CME (WA) president, Kim Horne said his pleasure at commencing his first report as President was totally overwhelmed by the tragic events of the last month, in which three BHP Billiton workers have died in three separate incidents, with several workers remaining in serious conditions.
He extended his deepest sympathy to the families, loved ones and friends of those involved, and also to the work mates, colleagues and associates who he said were deeply impacted by these devastating events, as they occurred in the workplace.
“To speak of the improving record of the industry or a statistical analysis of our performance, I feel, at this time would be disrespectful. I will therefore confine my comments to what I think is the way forward.
“As a Chamber and as an individual organisation we must re-double our focus on ensuring that all who work with us in this industry are guaranteed to end the shift without injury, are guaranteed to return home well and are guaranteed to be able to rejoin their loved ones safely.
“I think we all know there is no perfect system that will guarantee the goal [of injury-free production]. What we have done so far is tremendous, but it is simply not enough. It may never be enough but we must continue to pursue it nevertheless. We must learn from the tragedies and we must become fatality free”
Moving to the positive achievements of the sector, Horne said the industry was adapting to new operating environments, embracing the concepts of sustainable development, wider lifestyle issues and wider education of the community, especially towards the resources sector as a career choice.
“Our younger generation must understand the importance of the resources sector and be advocates for its responsible growth. It is vitally important that our industry attracts some of the brightest and the best from secondary and tertiary educational institutions.”
But while strong commodity prices boosted the State’s resources sector, CME (WA) president, Kim Horne, said the Federal Government’s apparent failure to address the serious decline in Australian mineral exploration activity in the recent Federal Budget was deeply disappointing.
“The minerals industry was seeking a whole of government approach to exploration that highlighted the strategic importance of the nation’s resources inventory.”
During the launch, iconic mining figure Peter Lalor was awarded a life membership of the Chamber. He was also announced as chairman of the newly formed Minerals Institute.
The Chamber also unveiled, amid much subjective discussion over lunch, its new ochre logo, officially representing the earth, with energy above and minerals below.
Horne closed by saying: “We are fortunate to live in a State with a vast resource of minerals and energy. It is absolutely clear it is our responsibility to continue to optimise the utilisation of our natural advantage to ensure a bright future for all Western Australians.”
