Timeline Photos

RESOURCE JOBS RECOVER The resources jobs market continued its steady recovery through November, recording its fifth consecutive monthly increase in vacancies, according to DFP Recruitment’s latest Mining & Resources Jobs Index. Vacancies for permanent jobs again led the increase this month with a 2.4% rise and have now risen by 14.5% in the past three months. Temporary/contractor job vacancies have had a more modest increase of 0.4% in November and 13.2% in the last quarter. Looking at the key mining states, Queensland has been the strongest market in the second half of 2016, recording a 23% rise in vacancies in the past six months, trending well above the national figure. Western Australia’s improvement has been steady at 18% in the past six months. Other key occupational and sector-based data from DFP Recruitment’s November Mining and Resources Jobs Index is as follows: Frontline operators: Vacancies for frontline trades and operators remains the strongest performing occupational category. Coal and minerals: While coming off a very low base, the increased price of coal has contributed to Coal and Mineral Mining vacancies being up by 70.6% over the past six months. Oil and gas: Very importantly for the overall sector, oil and gas providers have also picked up their hiring activities, and while also coming off a low base, demand has increased by 50.9% year-on-year.

Timeline Photos

500 mining jobs Development of Rio Tinto’s $2.6 billion Amrun bauxite project in North Queensland continues to gather pace following the award of $160 million of contracts to construction company Civmec. Amrun involves the construction of a bauxite mine, as well as associated processing and port facilities, at the site near Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula. The contracts will see Civmec build a processing facility, including bauxite beneficiation plant and associated water, electrical and lighting systems. The construction company will supply 11,800 tonnes of Australian steel and precast concrete to the project from its manufacturing facilities in Newcastle, New South Wales and Henderson, Western Australia. Construction of the facilities will start immediately, with Civmec expected to employ over 500 personnel between its own facilities and the Amrun site. The project is due for completion at the end of 2018.

Timeline Photos

MINING COMEBACK Mid-tier mining companies in Australia have survived the worst of the industry downturn and are now making a comeback, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) mining leader Chris Dodd. In PwC’s 10th annual Aussie Mine analysis of the 50 biggest ASX-listed miners with a market value under $5 million, it was reported that improvements in dividend payments, market capitalisation, cash flow from operations and capital expenditure are pointing to increased confidence and the end of the mining downturn.

COPPER LEADS RECOVERY The new $640 million copper mine near Cloncurry is being touted as another sign that Queensland has finally begun to overcome the worldwide resources price slump, according to the state government. Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke said the official opening of CuDeco’s Rocklands Copper Mine was good news for the economy and for the region. “Today we mark the opening of a $640 million world-class facility and its first shipment of Queensland copper, which will support up to 120 jobs,” Mrs O’Rourke said. “Queensland’s North West Mineral Province is known around the world as a highly prospective region and the opening of Rocklands Copper mine demonstrates the area continues to have a great future ahead.”

Timeline Photos

MINISTER WELCOMES SAFETY Mines and Petroleum Minister Sean L'Estrange has welcomed a collaborative project between the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), The University of Western Australia (UWA) and Edith Cowan University (ECU) to glean further knowledge from 14 years of existing accident and incident reports. Speaking at DMP's recent Registered Managers Forum, Mr L'Estrange said minesite safety remained his number one priority. UWA is proposing to obtain insights into hazards, injuries and contributing factors by analysing the text in the narrative descriptions within up to 800 incident reports. ECU will also compare the Western Australian mining industry's incident ratios with international models. "The goal is to identify common causation factors," the Minister said. "I am particularly interested in data analysis which could identify trends in causes of serious minesite incidents and near misses so we can further improve our mines' safety inspection regimes," he said.

Timeline Photos

DIAMOND SHINES AMMA was one of a small group of industry stakeholders invited to share views on Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) system at Parliament House last week. AMMA executive director of industry services, Tara Diamond, joined nine other industry representatives at the roundtable discussion hosted by the Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Karen Andrews. “There is a strong case for national harmonisation of trade training and qualifications in Australia,” Tara Diamond said. “National harmonisation would address the inconsistencies that currently make it costly and time-consuming to source and transfer employees across different locations. “We must also ensure Australia’s VET system is responsive to the new skills required to support emerging operations in the oil and gas sector, and keep pace with innovations being delivered more broadly within the resource industry.”

Timeline Photos

BOOST FOR WOMEN IN MINING More women working across Australia’s resource industry will have access to career mentoring following the Australian Government’s commitment to extend funding for the Australian Women in Resources Alliance (AWRA) e-Mentoring Program. Addressing delegates at the AMMA National Conference in Perth last Thursday, Minister for Employment and Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash, announced an additional $490,000 to ensure AWRA e-Mentoring continues until at least mid-2018. The program, facilitated by AMMA, has already connected more than 200 women with experienced male and female mentors thanks to ongoing funding from the Commonwealth since 2013. AMMA executive director of industry services, Tara Diamond, said the government’s extended funding would support the resource industry to be more competitive through workforce diversity. “Australia’s resource industry is heavily male-dominated, with women comprising just 17 per cent of the national workforce compared to 46 per cent across all industries,” Ms Diamond said.

