Madeleine King defends mining prosperity, reminds city-dwellers of source of wealth, food and energy

With the future of coal and gas up for debate at the ALP conference, Resources Minister Madeleine King reminds city-dwellers where their wealth, food and energy come from.

Resources Minister Madeleine King will argue that ‘growing a stronger more successful nation doesn’t begin and end at our cities’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Resources Minister Madeleine King has issued the Albanese government’s strongest defence yet of the regions and energy and ­resources sectors, including coal and gas, declaring many east coast urban Australians have lost sight of where their food, prosperity and energy come from.

With an ideological split over the future of coal and gas ahead of Labor’s national conference this week, the WA-based cabinet minister has taken a swipe at those ­living in the capital cities for ­forgetting the central role that the regions play in the nation’s economy.

As unions threaten strikes at Australia’s major LNG operations in WA, risking billions of dollars in lost production, Ms King also reassured the nation’s trading partners that Australia was a ­reliable supplier of iron ore, gas and metallurgical coal.

“Most of Australia’s jobs and economic opportunities have gravitated to the suburbs and inner cities in contrast to decades past,” Ms King will say in a ­keynote address to The Australian’s Bush Summit in Perth on Monday.

“This has not only depleted the bush of its young people, but set many small towns on a slow path to decline.

The Australian and Hancock Prospecting are proud to host The Bush Summit in Perth on Monday, August 14. View the agenda/program and register to watch the livestream here.

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“It’s also led to some losing sight of what the bush represents and its central role in Australia’s future.

“It has, I think, led to many Australians in urban areas losing sight of where much of the ­nation’s prosperity, food and ­energy comes from. We need to change this.

“In my view, every east coast-based parliamentarian and journalist should experience Perth airport on any given Monday or Tuesday at 5am in the morning to witness the extraordinary airlift of workers into the north that occurs week in, week out to ensure our nation’s continued prosperity off the back of our remarkable ­geology and the efforts of the ­resources industry.”

Ms King said Australia’s ­energy and resource exports were now close to $500bn a year, led primarily by gas, coal, iron ore, gold and aluminium.

She said the Albanese government now wanted to accelerate the expansion of critical minerals operations in Northern Australia to leverage the untapped wealth and use it to drive Australia’s ­future economic growth and the revival of regional communities.

Ms King said resources had ­delivered wealth for more than a century and was now underwriting a new boom through Western and Northern Australia which had become the economic powerhouse of the nation.

Ms King said that the scale of the resources and mining boom in WA and the northern regions was not appreciated by people in the urban belts of the east coast, who had lost sight of where the bulk of the nation’s wealth came from.

“Regional and Northern Australia is much more than mining, as anyone here at this summit would know,” Ms King will say.

“But resources are a major component of Northern Australia’s economy – and a huge contributor to our national economy.

“In the financial year just ended, our resource and energy export earnings – led by coal, iron ore, gold, aluminium and gas – are forecast to hit a ­record $459bn.

“Much of the future growth in the resources sector will be in Northern Australia.

“Australia is a long-established, reliable and efficient supplier of iron ore, gas, and metallurgical coal.”

Ms King said it was the expansion of critical minerals operations in Northern Australia’s regions that would drive future economic prosperity and help ­revive regional communities.

“We are the world’s No.1 ­ producer of lithium and a top-five producer of cobalt and rare earths,” Ms King will say. “All are essential for electric vehicle ­batteries and the magnets that comprise EV motors.

“The global energy transition now under way presents us with a priceless opening to grow our resources industry, boost our value-adding capabilities and become a clean energy superpower.

“We’re already witnessing new mining boom off the back of unprecedented global demand for critical minerals, which we have in abundance. And I note at this year’s Diggers & Dealers (conference) there were more critical minerals hopefuls in ­attendance than gold miners.

“Our strategy will accelerate that development and create economic opportunities across the nation, including in battery manufacturing.

“New mines are being planned and existing mines expanded.”

The Bush Summit, hosted by The Australian, is a full-day forum focused on improving the lives of regional Australians.

Gina Rinehart. Picture: Matt Krumins

Key speakers include The Australian’s editor-in-chief, Michelle Gunn, and Hancock Prospecting Group chair Gina Rinehart.

Ms King will tell the forum that “growing a stronger more successful nation doesn’t begin and end at our cities”.

“It also means supporting our regions and regional towns to be strong, vibrant, and economically diversified,” Ms King will say.

“Gough Whitlam and Tom Uren recognised this 50 years ago when they promoted regional growth centre projects such as ­Albury-Wodonga.

“As Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, I’m committed to unlocking the bush’s full potential.

“I’m especially passionate about developing the regions to our north – some of which suffer from the twin tyrannies of distance and disadvantage.

“Australians in rural and ­remote areas have a right to the same basic services on offer to those of us in the cities.

“Investing in Northern ­Australia’s economy will boost migration to these areas. It will enable the provision of ­services and economic opportunities for country people that city dwellers take for granted.

“It will help accelerate development of the north’s abundant mineral and energy resources – which as I have often said are key to our goal of reaching net zero emissions.”

Ms King said negotiations with traditional Indigenous ­owners had long been part of the landscape in West Australian mining, and it was no surprise ­resource companies had come out in support of the Indigenous voice.

“Now, more than ever, our miners and outback businesses are working closely with First ­Nations custodians and communities to achieve better outcomes,” Ms King will say.

“I take great heart from that. Resources companies are also the largest employer of Aboriginal people.

“Western Australia is a perfect example for the whole nation of how listening to Aboriginal ­people only makes us better.

“Here in WA all major projects have long required consultation with traditional owners for ­approval.

“Not before time, extensive consultation and agreements with Indigenous traditional ­owners is a standard and ­important part of doing business when ­developing a resources ­project.

“This has helped make this state the economic powerhouse of the nation.”