❓ The Premier provides an update on the government's commitment to researching sustainable iron ore processing pathways, highlighting the release of a new report and the potential for WA to become a leader in green steel production, boosting the economy and reducing global emissions.
AnsweredQoN 398Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
IRON ORE — PROCESSING
398. Ms A.E. KENT to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to diversify the economy.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on the WA Labor government's election
commitment to research pathways to sustainable iron ore processing in Western Australia?
(2) Could the
Premier outline what opportunities this represents for a stronger economy?
398. Ms A.E. KENT to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to diversify the economy.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on the WA Labor government's election
commitment to research pathways to sustainable iron ore processing in Western Australia?
(2) Could the
Premier outline what opportunities this represents for a stronger economy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question
and thank her for her ongoing commitment to our mining industry.
(1)–(2) We
are one of the world's leading producers of iron ore; we represent
nearly 40 per cent of global supply. The raw product is extracted from the
Pilbara, sent overseas and turned into one of the building blocks of modern
civilisation—steel. What we do to assist the world move to a cleaner,
greener and low-carbon future matters in relation to iron ore. That is why we
are undertaking a range of policy initiatives. As part of our Diversify WA
strategy we are looking at how we turn more of our industries into greener and
cleaner industries. One of the election commitments we made was to undertake a body
of research into making sure that we continue to drive that policy approach and
understanding what levers and needs of industry we need to concentrate on to
get to that greener pathway.
Yesterday the government released its
new report, highlighting how we can best contribute to this global issue in
relation to iron ore. The Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia,
well led by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy, has delivered on this
commitment with the Western Australia's green steel opportunity report.
It maps five ways that WA iron ore can be used to reduce emissions from steelmaking and also identifies the size and scale
of investment and infrastructure needed for these pathways. The key
take-out from the report is that WA is well poised to grasp this opportunity,
to move up the supply chain and produce
higher grade products such as hot briquetted iron right here in Western Australia. This has always been the holy grail of mining and industry development in Western
Australia—how we can downstream process in WA, lift the value of our
exports and make sure that we can process these minerals here in Western Australia.
The
decarbonisation and transformation of our energy sector represents the single
biggest opportunity that we have had
in about 50 years and we have to make sure we take advantage of this
opportunity. If we lower the price of energy inputs into the processing
of iron ore, the competitive advantage of Western Australia processing those minerals onshore will
significantly increase. That is why not a month goes by in which we do not get a visit or an inquiry from a company
overseas looking to produce green steel in Western Australia. Imagine
the power that this will produce for our economy, as we have Western Australian
workers processing the iron ore here in Western Australia utilising renewable
energy, significantly reducing global emissions and making sure that Western Australia
can be a leader as we decarbonise our economy and the world's economy.
This is an exciting period for Western Australia, which is why we are committed
to diversifying our economy, making sure we have the capacity and the
capability to produce renewable energy, particularly in the hydrogen space so
it can be an important input to processing minerals, and particularly iron ore, in Western Australia, which
will produce a new green energy future for our economy.
and thank her for her ongoing commitment to our mining industry.
(1)–(2) We
are one of the world's leading producers of iron ore; we represent
nearly 40 per cent of global supply. The raw product is extracted from the
Pilbara, sent overseas and turned into one of the building blocks of modern
civilisation—steel. What we do to assist the world move to a cleaner,
greener and low-carbon future matters in relation to iron ore. That is why we
are undertaking a range of policy initiatives. As part of our Diversify WA
strategy we are looking at how we turn more of our industries into greener and
cleaner industries. One of the election commitments we made was to undertake a body
of research into making sure that we continue to drive that policy approach and
understanding what levers and needs of industry we need to concentrate on to
get to that greener pathway.
Yesterday the government released its
new report, highlighting how we can best contribute to this global issue in
relation to iron ore. The Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia,
well led by the Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy, has delivered on this
commitment with the Western Australia's green steel opportunity report.
It maps five ways that WA iron ore can be used to reduce emissions from steelmaking and also identifies the size and scale
of investment and infrastructure needed for these pathways. The key
take-out from the report is that WA is well poised to grasp this opportunity,
to move up the supply chain and produce
higher grade products such as hot briquetted iron right here in Western Australia. This has always been the holy grail of mining and industry development in Western
Australia—how we can downstream process in WA, lift the value of our
exports and make sure that we can process these minerals here in Western Australia.
The
decarbonisation and transformation of our energy sector represents the single
biggest opportunity that we have had
in about 50 years and we have to make sure we take advantage of this
opportunity. If we lower the price of energy inputs into the processing
of iron ore, the competitive advantage of Western Australia processing those minerals onshore will
significantly increase. That is why not a month goes by in which we do not get a visit or an inquiry from a company
overseas looking to produce green steel in Western Australia. Imagine
the power that this will produce for our economy, as we have Western Australian
workers processing the iron ore here in Western Australia utilising renewable
energy, significantly reducing global emissions and making sure that Western Australia
can be a leader as we decarbonise our economy and the world's economy.
This is an exciting period for Western Australia, which is why we are committed
to diversifying our economy, making sure we have the capacity and the
capability to produce renewable energy, particularly in the hydrogen space so
it can be an important input to processing minerals, and particularly iron ore, in Western Australia, which
will produce a new green energy future for our economy.
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