Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Senator Matt Canavan has joined the mayors of the mining towns of Mount Isa, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Broken Hill to formally launch the Australian Mining Cities Alliance in Canberra.
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Mount Isa Mayor Joyce McCulloch said the three cities all had similar issues.
“We’ve all got questions around a successful future of our communities and sustaining the population as it is and growing it,” Cr McCulloch said.
“Mining is an industry that does rely on the world economy and we see booms and busts so we are coming together and working collaboratively and being recognised by the federal parliament as a body that can create and shape policy for the future.”
Cr McCulloch said the big question in Mount Isa recent years has been the life of mines. “We want to sustain mining as a big industry in our region and see what other mining cities are doing for the future of our communities,” she said.
Senator Matt Canavan welcomed the new alliance and said he was keen to be the point of contact for mining cities across Australia.
“I’m happy to be a one-stop-shop for them here in Canberra,” Senator Canavan said.
The Alliance is to ensure Australia’s mining cities have a collective voice and to maximise cooperation with Australia’s mining industry which underpins their economies.
The intention is to build a larger network of Australia’s mining communities, share knowledge and experience, and strengthen relationships with the mining industry across Australia.
The idea came together in October 2017 in Port Augusta and the AMCA will shift into operational mode in 2018.
Alliance chair, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor John Bowler said the Alliance would reach out to corporate partners and local governments to build membership and support base.
“Australia’s mining cities know first-hand the importance of our country’s mining industry and are determined to make sure that communities which work most closely with the mining industry have their voices heard,” Mayor Bowler said.
“We assess that there are at least 50 mining cities across Australia, and we will invite them to join the Alliance to build our network and deepen our collective expertise.
“We will also be reaching out to Australia’s mining companies to join our Alliance with whom we have close, long-standing and inter-dependent relationships.”
Cr McCulloch said the North-West Queensland Minerals Province was one of the largest of its kind in the world and the future of many of the cities in the north and west of Queensland was vitally intertwined with the mining industry.
“Since the announcement of the Alliance in October 2017, I have received nothing but positive feedback – this was an idea whose time had come,” she said.
“We can only imagine what will be possible when other mining cities join us.”
The next Australian Mining Cities Alliance meeting is in February in Kalgoorlie.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
