Enews

In this edition

• New Ministerial Arrangements
• Go-ahead for Kalgoorlie hospital refurbishment.
• What's Down the Track 2008 ?
• SEGRA bid for Kalgoorlie in 2009
• Northern outback online
• Rock Festival
• Women in Mining Forum
• Partying earns dollars for the Goldfields.
• Past and present GEDC Chairperson's Dinner.
• Changes to GEDC staff.

Welcome to the November edition of the GEDC e-newsletter.

New Ministerial Arrangements

The transition to a new State Government in September has brought significant changes to the Ministerial arrangements for the nine Development Commissions.

Under previous state governments each Development Commission had reported directly to a dedicated Minister for their particular region. Under the new arrangement all Development Commissions will report to the Hon Brendon Grylls MLA, Minister for Regional Development.

It is encouraging to see that Minister Grylls has already taken an active interest in the issues facing the Goldfields – Esperance Region through a number of visits to our region since his appointment, and has already announced a major funding commitment for the refurbishment of the Kalgoorlie Hospital.

The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission (GEDC)is playing an active role with the other Commissions in working with our new Minister to develop the various mechanisms through which strategic and sustainable benefits can be delivered to the region, as a result of the new state government funding arrangements under Royalties for Regions.

The GEDC has always been a strong advocate for the involvement of our key regional stakeholders in the identification and prioritising of the key issues facing the region. As such, the GEDC intends to take an early and proactive role in working with our stakeholders in establishing these regional priorities to ensure that they are aligned with the funding opportunities that will be made available through Royalties for Regions.

The GEDC looks forward to supporting our new Minister through what will be exciting and challenging times for regional Western Australia.

For further information on Minister Grylls please visit http://www.premier.wa.gov.au/Minister.html

Go-ahead for Kalgoorlie hospital refurbishment.

Goldfields residents will have a new refurbished Kalgoorlie hospital by 2012.

Premier Colin Barnett recently announced AU$55.8million for the redevelopment of Kalgoorlie Hospital - AU$15.8million to come from the Royalties for Regions funding.

Work on the redevelopment is expected to start early next year.

Mr Barnett visited Kalgoorlie Hospital to make the announcement with Health Minister Dr Kim Hames, Regional Development Minister Brendan Grylls, Mental Health Minister Dr Graham Jacobs and Kalgoorlie MLA John Bowler.

Dr Hames said urgent upgrades to the ageing hospital building would ensure people of the Goldfields would receive enhanced clinical facilities and better access to health care closer to home, reducing the need to travel to Perth.

“Importantly, the redevelopment will allow the emergency department and acute services wards to be located together with the medical imaging and medical records departments to greatly improve patient access and the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment,” Dr Hames said.

“The day surgery ward and operating suite will be significantly refurbished and modernised.”

Mr Grylls said the Royalties for Regions funding contribution to Kalgoorlie was an important delivery for country Western Australians and demonstrated the clear focus of the Liberal-National Government.

Kalgoorlie Hospital is the major trauma centre servicing the Goldfields - the largest rural region in WA - and home to about 56,000 people, as well as a large number who fly-in, fly-out to work on remote mining sites.

It is estimated that the region’s population will grow by about 18 per cent to more than 65,000 people by the year 2031.

What's Down the Track 2008 ?

What's Down the Track 2008 was held on Thursday 2nd October 2008 at the WMC Conference Centre.

The forum attracted over 160 delegates and included 16 presentations from major mining companies and industry groups from across the Goldfields-Esperance region.

What's Down the Track 2008 was a "must attend event" for anyone with business interests in the Goldfields, providing the ultimate insight into what’s actually happening today and into the foreseeable future of the resource sector in the Goldfields-Esperance region.

The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission was proud to be involved in this forum along with the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc and Chamber of Minerals & Energy WA Inc.

A similar forum is planned for the South-East Region early in 2009.

SEGRA bid for Kalgoorlie in 2009

This is the first time this conference will be held in Western Australia and the GEDC is very proud to join the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and other agencies and organisations in our region in welcoming SEGRA to Kalgoorlie-Boulder for 2009.

The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia Conference 2008 was attended this year by Graham Thomson (GEDC Chairman) and Robert Hicks from 18th to 20th August 2008.

At this conference it was announced that the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder would host SEGRA 2009.

The GEDC played a key role in canvassing support and funding for the bid.

This is the first time this conference will be held in Western Australia and the GEDC is very proud to join the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and other agencies and organisations in our region in welcoming SEGRA to Kalgoorlie-Boulder for 2009.

SEGRA 2009 provides the perfect vehicle to promote the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the region as a great place to live, work and play.

To find out more about SEGRA 2009 please visit http://www.kalbould.wa.gov.au/.

Northern outback online

After several years in the making the Tourism Northern Goldfields web site and brochure has been launched.

The project which will encourage tourists to visit the Goldfields to share in the rich history and unspoilt landscape is the result of a tremendous collective effort between the shires of Menzies, Leonora, Laverton, Ngaanyatjarraku, Wiluna and Sandstone.

