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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-05-01 Daily Xml
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PREMIER'S COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARDS IN MINING AND ENERGY

The Hon. L.R. BREUER (Giles) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier inform the house about the 2013 Premier's Community Excellence Awards in Mining and Energy?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:09): I was pleased to attend the awards just last evening together with the Minister for Transport and, indeed, the Leader of the Opposition and the deputy leader, who were in a much better mood last night than they seem to be today. I don't know why that is, but they were happier.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Don't pull a face; it's unattractive. Last night, I had the pleasure to announce the winners of the Premier's Community Excellence Awards in Mining and Energy—the third time these awards have been presented. I would like to congratulate SACOME on the fantastic work they've done in developing these awards. The awards acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of resource companies to our community and environment. The contribution is an important part of building a durable relationship within the community that acknowledges the respective interests of the community and the mining sector.

This year's entries showcase an impressive breadth and depth of initiatives. The entries received show the ways in which companies ensure the social benefits derived from resource exploration development add another dimension to the cultural life and wellbeing of South Australians. There is a very broad range of projects: targeted employment and mentoring programs, breaking the cycle of social disadvantage, through to supporting sporting and cultural events.

In addition to the categories of Excellence in Social Inclusion and Excellence in Supporting Community Participation, the 2013 awards were expanded to include two new categories: Excellence in Leadership—Women in Resources, and Excellence in Environmental Management. I would like to congratulate Beach Energy and OZ Minerals, who were the joint winners of Excellence in Leadership—Women in Resources, for their cross-industry partnership through the Leading My Career program.

The winner of the Excellence in Environmental Management was Flinders Logistics for its new technology to address the whole question of dust at ports. They've created an Australian first right here in South Australia with the innovative use of containers along the pit to port supply chain to maximise dust suppression. The Excellence in Social Inclusion was awarded to Iluka Resources for their working partnership with Aboriginal people.

The final award—Excellence in Supporting Community Participation—was awarded to Pepinnini Minerals and Royal Resources. They went to extraordinary lengths to engage their communities, even though they are relatively small companies, in what they are planning to do, and that will build great confidence. If they move to the next phase of the development of their resource, that relationship they've formed with their communities will stand them in very good stead.

I congratulate all of the nominees. They've all demonstrated that, in South Australia at least, resource companies understand they need a social licence to operate. They are reaching out. It's becoming a part of the way in which they do business. It makes our job as regulators easier and, of course, the benefits accrue to the broader community.

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