WA resources sector spend hits record high

Investment by Western Australia’s resources sector in the nation has ballooned 32 per cent in the past year, according to fresh data revealed by the state’s peak mining lobby group.

Chamber of Minerals and Energy-commissioned data released on Monday showed $132 billion was spent by WA companies in Australia, $77bn of which was spend directly in WA.

Some 340,000 full-time equivalent jobs, 15,508 businesses, and 1312 community groups benefitted directly from resources sector spend in WA.

CME senior economist Aaron Walker said the sector’s accounted for nearly 90 per cent of exports from WA, and about half of economic activity.

“These figures highlight the sector’s current contribution to Western Australia and its regions, and reinforce the role of the resources industry in WA’s future,” he said.

“The findings demonstrate that all West Australians benefit from the industry’s activity, and I think that’s an important output of this survey.

“The modelling also indicates the WA resources sector supports three in 10 jobs across our state and accounts for 9 per cent of the nation’s GDP.”

The data showed the City of Mandurah was home to more than 6,200 full time resource sector workers, the most of any local government in WA.

The City of Perth (5,900) and Town of Vincent (5,700) were the second and third most popular locales for resource sector workers.

The City of Wanneroo, which topped last year’s list, was fourth.

Some 6,800 full time sector workers lived across the Pilbara’s four local governments, and 3,300 lived in the Goldfields.

CMEWA chief executive Rebecca Tomkinson said the contribution of the sector was at risk should the federal government not appropriately consult on policies such as environmental reform.

“If the Federal Government gets it wrong, it risks not only the ongoing economic contribution of the sector’s existing operations, but also $93 billion in future investment projects and associated jobs,” she said.

Some 49 CME member companies accounting for $33bn in corporate taxes took part in the survey.