Case Study
Mining and Community Partnerships
Regional Development Australia Mid West and Gascoyne has focused on developing best practices by investigating the Collaborative Arrangements between shires and mining companies.
Developing productive relationships between the private and public sectors in any community is important and more so in a region where there is an increasing level of mining activity amongst a large number of small communities. In addition, shires in the region are focused on delivering better outcomes for their community, creating revenue to reinvest into services and infrastructure.
Resource development benefits the Western Australian and national economies by generating revenue from exports and creating skills and jobs. Against this contribution, mining activity presents challenges and opportunities for Mid West and Gascoyne regional communities.
Within the Mid West are examples of how local governments and mining companies have established relationships with good community outcomes. However, with few guidelines and without any WA State Government policy settings on minimum requirements for mining and community agreements, it is left to communities, usually through local governments, to seek their own arrangements.
There are opportunities to develop 'best practice' templates from current initiatives and to further identify how best practices in mining and community engagement can deliver successful community outcomes. Community chest or benefit funds, road access and maintenance or reinstatement agreements and mutually beneficial infrastructure agreements are common examples of partnerships.
Many companies prioritise the importance of well-established and strong relationships with key stakeholders, including communities. Local governments are also looking for positive and beneficial relationships.
It is easier for local government to achieve desired social sustainability outcomes with an overarching state policy setting and leverage. Advocacy in partnership with organisations such as WALGA is useful for identifying best current practices for consolidation into a 'best practice' report.
The project is now embedded within the Murchison regional strategy and aligned with the Western Australian Local Government Association, Mining Policy Forum.