Costs and labour shortages burden WA companies Business confidence in WA has slumped to its lowest level since the onset of the pandemic nearly three years ago as companies battle cost pressures and skills shortages. On average, each business is trying to fill six vacancies — with professional services, resources and retail most affected. Four in five report struggling to find particular skill sets.
The so-called jobs crisis has been caused by the splurging of hundreds of billions of dollars of borrowed money at both State and Federal levels on projects that could have waited. It’s the end of 2022 and time to take stock of where we are now. Something has gone badly wrong. There will always be droughts, floods and fires and it is unreasonable to think otherwise. What must be at the centre of all government thinking is the necessity to be world competitive. Do not allow these costs, bureaucracy, red tape and lack of meaningful discussion to undermine and threaten the greatest and most resilient manufacturing system remaining in Australia today.
Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting says billions of dollars in future royalty and tax revenue for the WA economy would be in jeopardy if multi-employer bargaining codes are forced onto the mining sector. Hancock Prospecting chief executive Garry Korte said a six-week period of strike action at Port Hedland would cost $9 billion in lost iron ore export revenue and an estimated $551m in lost mining royalties to the WA Government. “If the Bill were to pass in its current form it would open the door to a confrontational industrial relations system that could cripple our industry and result in poorer wage outcomes for our workers,” he said.
“Businesses will carry a much heavier regulatory burden which inevitably leads to less productive workplaces. It is not a long term recipe for wage growth, it is the opposite.” WA’s mining giants including Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting and Rio Tinto have been among the most vocal critics, saying there was no evidence the reforms backed by unions would create real wages growth or boost productivity.
Travel & Luxury | 12 November 2022
The CEO of one of Australia’s largest cattle producers, John McKillop, has called for the government to rapidly build upon existing biosecurity measures and focus more to ensure Foot & Mouth Disease does not enter Australia. Gina Rinehart confirmed: “The threat of foot and mouth disease and other Cruel diseases, continue as a potentially devastating reality for our stock, that we must more actively protect our agricultural industry against. This protection must be real and certainly not less than what other countries are already providing.
Progress is being made in line with a revised development plan for the multimillion-pound Woodsmith Project, says the company behind it. The low carbon fertiliser is being marketed as a means for farmers to increase yields, improve crop quality and enhance soil health. And in this latest update Anglo said “dislocation” in the global fertiliser market during the first half of the year had caused price increases and availability issues which creates an opportunity for the Crop Nutrients business. Anglo said: “Prices are expected to remain firm and above historical levels for the foreseeable future, as supply restrictions and high energy and manufacturing costs continue. Many countries are re-assessing their sourcing of fertiliser and agricultural products as they seek greater reliability of supply while also encouraging more efficient fertiliser use, driving innovation, and supporting more sustainable crop solutions.”
“It’s important to note that Australia is foot-and-mouth disease-free, that our products continue to be available to the world. The disease is highly contagious and affects cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, deer and pigs. GINA Rinehart says more money needs to be spent on a ramped-up biosecurity response to the Indonesian foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak to protect Australian livestock from getting infected.
