Well, certainly these first couple of months have been eventful. And for a change, the topic at hand is not COVID related—Randall has covered that one already. But rather a message about our industry. It’s Tim Strong here, Operations Manager at Waterline, sharing some important mining news.
Supporting the mining industry
You may have recently seen some news regarding Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri Underground Extension Project. The Narrabri underground coal mine has been operating since 2012 and is approved to extract coal until 2031. With the end-date fast approaching, Whitehaven Coal is seeking to extend the life of mine to 2044.
Why am I telling you this, given that we’re in Queensland and we support the Queensland mining industry? Because we are passionate about the resources sector—the benefits it brings communities and its contribution to the economy. And because supporting the mining industry and our valued clients such as Whitehaven Coal is what we do. In Queensland alone, the resources sector contributed $84.3b to the economy in 2021. While in NSW, it’s estimated that in 2021, mining contributed to $2.8b in royalties.
“Looking out for each other is what we do in mining. We support our clients, our people, the communities in which we operate and the overall economy.”
Site support 24/7
Having spent time on site, our team understands operational challenges. We’ve been there ourselves, having to juggle the 100+ daily priorities—at times, it feels more like 1,000. The emails, the calls, the reports you need to stay on top of and the need to meet safety and compliance requirements. While also keeping your site productive and team safe.
I know what it’s like to have that level of responsibility and wishing I could trust someone to manage some of these elements, so that I could focus on the other 90+ priorities. That’s why I feel fortunate that I am now in a position where we can provide our clients with the level of support that was missing during my days. Support that’s available 24/7. That reassurance that we’re only one email, phone call or text away. And by having our multi-discipline team under one roof, we can tackle more complex problems for clients to ensure we deliver the best outcome for them. Not to mention making clients’ life easier by removing the need to manage multiple suppliers.
Have your say
Now coming back to the Narrabri Underground Extension Project. While we may be in different states, this is not a State of Origin clash. But rather an opportunity to band together and support the resources sector in NSW. It’s not just about supporting one business, but rather the industry, the communities and the overall economy. Looking at the performance of the mining industry across these two great states, it shows the strength and resilience of the mining sector. And the commitment of the individuals working in the industry to keep sites running 24/7 and contributing to the Australian economy.
As a key supporter of our industry, and our client Whitehaven Coal, I encourage you to take a moment to read more about their Narrabri Underground Extension Project. You can have your say about the Project, which is currently being reviewed by the NSW Independent Planning Commission by taking a quick survey here. But hurry, as the survey closes 5pm AEDT Friday 25 February 2022. In under 3 minutes, you can help make a difference. So make sure you take the time to have your say here.