1
00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,040
Speaker 1: Three sixty with Katie Wolf thanks to Joyce Main dowin

2
00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,080
Speaker 1: homes Own Stuart Highway, Beerrimer.

3
00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,560
Speaker 2: We know yesterday the Northern Territory government announced funding for

4
00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,720
Speaker 2: more mineral exploration in an effort to drive more mining

5
00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,200
Speaker 2: development and hopefully create more jobs across the territory. Now

6
00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,880
Speaker 2: joining us on the line to talk further about this

7
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,000
Speaker 2: announcement yesterday is Drew Wagner from the Minerals Council of

8
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,560
Speaker 2: the Northern Territory, the executive director. Good morning to you, Drew,

9
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,040
Speaker 2: Good morning Katy, and I believe you're coming to us

10
00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:32,600
Speaker 2: life this morning from beautiful Alice Springs.

11
00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,559
Speaker 1: An absolutely glorious morning. And he's doing here as well, Cody.

12
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,120
Speaker 2: Oh nice and cool. I'll bet probably a lot cooler

13
00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:40,159
Speaker 2: than what it is here.

14
00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,640
Speaker 1: Slightly different to like alvahony now, Drew.

15
00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,280
Speaker 2: Yesterday, the Northern Territory Government made this announcement funding for

16
00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,479
Speaker 2: more mineral exploration to drive more mining development and hopefully

17
00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,600
Speaker 2: create more jobs across the territory. So the government's going

18
00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,400
Speaker 2: to increase its annual funding to resourcing the territory from

19
00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,640
Speaker 2: six tint five million dollars to nine point five million.

20
00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,319
Speaker 2: It doesn't kick in until July next year with that

21
00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,800
Speaker 2: funding to be ongoing, Drew, what's this money going to

22
00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:11,480
Speaker 2: go towards? And is it enough?

23
00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,480
Speaker 1: Okay, this is a great announcement that we've seen that

24
00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,800
Speaker 1: we've had a number of iterations of this funding over many,

25
00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,800
Speaker 1: many years. And so your listeners remember the old core

26
00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,679
Speaker 1: program which was creating opportunities through resource exploration explorations, the

27
00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280
Speaker 1: strike program, and of course now the resource in the territory,

28
00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:31,720
Speaker 1: the funding that's there at this point in time is

29
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,560
Speaker 1: still there. That increase doesn't, as you say, kick in

30
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,240
Speaker 1: until mid next year, which is when the current funding

31
00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,679
Speaker 1: actually ended. So we've seen two signals who are being

32
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,280
Speaker 1: sent yesterday. One is the importance of this exploration to

33
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,280
Speaker 1: go into that pre competitive geoscience data or geological work

34
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,880
Speaker 1: that gets done. The second one is the importance being

35
00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,320
Speaker 1: that it's going to be ongoing funding now, not just

36
00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,680
Speaker 1: a four year program that we've seen multiple iterations over

37
00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:56,080
Speaker 1: the path.

38
00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,840
Speaker 2: And Drew, I know that you are in Allie Springs.

39
00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,000
Speaker 2: There's a conference going on there at the moment, isn't

40
00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,920
Speaker 2: there in terms of we're talking about the geological sort

41
00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,680
Speaker 2: of will you tell me exactly what it's about before

42
00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,760
Speaker 2: I say the wrong thing, maybe that's a better option.

43
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, we've got the NT Government's annual Geologic Rexpiration Seminar

44
00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,640
Speaker 1: at this point in time. It is held obviously annually,

45
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,680
Speaker 1: has been in our springs for many many years now

46
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,120
Speaker 1: to coming together of many of the operators, the ancillary

47
00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:28,280
Speaker 1: service companies and service providers to look at what we've

48
00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:29,960
Speaker 1: got going on the territory right now, and what we've

49
00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,960
Speaker 1: got coming over their eyes and the exciting geological finds

50
00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,200
Speaker 1: that they're constantly coming across, and what are.

51
00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,320
Speaker 2: Some of those exciting finds that are happening in the

52
00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:38,400
Speaker 2: territory at the moment.

