the [federal government], the state government and local government work together in one shop in one area.”
While noting the proposal appeared ambitious in Australia, Mr Kins said international experience demonstrated special economic zones had resulted in economic prosperity.
“There are 8000 of these special economic zones throughout the world — the growth of China was founded on special economic zones,” he said.
Even as Australia does have personal income tax rebates in remote and some regional areas, no such tax concessions exist for businesses in the bush.
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