Santos has fired back at Andrew Forrest, saying the cost of green hydrogen from the billionaire’s Port Kembla plant will be nearly three times higher than hydrogen sourced from the gas producer’s Moomba hub in South Australia’s Cooper Basin.
In this issue, we introduce the Special Economic Zones Authority Act 2019 summarising the key administrative features and notable incentives under the Act.
AUSTRALIA’S richest woman, Gina Rinehart, is warning that rushing to reduce greenhouse emissions without proper costings could imperil family farmers and cost taxpayers “billions in subsidies”. The mining and pastoral tycoon has outlined her particular concern that family farmers who have endured years of drought, bushfires and Covid-19 do not have spare cash, so cannot afford to invest to change to renewable energy. Mrs Rinehart said costings should be the first priority and urged the Federal Government to “stand firm” until these had been properly assessed and made public.
Premier Mark McGowan congratulated the industry on a successful battle with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our efforts to crush the virus quickly and keep our economy and mining industry open has not only benefited Western Australians but the nation more broadly, with WA continuing to provide the largest per capita financial contribution to the Federation,” he said.
Tad Watroba describes himself as ‘the most fortunate mining engineer there is’. After more than 45 years in the business, his drive and passion are as fierce today as when he began his first job down a mine after graduating in 1973 from Krakow’s AGH University of Science and Technology, then known as the University of Mining and Metallurgy.
The book Australia Tomorrow’s just launched. Please find a few short excerpts below from Mrs Gina Rinehart’s included essay.
“Agriculture, mining, small businesses, investment and defence are the keys to our nation and our future,” Rinehart observes. “We need our government to stop making decisions influenced by the media of the moment and instead act to make the bold decisions our country needs.” Focusing on the need to eliminate red and green tape, Rinehart reveals her Roy Hill iron ore mine was forced to comply with 4000 pieces of regulation before construction could begin – yes, 4000. The mining billionaire also takes a powerful stand in support of our veterans, slamming their treatment at the hands of government, and showing displeasure at the handling of war crimes allegations. “Given all the serious challenges we face as a country, it was shocking for many good Australians to see the Defence Department order our military to divert to holding rainbow teas and to strip 3000 of our most highly trained military personnel of their medals,” Rinehart writes.
Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt joined Member for Dawson George Christensen in Mackay to officially announce the North Bowen and Galilee Basin Strategic Basin Plan. “The Plan supports industry to develop the region’s major gas resources and is the second to be delivered under the Government’s Strategic Basins Plan Program,” Minister Pitt said. “The North Bowen and Galilee basins are estimated to hold enough gas to meet Australia’s east coast needs for over a decade. The new plan will support industry to overcome the specific challenges of developing these resources.
The establishment of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority is a vital move to enhance Dubai’s global competitiveness and raise its investment attractiveness. The private sector is a major partner in our development journey over the next 50 years and the government continues to explore innovative initiatives to support their growth and success. Our objective is to make Dubai the destination of choice for global investors and a major focal point for global commerce.
Mining giant Vale SA and an Asian-owned metals producer are among the first to tap a Brazilian program that aims to cut red tape and speed up mining projects in the South American nation.
Managing Director Paul Mulder said “I greatly appreciate the leadership of the PNG Prime Minister & Minister for
Bougainville Affairs & Defence, Hon. James Marape, in the establishment of this SEZ, as it sets the right conditions for
large scale investment to thrive and catalyse down-stream processing in the SEZ that will particularly benefit the
people and the manufacturing industry in PNG.”
SEZs are business parks granted legal autonomy to improve their governance. Companies operating within SEZs enjoy unique tax breaks, streamlined government regulations, special VISA rights and different labor laws. This enables businesses to operate in emerging markets without the usual problems that businesses in the developed world face. SEZs have also rehabilitated traditionally bad investment destinations, creating bastions of economic growth in unlikely locations. The most well-known case studies of this come from China.
The report says improving regional connectivity is critical to unlocking additional growth and backs a staged investment in transport infrastructure aimed at supporting economic diversification and sustainable population growth. It says this strengthens the case for modern, fast rail improvements. Mass movements of people from cities to towns such as Margaret River in Western Australia and Orange in NSW – both as holiday destinations and places of residence – had sparked huge demand for housing and services. The report says a more coordinated infrastructure policy would meet specific needs by drawing on each region’s competitive advantage, facilitate growth and encourage a better balancing of population growth between cities and regions.