Election 2025: Junior miners win $100m pledge as Peter Dutton arrives in WA

Peter Dutton has thrown his support behind junior explorers, announcing a $100 million election promise for WA’s mining pioneers which industry leaders say will get more drill rigs discovering more resource boons. While touring Perth on Thursday, the Opposition Leader said reinstating the Junior Minerals Exploration incentive — which missed out in the recent Federal budget — was a “clear signal” of the Coalition’s pledge to invest into Western Australia’s key sector. “If we can have a really vibrant economy of WA, then we can keep the Australian economy going,” he said while in Midvale. “It’s a contrast to where the Government is at the moment because they see mining as an impediment to their success in their fight with the Greens in Sydney and Melbourne.” Industry leaders said missing out in the Federal budget had been a “major blow” to early-stage exploration, so swiftly welcomed the Coalition announcement. The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies’ chief executive Warren Pearce said the commitment would mean “more drill rigs out in the field to make the discoveries that create the jobs and mines of the future”. “By its very nature exploration is a highly speculative activity, undertaken in some of the most remote locations across the country,” he said. “Attracting investment in mineral exploration is always challenging, but it is essential for Australia to keep exploring, and making the discoveries that turn into new mines, and the keep our country prosperous.” The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA called on Labor to match the $100 million pledge. While talking up his support for industry, Mr Dutton blindsided industry leaders saying he would not overturn ‘same job, same pay’ laws — the a major change they are calling for. That is despite Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash previously calling the laws “disastrous” for the Pilbara. She has previously called for Labor to “abandon” the policy but, on Thursday, stayed silent next to Mr Dutton when said he won’t repeal it. “We’re not going to,” he said. “But we’ve said right from the start, the big difference on industrial relations policy at the next election, between us and the Labor party, will be that we’re going to deregister the CFMEU.” Later on Thursday, Ms Cash said the Coalition had “made it clear” the laws would not be repealed and were “only relevant to a very small percentage of the workforce, primarily in mining and aviation”. “As part of the legislation to deregister the CFMEU, we will ensure CFMEU officials who have been involved in lawbreaking will not be able to represent workers in bargaining or perform any other representative functions in an official or unofficial capacity,” she said. The laws have been blamed by industry groups for empowering unions, who have launched a coordinated campaign to install collective bargaining on mine sites in WA’s north. “The Federal government’s industrial relations measures are detrimental to all businesses,” Minerals Council chief executive Tania Constable said on Thursday. “The Minerals Council will not stop advocating until they are changed.” Chamber of Minerals and Energy boss Rebecca Tomkinson called the IR reforms a “drag” on business investment in WA. “CME continues to advocate for the winding back of industrial relations reforms that have upended decades of harmonious, direct bargaining between resources companies and their workers,” she said. A dozen Liberal and Nationals candidates joined Mr Dutton in Perth on Thursday to tour the Wallis Drilling warehouse in Midvale. But, in a moment of division amongst the ranks Nationals candidate for Bullwinkel Mia Davies spoke against the Coalition’s position on production tax credits for critical minerals Mr Dutton has called “tax cuts for billionaires” and vowed to repeal. The refundable credit gives miners a direct reduction in tax bills, or a cash injection if they have no bill, as a way to incentive renewable hydrogen and critical minerals. Ms Davies told The West Australian she stood with industry “reliant on having these types of incentives”. “Had there been an opportunity for me to sit in that party room, I would have been making that point.,” she said. Asked how one WA Nationals’ MP in Canberra could make that point in a crowded Coalition party room, Ms Davies vowed she won’t be silenced by the majority. “I’m intending on making sure that my voice is heard,” she said. “I would much rather be having that conversation with a Dutton and Littleproud Government, who is intent on growing our sector, not impeding it.”

Election 2025: Junior miners win $100m pledge as Peter Dutton arrives in WA

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