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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-28 Daily Xml
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MINERAL RESOURCES

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Can the minister inform the house how mines, such as the recently opened Kanmantoo copper mine, contribute to the people of South Australia?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (15:06): I want to thank the member for his question and his keen interest in all things mining. Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Kanmantoo copper mine, opened by our Premier at his first mine opening. Of course, also in attendance were the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the local member of parliament, the member for Kavel.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You're correcting everyone today, aren't you; you're very good at that. Kanmantoo is just one of the many exciting mineral resources projects coming on line that demonstrate this state's rich resources wealth and the potential it provides for South Australia to continue to grow as a world class mining jurisdiction.

The renaissance of the Kanmantoo mine is expected to yield 21,000 tonnes of copper each year and provide significant and positive effects to the local community. Kanmantoo will create over 150 direct jobs, with up to 300 flow-on jobs to be created. Operations will contribute to an already vibrant copper mining sector that has seen South Australia produce two million tonnes of copper valued at $12 billion in the past 10 years. South Australia's copper mining projects are world class, with this state producing about one-third of Australia's 952,000 tonnes of copper in 2010-11. This state is a leading player in both copper exploration and production.

Madam Speaker, when you consider the average home requires 200 kilograms of copper, South Australia's production in the financial year 2010-11 was enough output to provide electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, brass fittings and appliances to over 1.5 million homes. Projects such as Kanmantoo demonstrate the state's rich diversity of mineral resources projects, from large-scale operations such as Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill to smaller scale projects operating alongside regional communities.

Something all these projects have in common is their contribution to this state and the people of South Australia. This government knows that there is a direct link between the prosperity generated by our mines and the standard of living in our suburbs. Indeed, these sentiments were echoed by Mr Philip Lowe, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, who last week highlighted the links between the effects of Australia's mineral boom and its positive spillover effects to our towns and communities. The wealth these resource projects create powers our economy and flows through to the wages of their workers, the dividends of their shareholders and the profits of the service industries they support.

Further, it goes into the cash registers of mum and dad businesses in our regional communities and here in Adelaide. It supports superannuation savings through the share market to provide for retirement incomes; it provides revenue to the government to support the schools, hospitals, teachers and nurses we need for a growing population; and it leaves a legacy of infrastructure—rail, ports, roads and powerlines—for future generations of South Australians to enjoy.

The mining and service industry it supports provides high wages and advanced skills that, in turn, attract people to South Australia, growing our regional centres and contributing to a more vibrant Adelaide. That is why this government remains steadfastly committed to the resources sector and capturing its benefits for all South Australians—and the best thing the member for Unley can do is look at his stop watch.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister. I think you were trying to outdo the member for Morphett there with the speed of that answer. The member for Kavel.

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