53
00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,320
Speaker 1: Well more and more, we're seeing these companies that you

54
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,320
Speaker 1: and I've spoken about for a very long time moving

55
00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,880
Speaker 1: closer and closer to operation. We're seeing more decisions being

56
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,080
Speaker 1: made in regards to approvals, We're seeing more minerals leases

57
00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,560
Speaker 1: being provided to these companies, and we're seeing more of

58
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,720
Speaker 1: them shoring up their financial investment details to be able

59
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,360
Speaker 1: to look at moving towards construction in the very near future.

60
00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:01,720
Speaker 1: And then over the horizon, we're looking at some of

61
00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,040
Speaker 1: that new exploration work, particularly stuff across the Berkleys. Some

62
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,120
Speaker 1: more more opportunities in Central Australia, and we're starting to

63
00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,080
Speaker 1: understand more and more just what that diversity is and

64
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,200
Speaker 1: what that opportunity is on behalf of Lord's territorium.

65
00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,959
Speaker 2: Andrew, I understand that there are currently nineteen mining projects

66
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,120
Speaker 2: working towards that final investment decision. If these go ahead,

67
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,000
Speaker 2: what will it mean for the Northern.

68
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:28,400
Speaker 1: Territory Okatie If we can get even a small number

69
00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,480
Speaker 1: of these operational in the next twelve hour eighty months,

70
00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,960
Speaker 1: We're talking thousands of construction jobs. We're talking thousands of

71
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,800
Speaker 1: ongoing permanent operations jobs. We're talking large scale rural and

72
00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,440
Speaker 1: regional investment at greater economic returns with the broader community

73
00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:48,200
Speaker 1: in regards to economic recovery. And we're talking the generational

74
00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,360
Speaker 1: shift and change of those education and training positions for

75
00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:52,800
Speaker 1: ongoing jobs in those regions.

76
00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:58,160
Speaker 2: What is the likelihood of these projects really moving ahead

77
00:03:58,560 --> 00:03:59,240
Speaker 2: and happening.

78
00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,920
Speaker 1: Well, so it's all relative, depending on the project. When

79
00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,200
Speaker 1: we've got some projects who are a lot closer than others,

80
00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,400
Speaker 1: some of which we've spoken about for many years, and

81
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,040
Speaker 1: it's a very easy coin of phrase to say we've

82
00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,760
Speaker 1: never been closer today than we have been previously, but

83
00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:15,760
Speaker 1: for some of these that's actually starting to come true.

84
00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,159
Speaker 1: So we're seeing copper projects like KGL down in the

85
00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,200
Speaker 1: Plenty Highway looking at moving towards construction in the next

86
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,320
Speaker 1: of six to eight months. But the are a few

87
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,080
Speaker 1: of rare earth projects Northwld Springs here once again moving

88
00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,800
Speaker 1: close to the rank and file investment decisions. We're seeing

89
00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,720
Speaker 1: large scale gold plays, copper plays like adium, titanium, phosphate,

90
00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,920
Speaker 1: rare earth, you name it. It's like diversity that's always

91
00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:39,920
Speaker 1: going to be the champion of the NT mining sector.

92
00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,160
Speaker 2: So Drew, when you talk about I mean with those

93
00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,839
Speaker 2: nineteen projects for example, and the final investment stage, how

94
00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,719
Speaker 2: long can it take to sort of go from from

95
00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,600
Speaker 2: here so from this, you know, being close to that

96
00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:56,400
Speaker 2: final investment to actually having that mind start and get operational.

97
00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,720
Speaker 1: Well, toads are very much on the starting line from

98
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,280
Speaker 1: many of those projects. Unfortunately, length of time between now

99
00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:03,840
Speaker 1: and where they actually start can be how long is

100
00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,000
Speaker 1: a piece of string. The reality is as finding in

101
00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,000
Speaker 1: a global market to attract that investment is becoming more

102
00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,960
Speaker 1: and more difficult. We've seen over the last twelve months

103
00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,160
Speaker 1: we haven't had the ability to sit in front of

104
00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,560
Speaker 1: the off take agreements to sit in front of the finances.

