WA resources sectors biggest year ever

Western Australia’s resources sector delivered a record $210 billion of sales and it’s highest-ever job numbers over the past financial year.

The remarkable results defy the economic turmoil seen around much of the world and emphasise the significance of the State's work to keep the sector running safely throughout the pandemic.

Minerals and petroleum sales in WA grew by $38 billion to $210 billion from 2019-20 to 2020-21.

Jobs supported by the sector increased from 135,000 in 2019-20 to 149,400 in 2020-21.

These results follow the State's strong economic performance throughout the pandemic, where WA's domestic economy has grown by 5.7 per cent between the December quarter 2019 and the June quarter 2021.

This is the strongest of the States and almost double the rest of the nation when WA is excluded (2.9 per cent).

Western Australia accounted for well W ork is underway to deliver the first set of initiatives through the McGowan Government's Driving Access and Equity pilot program.

The program was established in 2021 following the WA State Government's Skills Summit where lack of access to driving services, instructors and eligible vehicles was highlighted as a key barrier for youth employment in regional areas, in particular the North-West and Kimberley.

Funding will be distributed through a grants program that will provide localised solutions for localised problems to help people become safe, employable drivers with the first round opening in November for invited businesses and organisations with eligible programs in the Pilbara and Kimberley.

The program has also meant the number of officers employed to deliver driver and vehicle licensing services to remote Kimberley, Pilbara and Mid-West communities will be doubled from five to 10.

The Department of Transport's Remote Services program provides driver and vehicle licensing services, including theory and practical assessments, to remote communities in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields-Esperance, MidWest and Gascoyne regions who would otherwise be unable to access services.

The additional officers will allow the Department of Transport to visit more remote communities and increase the volume of visits to communities they already service, as well as increase the level of services and driver education provided while in communities.

In addition, the Department of Transport intends to increase current agreements in place with providers who live and work in local communities to provide oral or paper-based theory tests for learners.

These measures will assist people where English is not their first language or literacy is a barrier to obtaining their learner's permit or driver's licence.

With $4.5 billion committed for major road projects and programs throughout regional WA over the next four years, demand for licensed workers in the regions is only going to increase.

over half (56.2 per cent) of national goods exports in 2020-21.

Iron ore sales reached a record $155 billion. Gold sales were valued at $16.6 billion, up four per cent from 2019-20, while nickel sales were valued at $3.5 billion - the industry's highest sales value in seven years.

Alumina and bauxite activities also made significant contributions to the sector's growth.

Mineral exploration hit $2.1 billion in 2020-21, an increase of 21 per cent from $1.7 billion in 2019-20, with WA's share of national mineral exploration expenditure increasing to 65 per cent.

Almost $21 billion was invested into Western Australia's mining and petroleum sector, up from $19 billion in 2019-20 - and a five-year high.

Western Australia has around $127 billion of resources projects in the development pipeline. To find out more visit /dmp.wa.gov.au/About-Us-Careers/ Latest-Statistics-Release-4081.aspx