Treasurer Ben Wyatt has announced details of a new gold royalty increase that is budgeted to raise $332 million over four years while seeking to address the industry concerns that killed off his previous proposal, but the new plan has failed to win support.
Treasurer Ben Wyatt has lashed the opposition for not backing the proposed gold royalty hike, which is now set to fail in parliament, claiming the Liberal Party has opposed more than $1 billion in budget repair measures.
The way GST revenue is carved up among the states needs a proper fix, rather than more "band-aids and bolt-ons", federal Treasurer Scott Morrison says, but politicians from states winning from the existing distribution are set to oppose change.
Treasurer Ben Wyatt has signalled he won't be bullied by the gold mining industry, which is opposing royalty rate hikes that were unveiled in the state budget.
Gold miners have warned of devastating consequences from a higher royalty rate, including potential mine closures, while business groups have also taken aim at proposed payroll tax hikes for larger employers, after both were targeted in a $1 billion revenue grab by the state government in today's budget.
The state government is considering amendments to the Mining Act in the wake of the High Court's recent ruling that kept sand mining off Andrew Forrest's family pastoral station in the Pilbara but cast into question the legitimacy of other granted mining leases since 2006.
Western Australia was the largest contributor to an increase in exploration spending in the three months to June according to new data which was released just days after the federal government announced a $100 million exploration incentive.
Resources Minister Matt Canavan said today the exploration development incentive (EDI) scheme was unlikely to continue, despite telling the industry he had an open mind on its future, and labelled alternatives put forward by the Association of Mining & Exploration Companies as radical.
Simon Bennison has announced his resignation as chief executive of the Association of Mining & Exploration Companies, with the search for his successor under way.
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies has strongly criticised a federal government decision to abolish the exploration development incentive tax concession, which it warns will have severe consequences in a climate where exploration is already soft.
The Labor Party moved swiftly today to reassure the business sector that it would not hand over responsibility for project approvals to an independent tribunal, after reports it was considering such a change.
The state government reached a milestone in its asset sales program last night after passing a bill to enable the leasing of Port Hedland's Utah Point, despite opposition from a lobby group representing the miners that currently use the wharf facility.
The state government has extended its discounted charges at the Utah Point bulk handling facility by another year, to help junior miners continue exporting iron ore, as debate around the sale of the port continues.
A new report has found listed exploration companies are focused increasingly on preserving their cash, as the sector grapples with regulatory rulings by the ASX and ASIC.
Western Australia's peak business group has welcomed the state government's budget, but other business groups believed more could have been done for their respective sectors.
A local academic has warned that failure to privatise the operation of Fremantle Ports could have a negative effect on the competitiveness of the Western Australia's exporting industries.
The state government's privatisation program hit more trouble today, with a mining lobby group that represents the users of the Utah Point wharf condemning a lack of consultation on the proposed sale. It follows a move by the National Party on Tuesday to refer the sale legislation to a parliamentary committee.
Canadian policy thinktank the Fraser Institute has ranked Western Australia the best location in the world for mining investment, with Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion today touting the results as a tick of approval for the state government's red tape reduction strategy.
The state government has officially commissioned the $140 million Eastern Goldfields Pipeline, which will support the ongoing development of mining projects in the region and benefit operators of existing mines due to reduced costs
Talisman Mining, Evolution Mining and Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines are among a number of miners to win state government exploration grants, with gold, nickel and copper the most popular commodities targeted.
The chairman of a state inquiry into the impact of fly-in, fly-out work practices on mental health has highlighted several missed opportunities following the state's announcement it will enact half of the 30 recommendations.
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies has applauded state government plans to review charges for the Utah Point bulk export facility at Port Hedland but wants the review extended to other ports.
Standout junior explorers are finding investors for their mining projects, while others are cutting back on exploration and development to counteract a tough corporate finance market and increased government fees.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum has finalised new environmental assessment fees for mining proposals and program-of-work applications, to take effect from July 1.
Western Australia's subdued resources exploration sector is set to receive a new boost in the form of a digital map for explorers to better target mining and petroleum discoveries.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum is seeking to recover about $11 million in unpaid royalties amid producer disquiet about possible royalty rate increases.
Gold explorer and developer Doray Minerals will take an earnings hit of between $40 million and $50 million due to a fall in the Australian dollar gold price.
Doray Minerals' founding directors Allan Kelly and Heath Hellewell have won the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies' prospector of the year award for 2014.
The federal government has released details on how its long-awaited exploration development incentive will work, with the policy expected to be a much-needed boost for the industry.
Former premier Richard Court has renewed his calls for the federal government to share half the revenue from offshore oil and gas projects with the states, while also expressing confidence about the future of the mining sector.
The federal government's plan to axe the mining and carbon taxes may dominate the mainstream headlines in terms of resources sector policy, but it's a lesser-known incentive that has the industry on tenterhooks.
Three business lobby groups with large representation in Western Australia have presented a united front to urge the Senate to repeal both the mining and carbon taxes.
Western Australia has been ranked as the world's most attractive jurisdiction for investment in the resources sector, based on the state's geology and its improved policy settings.