105
00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,359
Speaker 1: We're looking and competing in a global market where every

106
00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,360
Speaker 1: single jurisdiction is also trying to stimulate their economic recovery.

107
00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,680
Speaker 1: So what we need to do right now is everything

108
00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,799
Speaker 1: that we can to make that transition to that construction

109
00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,640
Speaker 1: and that movement towards operation is smooth and as easy

110
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,760
Speaker 1: as we can. And this announcement that we saw in

111
00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:38,479
Speaker 1: it yesterday actually goes some way towards that as well.

112
00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean you and I have honestly been speaking

113
00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,560
Speaker 2: for years about this situation. I was sort of having

114
00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,480
Speaker 2: a laugh to myself yesterday and thought, I reckon, there's

115
00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,440
Speaker 2: been so many occasions where you have said to me that,

116
00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,000
Speaker 2: you know, we've got to be demonstrating to some of

117
00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,279
Speaker 2: these companies that we are open for business and that

118
00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,680
Speaker 2: we are a place that they want to do business.

119
00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,839
Speaker 2: You're at this conference in Central Australia at the moment.

120
00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,080
Speaker 2: Are people getting that message very much?

121
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,400
Speaker 1: So? Are we're hearing the right messages back too? I

122
00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,479
Speaker 1: mean we've seen announcements in recent weeks around these two

123
00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,440
Speaker 1: new commissioners and in regards to investment attraction and major

124
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,640
Speaker 1: projects we're seeing the movement of the outcomes that we're

125
00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,080
Speaker 1: found in the Economic Reconstruction Commission report. We're seeing those

126
00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,279
Speaker 1: messages being sent. But what we need to be sending

127
00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,479
Speaker 1: them to is that global market. We need to be

128
00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,719
Speaker 1: proving our competitiveness, we need to be proving our attractiveness,

129
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,599
Speaker 1: and we need to be proving that whilst we've got

130
00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,000
Speaker 1: the systems that are appropriate for the approvals that any

131
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,120
Speaker 1: assistance will be given within the realms, have been able

132
00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,800
Speaker 1: to do this sustainably in the right way. But we

133
00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:38,719
Speaker 1: can still do it. We can still do it efficiently,

134
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,039
Speaker 1: and we can still get that outcome on behalf of everybody.

135
00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,520
Speaker 2: I'm true. Just very late yesterday, I know that the

136
00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,600
Speaker 2: federal government announced that they're going to spend an extra

137
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,280
Speaker 2: five hundred and thirty nine million dollars on new clean

138
00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:55,080
Speaker 2: energy projects. They're talking about it creating twenty five hundred jobs.

139
00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,640
Speaker 2: There is talk about hydrogen. Do you know if the

140
00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,080
Speaker 2: Northern Territory has been included in any of this funding

141
00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:02,000
Speaker 2: that's been announced.

142
00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,640
Speaker 1: I don't know of any specific opportunities at this point

143
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,679
Speaker 1: in time, and if this is an area obviously where

144
00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,040
Speaker 1: the territory can certainly play a role in yeah, anything

145
00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:11,920
Speaker 1: in green energy that we can be involved and we

146
00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,040
Speaker 1: will take advantage of. We obviously need to take advantage

147
00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,160
Speaker 1: of that. We still need a vibrant mining sector as well,

148
00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,640
Speaker 1: so to be able to see the fruition of that

149
00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,480
Speaker 1: funding come to the territory is exactly the same principle

150
00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,040
Speaker 1: as doing any other operation or any other activity that

151
00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:27,520
Speaker 1: we're trying to achieve at this point in time.

152
00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,360
Speaker 2: Well, Drew Wagner, head of the Minerals Council here in

153
00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,680
Speaker 2: the Northern Territory. Always good to catch up with you.

154
00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,160
Speaker 2: Thanks so much for your time this morning.

155
00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:36,440
Speaker 1: Absolute pleasure. Thanks Gudie,