SACOME 40 Years Timeline

Timeline of SACOME Advocacy, Public Policy and Public Affairs Activity

Since its establishment in 1979, SACOME has been a strong representative voice for the South Australian resources sector. SACOME’s efforts have guided the development of government and industry policy at a state and national level, with SACOME’s fearless advocacy on behalf of its members operating as a touchstone in South Australian public affairs.

SACOME’s timeline of operation is presented below alongside the major public policy and public affairs milestones across the Chamber’s 40 years of activity:

1979

The South Australian Chamber of Mines is established.

The Chamber was founded following a meeting of representatives of the mining and quarrying industries in June 1979, where it was agreed that the South Australian industry needed its own voice.

A working group was formed, chaired by the then manager of Adelaide Brighton Cement, E.W. (Bill) Schroder. Out of this working group, a constitution, rules and a membership structure were drafted and by October 1979, the Chamber was established and already participating in public debate on development of the Olympic Dam deposit and Aboriginal Land Rights legislation.

1980

I.F. ‘Tim’ Drysdale is appointed as the Chamber’s first Manager.

Tim Drysdale’s focus was ‘getting the truth about mining across to the general public’.
He launched Johnny Green’s Journal, a magazine which ran from 1980 - 1990 explaining the issues facing the industry in a ‘non-technical and interesting way’. The magazine was named after the iconic Johnny Green, a mascot of miners since 1852 and who is perched atop the historic Peacock’s Chimney memorial in Burra, South Australia. Copper ore was discovered at Burra in 1845 and by 1850 Burra was the largest metal mine in Australia, employing 1,000 workers and contributing to the early success of colonial South Australia.

Many of the Chamber’s early forays into South Australian public affairs were to inform the public about uranium and nuclear energy, with its consistent opponents being the anti-mining and anti-nuclear lobbies supported by the Greens and, until the Dunstan era, much of the Labor Party which had ratified an indefinite moratorium on uranium mining at its 1977 National Conference.

1982

Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) Act 1982

The discovery of the Olympic Dam deposit has been described by former SACOME President John Roberts as the pivotal point in the development of mineral resources in South Australia and was a key issue for the Chamber in its formative period.
The Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) Act 1982 marked a major milestone in development of the South Australian resources sector, facilitating development of the giant Olympic Dam copper-gold-uranium deposit. Parliamentary and public debate surrounding the Act was fiery and the legislation only passed with the support of Opposition Labor MP Norm Foster, who crossed the floor to vote with the Liberal Tonkin Government.

1988

Appointment of Noel Hiern as Chamber Director

Noel Hiern, a geologist, an expert on environmental management and mining legislation, and a former employee of the Department of Mines & Energy was appointed Director of the Chamber in 1988.
Noel’s tenure was characterised by a move toward direct education about the mining industry, appointing its first resident school teacher; and running tours for teachers to Whyalla and Iron Knob in partnership with member company BHP. This program later expanded to include flying groups of around 30 teachers at a time to Olympic Dam.
During this period the Chamber was also involved in the national debate on the development of the Native Title Act 1993, also contributing to the debate on State laws necessary to implement the new legislative framework in South Australia.

1994

Appointment of Bob Goering as Chief Executive Officer

Bob Goering’s six years as of the Chamber were characterised by optimism in the potential of the South Australian resources sector despite a flat operating environment, and the Chamber worked closely with member companies to catalyse mining activity at a time when the annual South Australian exploration budget was sometimes as low as $20 million.
A highlight of this period was establishment of the SA Exploration Incentive by the South Australian Government in 1992. This initiative was the precursor to the Plan for Accelerated Exploration (PACE) and largely came about as a result of intensive advocacy led by Bob Goering and the Chamber.
The SA Exploration Incentive paved the way for 28 years of bipartisan support for resources sector development by the South Australian Government, which has maintained exploration incentives in various forms since 1992.
In 1999, the South Australian Government initiated the State-wide ILUA process, and in 2000, native title claimant groups agreed to engage in the negotiations. In effect, the State-wide framework sought to establish ILUA templates to guide negotiations on land access between industry and traditional owners.
Land access and Native Title remained key policy issues during this period, and South Australia led the way with the introduction of Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs). The Chamber played a central role as one of the key signatories to the State-wide ILUA Agreement and as a co-signatory in the mineral and petroleum ILUAs that stemmed from the State-wide Agreement.