Timeline Photos

AMMA INDIGENOUS AWARD FMG have won the 2016 AMMA Indigenous Employment Award FMG developed the Trade Up program in an effort to increase the proportion of Aboriginal tradespeople employed company-wide from 6% in 2015 to 20% by 2022. Developed within just four months, the program has provided Aboriginal employees a pathway to an apprenticeship since October 2015.

Timeline Photos

WORK REFORM AT AMMA CONFERENCE Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash has used the AMMA national employment conference to reaffirm the Turnbull Government’s commitment to key workplace relations reforms, including to union site entry laws, enterprise agreements and introducing a public interest test for union mergers. Delivering her first major speech since the federal election, Minister Cash told the 2016 AMMA National Conference that the 45th Parliament would ‘present us with a whole set of opportunities’ and that she intends on ‘sitting down with the crossbenchers and having open and constructive discussions’ on workplace reform. The Minister expectedly confirmed that the two bills that acted as ‘triggers’ for the 2016 double dissolution election – restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and creating a new Registered Organisations Commission – would be first on the re-elected government’s agenda.

Timeline Photos

NEW MINING MINISTERS Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan was appointed to Minister for Resources in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s new Cabinet which was sworn in today Senator Michaelia Cash was reappointed as Minister for Employment and Minister for Women. On behalf of AMMA members, chief executive Steve Knott congratulated the ministers on their appointments and reappointments. “Senator Cash has proven to be an extremely knowledgeable and consultative Minister for Employment who brings a strong appreciation for the resource industry and its importance to Australia’s economy and living standards,” Mr Knott said. “Since taking on the employment portfolio less than 12 months ago, Minister Cash has successfully secured the passage of the first, and long overdue, amendments to Australia’s workplace relations laws in more than three years. “The minister has also made highly regarded appointments to the Fair Work Commission (FWC); simultaneously improving the proportion of women in the tribunal to one-in-three commissioners. The modernisation of the FWC is a work in progress and AMMA encourages Minister Cash to continue to ensure government institutions better reflect the gender composition of the Australian community. “As Minister for Women, Ms Cash has also championed gender diversity in the resource industry, maintaining Labor and Coalition government support for AMMA’s Australian Women in Resources Alliance (AWRA), including funding hundreds of women to complete its innovative e-Mentoring program.” Mr Knott noted that the resource industry is now looking to the government to drive further, vitally important workplace relations reform that the preceding parliament was incapable of legislating. “Resource employers want to see the government deliver its election commitments to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and return to sensible and balanced laws for union entry into workplaces,” Mr Knott says. “The industry is also eagerly awaiting a response to the Productivity Commission’s December 2015 recommendations to fix pressing problems with Australia’s workplace relations framework.” Mr Knott also stressed the importance of AMMA working closely with Senator Canavan and Minister Frydenber in their new portfolios. “AMMA looks forward to working with Senator Canavan to ensure that the resource industry can continue to attract investment and generate ongoing employment and economic benefits for the nation,” he said. “Coming from Central Queensland, Senator Canavan will be well aware of the impact of reduced investment and reduced employment in the industry, and the impact this is having on families and communities. He is well placed to champion renewed growth and investment into the resource industry.

Timeline Photos

HELP FOR JUNIOR MINERS Australian law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has created a free set of online legal resources for explorers to assist them with implementing early stage projects. Titled ‘Extract’, the resource is first for Australian law firms, and provides a range of legal documents including standard form contracts, confidentially agreements, and term sheets tailored to the sector. Jay Leary, global co-head of the firm’s mining practice said it was developed to help junior miners through a tough period in the commodity market. “The decline in commodity prices has resulted in a difficult time for the sector as a whole but particularly for junior miners, with many forced to realign their expectations and development timelines,” he said. Extract will deliver insights from the firm’s mining specialists on more detailed contracts such as joint ventures, farm-in, and mining services agreements. Users will also have access to an online library of information sheets to gain further understanding on certain issues and clauses relevant for mining companies. Herbert Smith Freehills Partner Simon Reed said it gave them an opportunity to partner with junior explorers and emerging miners to support the growth and development of the mining industry.

Timeline Photos

MINING SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarships valued at $330,000 were awarded last night to a new wave of academic talent enriching Western Australia's resources industry. Mines and Petroleum Minister Sean L'Estrange presented eight postgraduate and PhD students with awards from the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA). The MRIWA Scholarship Program supports graduate research training in disciplines underpinning the resources industry in the State. This enables university students of exceptional research ability to undertake higher degrees at participating universities in WA. Since 2014, the MRIWA has committed $8.1 million to minerals research, mainly through funding research institutions in WA. MRIWA's portfolio includes 24 research projects and nine PhD scholarships valued at $20.2 million, including joint funding with other parties. Mr L'Estrange said the MRIWA's work was becoming increasingly important to the resources sector, as exploration targets were being found further underground and were increasingly difficult to identify and test. "The Liberal National Government is investing in emerging scientists and researchers through a post-graduate scholarship program because we know investment generates significant returns for the State," he said. The Minister said the $6 million in extra funding to MRIWA announced in the 2016-17 State Budget was fostering WA's next generation of engineers, geologists and other scientists.