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Conference indicates optimistic mining future T By Vanessa Switala
Panel session in the auditorium during the Whyalla conference.
he South Australian Mining Sector will not slow down because of the Olympic Dam delay, according to delegates at a recent conference in Whyalla. A record crowd flocked to the eighth annual Resource Industry Conference and Trade Expo in Whyalla recently, highlighting a bright future for South Australia’s mining industry. At the conference BHP Billiton’s Vice President of External Affairs, Kym Winter-Dewhirst addressed reasons behind the shelving of BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam expansion project. He concluded his presentation with the statement, “It is not a matter of if the expansion will go ahead but rather when.” The Global Maintenance Upper Spencer Gulf (GMUSG) and South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) Conference brought 350 delegates, 36 trade exhibitors and 40 speakers, and attracted miners, industry bodies, Government and a large contingent of resources and energy sector suppliers. Manager of GMUSG, Mark Malcolm told The Monitor the halt of the Olympic Dam expansion disappointed the company. “While we are disappointed like everyone else with news of the postponement we don’t see evidence that the mining sector is slowing down,” he explained. “We now have 20 operating mines in South Australia and genuine prospects for new projects in the next few years.” Mr Malcolm said GMUSG remained positive regarding South Australia’s mining sector. “On the positive side the decision to postpone ODP (Olympic Dam Project) frees up resources available for other projects. “One of the risks associated with the “full steam ahead” approach to expanding Olympic Dam was the huge demands it would have placed on available engineering, construction and labour resources. “A slightly slower and staged approach may ultimately lead to higher local and South Australian business participation,” Mr Malcolm added. Mr Malcolm explained to The Monitor the Upper Spencer Gulf and Northern South Australian unemployment rates are at historically low levels and remained so throughout the Global Financial Crisis.
INSET: Interview with Scott McBain and Director of ODT Australis Ken Lamb.
“We see no reason for this trend to change given the current economic environment. The Upper Spencer Gulf cities have been successful in providing labour to mines throughout northern South Australia which has helped underpin our labour market,” he stated. Mr Malcolm said the eighth conference was an outstanding success. “Outback contracting identity Ken Lamb from ODT Australis was our special guest speaker at our networking dinner on day one. BHP Billiton spoke to the conference and helped clarify their decision to postpone ODP, but reiterated the company’s commitment to further develop Olympic Dam in the future. The Premier also addressed delegates. We are already receiving strong interest for next year’s conference which will be held in Port Pirie,” he explained. Mr Malcolm added, “We were delighted to
have a number of Roxby Downs and Olympic Dam contractors attend the conference and we are noticing increasing membership enquiries from your community. We will endeavour to increase our interaction with Olympic Dam operators during the next 12 months and look forward to collaborating further to maximise local business participation in the mining sector.” A panel session was also held at the two-day conference which introduced indigenous contracting businesses. The aim of the Panel Session was to highlight the emergence of independent indigenous contracting businesses in the mining sector. Mr Malcolm explained, “We encouraged our contractors to develop business relationships with indigenous contractors as sub-contractors and joint venture partners. This helps our contractors ensure they can deliver measurable
and real indigenous participation when tendering and delivering projects in the mining sector.” He added, “The session was well received and it was good to have Red Mulga represented on the panel.” Global Maintenance USG has grown rapidly with 120 members, mostly contractors and suppliers to the resource sector. Joining GMUSG enables firms to be informed and connected. Involvement in a specialised resource sector supply-chain cluster also provides opportunities for business to business engagement and collaboration. While GMUSG started life as an association of Upper Spencer Gulf firms, it has now expanded to include businesses from other regions and Adelaide.
Local man Senator visits St Barbs stabbed in back P I By Jason Munn arliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations Jacinta Collins visited St Barbara’s Parish School last Thursday primarily to gain an understanding of the challenges faced by Catholic schools in remote locations.
“I was invited some time back by the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) to come and visit South Australian rural and remote Catholic schools,” Senator Collins told The Monitor. “I had the opportunity today to visit remote and regional schools in Roxby Downs, Peterborough and Port Pirie, to get a flavour of how the Catholic education system is delivering education across South Australia.” Senator Collins visited classrooms and asked students about their experiences of remoteness, and also expressed acknowledgment for qualities that make Catholic schools leaders in education. “There’s no question that the Catholic education approach on focussing on the dignity of the individual within a community is very important. When we look at how to improve education, focussed on need, you’re obviously looking at addressing the needs of individual students, and learning how best to achieve that.” Senator Collins said Catholic schools have, in general terms, produced very good results as an education system and believes a focus on individual students plays a crucial role. “Catholic schools have also been
By Vanessa Switala n the early hours of Wednesday, September 5, a local man was stabbed three times in the back.
ABOVE: Senator Jacinta Collins pictured with St Barbara’s Year 7 class. leaders in the development of quality teachers, with a focus on professional development, a focus on collegiate work amongst teachers and mentoring and developing teachers in schools. From national Government’s end, if we can focus on all of those areas across a consistent national model, we think we’ll be on board to improving our overall education results.” St Barbara’s Catholic School Acting Principal Joyce Dinan said education programs are now very individualised, based around the needs of the children. “That is the way schooling happens now, that is the way students experience learning, so we are delighted that the Government is attaching dollars to that understanding.”
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Senator Collins said the Prime Minister has announced her crusade in relation to school improvement, and one aspect of that is to better resource schools in remote and regional locations. “I would like to get a better sense of some of the schools that will be better reaching with that support. “The second aspect is National Government, through a range of different national partnerships, is better supporting schools via partnership with State Government. We’ve been focussing on literacy, numeracy, community partnerships and better connecting the community to the schools. Getting a sense of what’s happening in school education outside of the metropolitan area is important.” www.themonitor.com.au
Roxby Downs police Senior Sergeant Terry Boylan told The Monitor as a result, the offender, a 19-year-old male, has been arrested and bailed to appear in court at a later date. “Our enquiries in this matter are ongoing because this stabbing would appear to be a part of a larger series of events which we are trying to track,” he explained. “I can assure the community of Roxby Downs that this was not a random matter. All the people involved in this matter know each other so there is no threat to the community. “At this stage it would appear this
has resulted from what appears to be a relatively minor matter. It would appear that alcohol may have been a contributing factor,” Sen-Sergeant Boylan said. “It is a concern that sometimes minor incidents can get out of control and more serious consequences arise out of it, especially when alcohol is involved,” he said. The victim, a 20-year-old male, sustained non-life threatening injuries. Sen-Sergeant Boylan urges anybody who has any information regarding the matter to contact the Roxby Downs Police on (08) 8671 4200 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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