Six of WA’s biggest miners Rio Tinto, BHP, Hancock Prospecting, Woodside, Chevron and Mineral Resources were on Tuesday confirmed as the inaugural donors to the Resources Community Investment Initiative. Unveiling the new fund which will be used to pay for major “legacy” projects like the $400m Aboriginal Cultural Centre and the $250m Perth Zoo redevelopment Mr McGowan said he expected it would continue to swell.
Western Australia’s pandemic defying resources boom will be immortalised for future generations through the establishment of a $750 million community investment fund backed entirely by some of the State’s biggest mining companies. Six industry giants have already committed substantial sums of cash to the Resources Community Investment Initiative: Rio Tinto and BHP ($250 million each), Hancock Prospecting ($100m), Woodside ($50m), Chevron ($50m) and Mineral Resources ($50m). Mr McGowan said the idea was sparked around the time of his Government’s $50m commitment to the Aboriginal Cultural Centre — a funding pledge later matched by the Albanese Government before May’s Federal election.
That this State has been blessed with a great bounty of natural resources is a wonderful gift. Through flukes of geology and the hard yakka of generations of miners, WA has established itself as one of the world’s strongest economies.
Now it looks like it will help us dodge the turmoil wreaking havoc in other major economies around the world. However, one of the shortcomings of a resources-dependent economy such as ours is its boombust nature. When times are good, money flows and everyone benefits. Hancock Prospecting has committed $100m while Woodside, Chevron and Mineral Resources have chipped in $50m apiece.
Western Australia’s Labor government has leant on mining and oil and gas companies to create a billion dollar-plus “community investment fund” with a big chunk of the funds earmarked for an Aboriginal cultural centre in the centre of Perth. The fund already has commitments of $750 million thanks to donors that include Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, which is reported to have kicked in $100 million.
“We’re lighting up the City this summer and there’ll be something for everyone to enjoy — see you in our City of Light,” Mr Zempilas said. The City of Light shows are presented by the Hancock Group of companies, including Hancock Prospecting, Roy Hill and Atlas Iron.
The inaugural Swimming Patron’s Gala was held in Brisbane on November 19th to celebrate the amazing year for Australia’s swimmers, and for their coaches, friends and families of swimmers to come together and recognise all that our champion swimmers do.
“Perth is synonymous with light and after the success of the CBD’s first drone show this February, the City of Light shows will honour our new brand and reinforce that no city lights up like Perth,” City of Perth Lord Mayor Zempilas said. The City of Light Shows are proudly presented by the Hancock Group of companies, including Hancock Prospecting, Roy Hill and Atlas Iron. The City will be illuminated over the summer with six special light shows to wow the people of Perth from November to February.
