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NSW Mining Road and Rail Tour heads underground in Parkes
The 2013 NSW Mining Road and Rail Tour
arrived in Parkes today where investment in world-leading mining technology and innovation is flowing through the local community and region.
A group including NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee and Mayor of Parkes Ken Keith headed underground at Northparkes Mine to see the results of the more than $30 million being spent on extending the mine – work predominantly undertaken by locally trained employees.
Northparkes Mines’ “Home Grown Development Team” ensures that local skills are used whenever possible to help boost the local Central West economy.
Northparkes mine is also home to Rio Tinto’s block-cave virtual training centre, which is using world-leading technology to train miners from Australia and around the world.
During the visit Mr Galilee and Northparkes Mines General Manager Stefanie Loader hosted a unique “underground media conference” to announce $15,000 in new funding to the
Central NSW Councils (CENTROC) Health Professionals Campaign.
“This important regional initiative aims to retain local health professionals and attract people from the east coast of NSW to work ‘beyond the range’ of the Blue Mountains and enjoy the benefits of rural living in attractive and accessible regional centres like Parkes,” Mr Galilee said.
“Our support for projects like this complements our contribution of around $1.3 billion in mining royalties to the state economy each year, which help to pay for nurses, teachers and police across regional NSW.”
The NSW Minerals Council CEO is crossing NSW by road and rail over the next two weeks, travelling from ‘the west to the west’ – from Broken Hill in far western NSW right through to Blacktown in western Sydney, home to many mining manufacturing and supplier businesses.
“Parkes is one of our state’s shining examples of how the three pillars of tourism, agriculture and mining work together to provide economic stability for the State,” Mr Galilee continued.
“It is also a major stop on the Modern Mining Trail, a unique self drive mining tourist route that provides members of the public with an opportunity to visit a range of current and recent world class gold and copper operations across the region.
“The Central West enjoys a rich mining history and this clever tourism initiative provides information and guidance to help travellers learn more about how mining continues to provide so many regional opportunities and economic benefits.
“We know mining contributes greatly to Parkes and the surrounding region. The NSW Minerals Council’s detailed economic survey of its members found that mining companies directly spent $77 million in the Parkes Shire in 2011/12.
“The research showed that mining companies directly provided $37 million in wages to 361 full time employees over this period and spent a further $40 million on goods and services. The estimated flow-on effect of this economic stimulus in terms of additional spending was $95 million.”
The NSW Minerals Council has also brought its Voice for Mining initiative to Parkes to help give a greater grassroots voice to those in the community who support local mining.
“The new website, www.voiceformining.com.au, is a platform for those in Parkes and throughout NSW who want to have their voice heard. They can visit the website and indicate what they might be prepared to do to support the industry,” Mr Galilee said.
“It might be writing a letter to a local newspaper, sending an email to local council or their local Member of Parliament, or simply be following us on Twitter and getting involved in the online conversation using the hashtag #NSWMining.”
The 2013 NSW Mining Road and Rail Tour winds up in western Sydney on the 16th of July.
Contact: Lindsay Hermes I lhermes@nswmining.com.au I 0409 758 734