Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I rise to report on my recent travels through the Kimberley, Pilbara and parts of the Mid West region in my home state. I'm pleased that Senator Smith is here this evening, because I know that for him this is a very important part of the great state of Western Australia. I acknowledge the great work that he does across that region. It's indeed a patron area for him.

While parliament was cancelled, I decided that, if I couldn't head east over that two-week period, I would head north. Covering over 6,000 kilometres, and with my staff covering even more, I spent two weeks on the road. The trip took me through Meekatharra, Newman, Tom Price, Onslow, Karratha, Port Hedland, Marble Bar, Pardoo, Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Wyndham, Kununurra and numerous small communities. The primary purpose of this trip was to see how the regional communities across Western Australia had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and I was also pleased to visit a school and two volunteer organisations that have received grants with the support of Melissa Price MP.

My first meeting of the trip was with the Shire of Meekatharra. It was great to meet with them and to get an insight into what's happening in the Mid West, and we discussed topics including school attendance and how the surging gold price had increased exploration by both fossickers and exploration companies in the region. The road to Meekatharra is, of course, the Great Northern Highway, which has had significant funding put into it by this government, improving the quality and safety of the road. One thing that struck me on that trip was just how much equipment was being trucked up to the north. I must have overtaken at least one oversized load an hour, and there were just as many heading in the other direction as well as double, triple and even quad road trains carrying everything from specialist mining equipment to laundry. If anyone has ever doubted the phrase 'without trucks, Australia stops' they ought to spend a day driving on the Great Northern Highway. It really is like a freeway.

From Meekatharra, we travelled north, heading into the Pilbara region into Newman, where I met with the CCI and the shire. I'd like to thank Tania from the CCI; the shire president, Lynne; and shire CEO, Jeremy, for meeting with me. While in Newman—not for the last time—the effect that FIFO was having on the community was raised. At any one time, there are over 40,000 FIFO workers in the Pilbara, and I can only imagine the economic and social benefits that would result from having even 10 per cent of the FIFO workers relocating permanently into the region. I note the research that's been done by the Regional Australia Institute over a 30-year period—that, for every 100,000 Australians who choose to live in growing small cities rather than in our big five capitals, an additional $50 billion will be released into the economy.

From Newman, it was onto Tom Price, where I was lucky enough to get a tour of Rio Tinto's iron ore mine. Thanks to Jamie very much for hosting me and my staff on that visit. It is a pioneering mine site in the Pilbara and one of the first iron ore mines up there, and it was terrific to see the difference between there and other mine sites that I got to visit. After the mine tour, I visited the North Tom Price Primary School where principal Linda Villanova showed me around the school and showed me the new playground that will be built through the receipt of a volunteer grant with the support of the member for Durack, Melissa Price. Following this, I met with Ken Donohoe, CEO of the Shire of Ashburton. Ken outlined the shire's strategic plan and raised with me the issue of child care in the regions. This is an issue that I look forward to progressing, as I've heard it many times, certainly on this trip—and not just on this trip.

From Tom Price it was on to Onslow. The first stop was a meeting with the Onslow Sea Rangers who are doing a magnificent job at monitoring and managing local wildlife. I also stopped by the Onslow marine support base, which got off the ground thanks to NAIF funding by this government. Finally, I was given a tour of Chevron's Wheatstone LNG facility—a very impressive facility indeed, and another example of the Pilbara's premier economic position in this country. I'd like to thank Sean and Tiff of Chevron for their hospitality. Chevron's Shop Local voucher campaign in the town was a great model of coronavirus stimulation that was created by a company.

My next meeting was in Karratha with Mayor Peter Long, who gave me a tour of the town and showed me numerous sights of interest, as well as a tour of the Dampier foreshore development. I thank him for his support and Chris Adams's vision for their city—it really is to be commended. A Chamber of Minerals and Energy dinner that evening was a fortuitously timed event, and I was pleased to be able to attend and meet with representatives and executives from the resources sector who have really been carrying the nation at this time, you'd have to say, with regards to the economic activity that is occurring up there.

One site in the Karratha and Dampier area that I would like to make particular mention of is a company called Yara Pilbara on the Dampier peninsula. Yara is a visionary company that supplies ammonia and ammonia nitrate to the region with plans to export renewable, green hydrogen. This is an exciting project and I look forward to seeing what will come from it. There is an opportunity for Australia, and in particular this part of the world, to become a world leader in this space. So I'd like to thank Luke and Mark for organising and hosting me on this visit. I learned a tremendous amount. I got to meet Beau and his family who run Karratha Asphalt. They've got business because of federal government investment in roads and investment in infrastructure in that area. It's a local company taking advantage of local procurement and opportunities that follow.

On the visit, I was especially excited by the Pilbara Universities Centre and Susan Grylls. This is a fantastic facility and part of a fantastic program rolled out across Australia by this government. It will allow students to study university courses at facilities in the regions rather than leaving home to have to study in a capital city. This is brilliant for regional communities, but also for the social fabric of regional centres.

My final visit in Karratha was to the Dampier VFRS, another grant recipient; this was a volunteer grant. The family-friendly atmosphere that I encountered there as they gathered together to meet me was just so beautiful. It was a great way to finish off the day, to see this amazing group of volunteers. They are proud of their facility, and it was great to see their families there. These guys turn out when there's an emergency. They're volunteers and they're an amazing group of people.

There are so many other places that I visited right throughout the trip. I'd like to thank Fortescue for the opportunity to meet with them and to see firsthand the iron ore delivered off the trains, going over those conveyors and straight into the ships. In the month of July alone, over $12 billion in iron ore went out through the Pilbara ports.

I visited a few smaller communities on the trip as well. The advantage of travel by road is that you get to go to places that you'd often just fly over the top of—for example, a place like Marble Bar. It is the hottest place in Australia. It has the highest temperatures in Australia. But, I tell you, it is also one of the most picturesque and beautiful places, particularly at this time of year. I got to meet with the CRC up there, Amy, who talked to me about the local issues: the need for training, the need for employment and the need to really activate a local workforce for the jobs that exist around there. I got to spend some time with a fantastic project called Pardoo Station. This is a cattle station in the middle of the Pilbara. They have centre pivots, bores that go into the aquifer and, without any pumps, they're able to deliver fresh water on to their pasture. They are producing and growing Wagyu beef, would you believe, in the middle of the Pilbara.

I went to the Kimberley. I had a tremendous time with various community organisations, Indigenous community organisations, employment providers and training providers that are all active in working to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in particular up in that community. Those that know me and know my passion for that area know it's something I'm wanting to persist with to see some real benefit come into these areas. This is a great part of Australia, the north-west. It is not actually a part of Australia that people on this side of the country really think too much about, but thank God for the northern parts of Western Australia because, if it weren't for the economic activity that is occurring over there right now, how would we be able to support the coronavirus supports that are there for communities at this time? So thank you very much.