Former GEDC Senior Project Officer Janice Kendall also played a significant part in the development of the website and brochure along with guidance from Norm White of Advance Tourism. Australia’s Golden Outback where the website is based, along with Tourism WA were also integral to the development of the project

The roll out phase of the website and brochure is currently underway and brochures have been delivered throughout the state. So to plan your next real Australian outback adventure in Western Australia’s Northern Goldfields go to http://www.northerngoldfields.com.au/.

Rock Festival

The science of mining came alive with the inaugural Kalgoorlie-Boulder Rock Festival held in August at the picturesque and historically significant Mining Hall of Fame.

Over 550 upper primary and high school students attended from across the region accessing a ‘hands on’ experience of metallurgy, geology, environmental science, mines rescue and engineering. The activities also included an exciting prospector’s wheel barrow construction challenge.

Massive support from the mining industry and around 60 volunteers allowed the keen youngsters to work through the curriculum focused program with education being a key component of the Rock Festival.

With a national skills shortage in degree qualified sciences such as geology and metallurgy, as well as in trades, administration, mines rescue and other careers options in the resources sector the Rock Festival sought by working with future employers, to stimulate interest and engage students in mining science and related careers and provide teachers with new teaching perspectives.

The WASM Wombats demonstrated two traditional mining techniques really capturing the young visitor’s attention and the Rock Festival was concluded with a Rock concert by the high schools bands and prizes for best teams and art.

Women in Mining Forum

The Women in Mining Forum hosted by the Goldfields Education Mining Industry Alliance was designed to inform and encourage female high school students into mining and mining science-related careers.

The forum also allowed the students a chance to form ongoing mentoring arrangements with women working in mine-science careers including metallurgy, geology, the environment and engineering.

Over 200 students and professional women attended the forum which provided a great opportunity for students to listen and talk with women across a broad cross section of mining related fields.

The students received real life experiences through presentations and networking activities which proved invaluable to the students in helping them to think about future careers. The students were also able to access career information and received some valauble advice that a successful career in mining and mining science is about having passion for what they do, not their gender.

Partying earns dollars for the Goldfields.

Past regional economic modelling by the GEDC for the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club(KBRC)indicates that in the last 3 years expenditure by the KBRC just to host the Race Round event has potentially put almost AU$9 million into the local economy through direct and flow on effects.

In addition to these KBRC expenditure impacts the GEDC conducted a study in September 2007 and 2008 to gain further economic insights into the 100 year old horse racing carnival.

The 2008 data collected from over 1000 locals and visitors to the Racing Round revealed yet again that the Race Round visitor spends more and stays longer than the typical visitor to the Goldfields.

Race Round visitors spend AU$875 to AU$10,000 per stay with 70 % staying for a whole week and 17% up to two weeks. Locals preparing for their visitors spent similar to last year at around AU$400.

“In addition to better understanding the participants the information from last year’s survey encouraged the Discover the Round Committee to build stronger relationships with event organisers such as the Golden Mile Trotting Club” said GEDC Chief Executive Officer Robert Hicks.

“This year’s survey showed a considerable increase in the number of persons indicating they had or planned to attend the trots” he added.

To raise funds through sponsorship for their international mining games the WASM Wombats undertook the data collection for the study. The data was processed by both Kalgoorlie and Esperance GEDC offices.

Past and present GEDC Chairperson's Dinner.

On Saturday, 16th October 2008 the Inaugural Past & Present Chairpersons dinner was held at the Palace Hotel.

Past chairpersons have been a valuable resource to the GEDC as advocates and ambassadors for the Goldfields-Esperance region and the dinner gave an opportunity to renew acquaintances, share ideas and reminisce.

Unfortunately Bill McKenzie and Ian Burston were unable to attend the dinner.

Changes to GEDC staff.

There have been some staff changes at the GEDC over the last few months. Bo-Marie Penn, Executive Assistant, has recently given birth to a beautiful baby daughter and is on 12 months maternity leave. Replacing Bo-Marie is Cobie Fryer who recently moved to Kalgoorlie with her family from Roxby Downs in South Australia.

Christine Boase, who was the Aboriginal Economic Development Office for seven years, has recently taken on a new and exciting role in the mining industry. Christine’s skills and knowledge will be sorely missed and we wish her well in her new position.

Janice Kendall, who has been based in the Leonora office for the last three years, has recently been appointed as the Manager of Policy and Projects in the Kalgoorlie Office.

Replacing Janice as the Northern Goldfields Senior Project Officer is Pip McCahon who joins GEDC from her previous role as Telecentre Coordinator in Hopetoun.

Shane Liddelow has also recently joined the Esperance team as Senior Project Officer. Shane is Esperance born and bred and previously worked at the Department of Sport and Recreation in Kalgoorlie.

Vicki Bull, recently celebrated 10 years of service with the Development Commission. Vicki will be taking long service leave from December to March 2009 for a well deserved trip around Australia with her partner, Allan. We wish Vicki and Allan a safe and enjoyable trip.

We welcome all our new staff members and wish our staff who have left us, either permanently or temporarily, all the very best.

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