- BHP
to place Nickel West operations into temporary suspension
- Support
available for affected workers
- Cook
Government committed to diversifying the economy and creating long-term jobs
The
Cook Labor Government has committed to supporting affected workers and
communities while continuing to drive diversification of the Western Australian
resources sector following BHP's disappointing decision to suspend operations
at Nickel West.
BHP
today announced its Nickel West operation would be temporarily suspended, which
will have a significant impact on thousands of workers and on communities in Western
Australia's Goldfields region.
Noting
BHP's commitment to redeploying frontline workers, the Cook Government has
measures in place to assist workers who need support in finding alternative
employment, including upskilling or reskilling.
Workers
can access free career support by
calling their nearest Jobs and Skills Centres, which stand ready to provide one-on-one
support for workers, including training and course information and help with
job searching and job matching.
BHP has also committed $20
million to support the local communities affected by the decision and will
honour contracts for supply of reagents in Kalgoorlie from its operation.
Importantly, BHP have today
announced a range of measures to support the Cook Government's plan to
diversify WA's economy and create long-term jobs for WA's future, including:
- funding towards the Cook Government's proposed Critical
Minerals Advanced Processing Facility, building on a $100 million Government
investment included in the 2024-25 State Budget;
- committing to pursue an Electricity Smelting Furnace in
Kwinana with its project partners, putting WA at the forefront of the global
green steel industry;
- making BHP's refinery resources and expertise available for
critical minerals research, in partnership with Curtin University, to support
the Cook Government's Battery and Critical Minerals Strategy; and
- $5 million to support apprenticeships in the building and
construction industry through the Cook Government's Group Training Organisation
wage subsidy program.
BHP has committed to reviewing
the suspension by February 2027.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"This is a disappointing
decision and our thoughts are with the thousands of workers and their families
affected by the suspension.
"My Government will do whatever
it takes to support those workers and our regional communities through this
difficult time.
"This announcement again shows
the volatility of global commodity markets and reinforces the importance of my
Government's work to diversify our economy and build more resilience into our
resources sector.
"We're investing billions to
set up our economy for the long term, helping to smooth the volatility in our
mining sector and create long-term local jobs for WA.
"I welcome BHP's commitments
today to supporting that work, through investing in our Critical Minerals
Advanced Processing Facility and kickstarting work on a green steel industry in
Kwinana.
"These are important projects
that will help to push WA to the forefront of the global green steel and
critical minerals processing industries."
Comments attributed to Mines
and Petroleum Minister David Michael:
"My thoughts are with the thousands of workers and their
families affected by this decision.
"This is a reminder that the mining industry is subject to cyclical
commodity price fluctuations and other market forces beyond its control.
"I am hopeful that many
employees will remain with BHP given its commitment to redeploy all front-line
workers.
"While this news is disappointing, job
prospects in Western Australia are strong with the State's monthly employment growing by a massive 1.8 per cent
or 28,000 people in May, the best result in the nation, while unemployment fell
to 3.6 per cent, the lowest in the country.
"I remain confident WA's critical minerals industry will thrive in the
longer term, supplying responsibly sourced, quality metal products that are essential
to the world's energy transition.
"Critical minerals are an important part of WA's economic
diversification story and the Government will continue to work towards
positioning our State as a major global leader in downstream processing."
