The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) is proud to have led Australia’s minerals industry from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in helping to keep workers, families and local communities safe.
This could not have been done without the strong and united backing of member companies, the wider resources sector including state chambers and APPEA, the nation’s resource ministers and mining unions including the CFMMEU and the AWU.
The industry was able to use its existing strong safety culture and safety systems to rapidly respond to the health and hygiene challenge.
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The MCA is also focused on leading the Australian minerals sector on climate action through its Climate Action Plan, which demonstrates that the minerals sector supports the Paris Agreement goals and not only has the ambition to decarbonise the sector – it also has an action plan to help get it there.
In this context, the MCA welcomes today’s confirmation by BHP in its latest industry association review of the importance of responsible and constructive advocacy and the need to align with community and stakeholder expectations.
The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) takes a fact-based, positive and constructive approach in effectively advocating for all member companies while supporting mining workers and the communities in which members operate.
The MCA’s transparent approach to advocacy and stakeholder engagement is outlined in public documents including The Next Frontier and more recently the paper on immediate policy priorities for Australia’s post-COVID recovery.
This approach has ensured that the Australian minerals industry has continued to operate throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic to support jobs, communities and economic recovery while contributing company tax and royalties to help fund doctors, nurses, police and hospitals.
The minerals industry worked hard and collaboratively in the early stages of the pandemic to develop comprehensive and leading protocols on health testing, travel and workplace hygiene, emergency response and protection of vulnerable communities – endorsed by federal and state governments in March.
This approach – including the industry’s support for community-led approaches to protect remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and workers – has been used as a template by other Australian industries and recognised globally as leading practice.
The MCA will work with BHP and state associations to progress the key issues raised in BHP’s industry association review.
The MCA will also continue working with all its members, the wider industry, government and the community – including through constructive engagement in relevant policy debates – to keep building a safer, stronger, more sustainable and more responsible future Australian minerals sector.
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Images by The Next Frontier, Minerals Council of Australia
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