The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) on Monday congratulated Premier Roger Cook on his government’s re-election in this weekend’s state election and said the government must hit the ground running to ensure the state’s ongoing prosperity.

In a statement, CME CEO Rebecca Tomkinson said the timing of WA Labor’s election victory was pivotal, as the state entered a new phase of industrial transformation.

“Premier Cook has outlined an ambitious vision to expand the state’s mining and manufacturing bases and produce more goods – including batteries, wind turbines and transmission lines – here in WA,” she said.

A key component of this vision is the rapid acceleration of Western Australia's energy transition. This, Tomkinson stressed, was vital in ensuring the state’s future as a global leader in low-emission, reliable, and cost-competitive electricity.

She emphasised that Cook’s first priority should be to ensure the delivery of a draft master transmission plan for the South West interconnected system. This should provide the certainty needed to unlock investment in large-scale wind and solar generation projects, which were central to the energy transition.

However, energy transition was only part of the equation. Tomkinson pointed out that the Premier must also focus on developing well-located, development-ready industrial land and improving the efficiency of project assessments.

“It will also require much greater access to well-located, development-ready industrial land and an ongoing focus on sharply reducing project assessment timeframes while maintaining our high standards of protection,” she said.

WA Labor’s election commitments largely align with CME’s advocacy for the resources sector, and these include a focus on no new taxes or royalties targeting the Western Australian resources sector, doubling the Strategic Industries Fund to A$1-billion for the development of turnkey industrial land, and developing a Green Iron and Steel Action Plan as part of a broader Made in WA strategy to expand domestic manufacturing capability. 

There are also specific commitments related to reducing the royalty rate on vanadium products to 2.5%, with no royalties for midstream production of vanadium electrolyte, as well as A$13-million for upgrades to ease congestion and improve safety at the entries of the Kwinana and Kemerton Strategic Industrial Areas. 

The government has also committed A$15.5-million for upgrades to Derby and Wyndham ports to support their First Point of Entry designation, A$60-million for a second round of the Investment Attraction Fund’s New Energies Industries stream, and A$9-million to double funding available through the Exploration Incentive Scheme. Further, A$1.2-million will be allocated to develop an Advanced Biofuels Strategy to help unlock low-carbon liquid fuels.

Further, Tomkinson also urged Cook to continue advocating strongly for Western Australia's interests at the national level, particularly in the context of federal policies affecting the resources sector.  This must include pushing for the repeal of productivity-killing industrial relations reforms, as well as changes that streamline project assessment processes, enhance environmental outcomes, and eliminate duplication to provide certainty over timeframes.

Meanwhile, Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (Amec) also congratulated Cook and the WA Labor Party. CEO Warren Pearce said, “Amec will continue to work with the Cook Labor government on a range of initiatives relevant to the resource industry.”