Dialogue Update: Engagement, school visits, grazing land field day
Chamber President Mike Kelly in dialogue with NSW Minerals Council’s Policy Manager Craig Milton and Policy Director James Barben.
Established in 2011, Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue brought together the region’s coal producers and community and business leaders, environmental groups, residents, government regulators and other industries.
About 70 community and environmental groups, local government, regulators, local mine operators, government agencies, unions and business chambers are actively involved in the Dialogue.
Joint Working Groups from industry and the community are guiding the development of a series of targeted projects aimed at minimising cumulative impacts of mining. Among the key points in NSW Minerals Council Policy Director, James Barben’s Dialogue Update were:
- A review of its Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy is underway to identify new or improved engagement and communications opportunities. Cate Sims has been appointed Manager – Stakeholder Engagement and Communications (UHMD), following Bob Mackie’s recent departure.
- The Joint Environment Working Group supported an idea to undertake a tour of local industry grazing land following a discussion on new research. The field day will bring together industry, agronomists, state government and community representatives to share learnings, discuss new research and showcase successful pasture establishment practices and techniques.
- As many as 900 students and their teachers from nine Upper Hunter schools are expected to have taken part in the 2023 School Mine Tours Program across five mining operations by the end of 2023.
- Mining’s water use in the Hunter River is typically between 1% (in wetter years, such as 2021) and 8% (in drier years) of the total water in the river system, according to the Annual Water Use Reporting Project. Set up in 2014, the annual data analysis was established to increase transparency and improve community understanding of how the mining industry uses water in the context of other Hunter River water users.
Chamber President Mike Kelly said the Chamber had had a 10 year history with the Dialogue – mainly in relation to procurement and economic impacts, as well as helping smaller local businesses trade with the mining industry.
“The Dialogue has been very supportive of the business community, just as the major mining companies have been supportive of Upper Hunter businesses of all sizes, too.”
Read more about the miningdialogue.com.au
New Indigenous pathway to mining jobs
Blackrock director Steve Fordham and Protech’s Kurt Gidley were congratulated by Mike Kelly on their Dreampath presentation.
Dreampath was established to create employment opportunities that support the career aspirations of First Nations People across a broad range of industries throughout Australia.
A Supply Nation-certified Indigenous labour hire and workforce solutions provider, the company is the result of a partnership between Muswellbrook-based Blackrock Industries and Protech, which partners with a range of organisations for specialised workforce and training programs.
The partners invested in a $750,000 training simulator imported from South Africa, which was unveiled to mining industry representatives at Blackrock’s offices on Tuesday following a presentation at the Chamber breakfast by Blackrock director Steve Fordham and Kurt Gidley, Protech’s Business Development Manager.
Mr Fordham said Dreampath was about providing candidates with a clear pathways into the mining industry. The simulator give them a real-world view of what it’s like to work in the industry, as well as improving retention rates by seeing if a career mining is the right fit for them.
Well known as a former Newcastle Knights skipper, Mr Gidley told the many mining industry representatives attending the breakfast that Dreampath recruitment and training program had been operating successfully in Mackay. The company was looking to further refine it in Muswellbrook.
“We understand there is still a high demand for operators,” he said.
“Our goal is to be a high quality supplier to the industry, and to provide meaningful opportunities and roles to local Indigenous men and women in the area.”
Chamber President Mike Kelly congratulated Steve Fordham on his entrepreneurship and drive, describing Dreampath as an example of public-private investment aimed at addressing some of the labour shortage issues facing the mining sector.
Read more about Dreampath.
Council delivers overview of Budget, major projects
Updating the business community on the shire’s 2023-24 Budget and progress on major projects this week were Muswellbrook Shire Council Steve Reynolds, GM Derek Finnigan and Property and Place Director Matthew Lysaught, pictured with Mike Kelly.
Muswellbrook Shire Council Mayor Steve Reynolds, General Manager Derek Finnigan and Director of Property and Place, Matthew Lysaught joined other early risers to present a 2023-2024 Budget overview and an update on the status of current major projects.
In his overview of Council’s budget and operations, the GM said council’s consolidated operating income this year is $62.4m, with an operating expenditure of $60.2m, including a consolidated operating cash expenditure of $44.6m.
Capital expenditure will be $44.8m, including asset construction and renewals of $39.4m, a large component of which is the Denman to Sandy Hollow water pipeline project (a State-funded Growing Local Economies project). Council’s contribution is $24m.
Mr Finnigan said the shire is experiencing the same economic pressures as local businesses, adding that it needs to continue to build its reserves to be financially sustainable.
“For all councils in Australia the main risk is financial sustainability,” he said.
“We are very conscious of that and we’re working hard to ensure we are.”
Road maintenance funding will receive a major boost this year. Council’s heavy patching budget will double from $500k to $1M while the road resealing program will increase from $893k to 2.1M.
In addition, the budget includes a rural road renewal program ($498K) and an urban road renewal program ($400k). A further $2.5M has been allocated for drainage works in Merton Street in Denman.
Mr Lysaught reiterated the Council’s commitment to bringing major projects already in the pipeline to completion.
The upgrade of the Muswellbrook Aquatic Centre, Hunter Beach and the Donald Horne Building were completed and operating, while only minor finishing details remain to complete the Animal Care Facility, Sustainability Hub and the Olympic Park Bridge. The Denman and District Heritage Village and replacement of Oakleigh and Rosebrook Bridge projects are progressing.
Following the completion of the Hunter Innovation Precinct, Council has reviewed the Civic Precinct strategy and approved plans to develop a ‘pocket park’ following the demolition of redundant buildings in Bridge Street.
“Planning is well underway for the revitalisation of the town centre along with a detailed design for the Denman Recreation Area and progress of Stage 2 of Olympic Park Precinct and Stage 1 of Wollombi Park”, Mr Lysaught said.
A detailed report of the 2023-2024 Budget can be found in the Revenue Policy on Council’s website: www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au along with the current Operational Plan and 2023-2024 Fees and Charges.
