PROFILE
NEW GIG CHAIR TO CONTINUE PREDECESSOR’S LEGACY IRISH PLAYWRIGHT GEORGE BERNARD SHAW ONCE SAID THAT PROGRESS WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT CHANGE. AUSTRALIAN MINING SPEAKS WITH KELLY CARTER ABOUT THE CHANGES SHE’S ABOUT TO INSTIGATE AT THE GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP AFTER TAKING THE REINS AS CHAIRPERSON. GOLD INDUSTRY GROUP CHAIR KELLY CARTER (R) WITH VICE CHAIR STUART JENNER.
well as explorers, refiners and service providers. We’ve been able to bring together those disparate organisations with a unifying purpose. I’ve always found that to be interesting. Not many organisations can do that quite as effectively as the GIG has done, so it’s important to me that the GIG remains a strong representative of all of the gold sector.
What are you most proud of about GIG?
T
he Gold Industry Group (GIG) has appointed new leadership with board member and exvice chair Kelly Carter stepping up to become chairperson in March. Carter succeeds long-term chair Richard Hayes, who has departed the role after five years. Although Hayes will continue to channel his influence as a GIG board member, it is Carter’s commitment as the new chair that will ensure the industry body’s impact remains strong. Carter joined the GIG board in its second year of operation in 2016. She has also been instrumental in overseeing Gold Fields’ operational performance and regional strategy as company vice president of legal and compliance. Carter’s strong credentials also include being named one of Business News’ 40under40 leaders and Women in Mining – UK’s top 100 Global Inspiration Women in Mining in 2018. Australian Mining speaks with Carter about her mission to see that GIG’s
impact in the gold and broader mining sectors continue.
What has been the highlight of your time as a GIG board member since 2016?
I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with (Richard Hayes) over four years of being a GIG board member. Working with such an experienced chair has been a significant enabler for me to take the chair role. I’m very grateful for his mentorship, as well as the incredibly supportive board that we have. We are united by a common goal to promote the positive impact of the gold industry to the public. Given its supportive environment, there was a natural progression for me to move into the chair position. I might not be the most likely candidate given my professional background as a lawyer, but this in itself demonstrates the diversity of career opportunities in the gold sector. My role in instigating and maximising the GIG’s $5.6 million partnership with Netball WA and AUSTRALIANMINING
its stakeholders over three years – the single largest investment in the sport’s 95-year history – has helped to prepare me to take on this role.
How do you plan to continue GIG’s accomplishments?
GIG has been able to make real progress in raising the profile of the gold industry, with a small staff and lean budget since it was founded five years ago. My goal is to ensure that we continue to build that connection between Australia and the gold sector. The gold industry has a rich history in Australia, and we make an enormous contribution to the country both economically and through our community-based initiatives. I would like to see the GIG build the number of people who recognise that contribution, and are not only proud to work in the sector, but are also ready to recommend it to their children and friends. In addition, I also look forward to building the GIG’s membership base. We have a diverse membership, ranging from small, single-deposit producers to global mining houses, as
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We’ve successfully garnered the engagement of GIG members in projects that single companies would realistically not have been able to undertake alone, for example creating a one-stop-shop for gold sector recruitment through our Gold Jobs hub. We’ve also delivered a national gold education program that delivers curriculum outcomes for both primary and high-school children using exciting and fun gold-based practical activities, supported by materials such as rock boxes to expand students’ learning. The scale of the program is something that would be extremely difficult for any single organisation to achieve on its own, but by working together, we’re putting aside competitive differences and accomplishing incredible things. That’s one of the really unique differentiators of the gold sector.
What is the one key issue that the gold sector is still facing?
The sector’s profile remains a very relevant issue for us. We need a pipeline of people who want to be trained and educated to build a career in the industry. That’s why we develop programs targeting kids and young people to spark their interest, and look for new ways to promote the range of opportunities available. We’ve seen a changing landscape in the last year, with the impacts of border closures and reduced migration being felt at our operations, but also in the university space, with the reduction in foreign students coming into Australia. We need to work hard to ensure we continue to have a pipeline of people to work in the sector for the next decade and beyond. AM