MINING, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Hon. M. PARNELL (15:03): I thank the minister for that answer, but my supplementary question arising from the answer is: as the Minister for Regional Development, has she personally discussed these issues—in particular, local procurement—with the minister for mining or directly with BHP Billiton?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:03): There is a negotiation team that is dealing with BHP, and those matters are part of those discussions. I know that those matters are under consideration—they are part of the discussions that are taking place.

In terms of the minister for mining, I have had discussions with him about these types of matters and the importance of regional communities. In fact, I have recently asked him to meet with me to discuss further initiatives that we might be able to put forward to mining interests. In terms of personal meetings, I visited the Far North just recently and went out to a couple of the mines there, IMX and OZ Minerals at Prominent Hill, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to look around the mines because they are pretty awesome, I have to say. I had the opportunity to be able to sit down and go through these issues and talk to them about what they have done in the past and what strategies they have in place to involve local procurement.

You would be delighted to know that when I was driving out to one of the mines—I had to fly to one of the mines, but one I was able to drive to from Coober Pedy—we passed the baker's car coming back from the mine. This baker delivers bread to that particular mine and, apparently, his business is booming. That is only a very small example, but I was very pleased to see that a local baker was involved in that particular development.

I have personally had discussions with mining interests regarding the strategies they currently have in place, and I expressed the importance of local engagement and encouraged them to continue to meet with and provide information to local communities. Often, the local communities simply do not know the needs of the mine and do not understand what the future development of that particular interest might be, so therefore they cannot ready themselves to take advantage—just talking through those issues and encouraging communication and information exchange that involves local councils (where there are local councils) and, as I have said, encouraging a better and more thorough engagement process.