2001

Appointment of Phil Sutherland as Chief Executive Officer

Phil Sutherland became CEO of the Chamber at a time where membership had sunk to around 60 member companies. His first three years of leadership were spent undertaking advocacy in an extremely difficult operating environment in which the Chamber created a platform to spring from once a resurgence in the South Australian resources sector occurred.
The discovery of the copper-gold deposit at Prominent Hill in 2001, and its subsequent development is noted as a turning point for the South Australian sector. The Prominent Hill discovery, made by member company Minotaur Exploration, created a perception that South Australia was once again a place worth investing in for exploration.
The Plan for Accelerated Exploration (PACE) was implemented in 2004 and built on the success of its predecessor, the SA Exploration Incentive. During this period, PACE assisted in driving a boom in exploration activity. By 2006-07 financial year, PACE was responsible for a 53% increase in exploration activity across the State. SACOME was a key player in development of PACE and worked closely with the South Australian Government in its development and implementation.
At the end of Phil’s tenure in 2007, the Chamber’s membership had grown to around 180 member companies amidst a boom in activity, a positive outcome from the difficult work undertaken during his tenure as Chief Executive to stabilise and position the Chamber and the South Australian resources sector for an upswing in the commodity cycle.

2007

Appointment of Jason Kuchel as Chief Executive Officer

Jason Kuchel was appointed Chief Executive Officer at a time where the South Australian resources sector was in an upswing due to strong commodity prices and the effectiveness of policies like PACE, which in 2005 had directly contributed to the discovery of the world-class Carrapateena copper-gold deposit by Rudy Gomez of RMG Services.
In 2007-08, mineral exploration in the State totalled $355.2 million, representing 14.2% of the national spend, up from 5.3% in 2003-04 and reflecting a boom period for the industry in South Australia.
SACOME responded to the rapid expansion of the industry during this period by undertaking work around strategic infrastructure planning, developing the Resources Infrastructure Strategic Plan to drive export infrastructure outcomes for the sector. The State Government formed the Resources Infrastructure Taskforce (RESIC) in response to the preliminary findings of Resources Infrastructure Strategic Plan, with outcomes from RESIC still being relevant today. This focus on infrastructure development continued throughout Jason’s tenure as Chief Executive, and remains an important advocacy issue for the resources sector.
During 2007 SACOME worked closely with the SA Farmers Federation (SAFF) to develop a framework for access to rural land. This framework was designed to foster good relations between landowners and explorers, and provide a clear structure for dialogue and negotiation. SAFF endorsed this framework in 2008.

2008

SA Mines & Energy Journal launched.
The Global Financial Crisis in 2008 saw traditional sources of capital raising evaporate. SACOME worked closely with government during this period to attract investment through foreign delegations and provide South Australian operators with opportunities to attract project capital.

2009

OZ Minerals opened the $1.5 billion Prominent Hill mine; Iluka commenced its $450 million Jacinth Ambrosia mineral sands project; South Australia reaches 11 operating mines.

2010

Resources Super Profits Tax, Minerals Rent Resources Tax & Petroleum Rent Resources Tax advocacy. SACOME played a key in coordinating the South Australian sector’s response to what was seen as a punitive and inequitable tax proposal which would have a dire effect on investment and employment at a time where the economic impact of the GFC was being keenly felt. In response to intensive and coordinated lobbying by the sector, the Resources Super Profit Tax was not implemented by the Rudd Government.

2010-11

SACOME progressed significant land access initiatives including:
Review of the Woomera Prohibited Area access arrangements (Hawke Review).
Woomera Prohibited Area Deed of Access negotiations.
Development of the SACOME Code of Practice for Community & Stakeholder Consultation.
Development of the Code of Conduct for access to rural land.

2013-14

Across this period SACOME conducted advocacy resulting in Federal Government introduction of the Exploration Development Incentive (a tax credit scheme to encourage investment in exploration companies) and repeal of the Mineral Rent Resources Tax and Carbon Pricing Mechanism.

2014-15

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission was announced by the South Australian Government to investigate aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle that could provide economic opportunities for South Australia. SACOME was heavily involved in this process, including providing input to the Terms of Reference that would guide the Royal Commission.
Prior to establishment of the NFCRC, SACOME undertook considerable research and lobbying efforts to demonstrate the benefits of uranium mining and nuclear energy. Recommendations from the NFCRC included reform of uranium mining approvals, including removal of impediments in State and Federal legislation.

2015-16

SACOME’s advocacy included lobbying for and participation in the development of the South Australian Government’s Copper and Magnetite Strategies, PACE Copper, and PACE Gas initiatives.

2016

Appointment of Rebecca Knol as Chief Executive Officer

SACOME’s current Chief Executive, Rebecca Knol, was appointed as Chief Executive at a time where the South Australian policy landscape was dominated by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission, the 2016 statewide blackout; skyrocketing energy prices and politicisation of energy and climate policy; and calls for moratoria on resources development.

Rebecca’s leadership is characterised by reform and refocusing of SACOME, bolstering its advocacy and policy credentials; undertaking consultative industry policy development with members through the industry Committee structure; and ongoing dialogue with government, NGO and industry stakeholders on key policy issues for the South Australian resources sector.

Policy achievements from 2016 to 2024 include:
2016-17

Establishment of the flagship SACOME Joint Electricity Purchasing Group. Under this arrangement SACOME Secured ACCC authorisation for a group of member companies to aggregate their electricity load for the purpose of improving their bargaining position and negotiating more competitive supply contracts.

2017-18

Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive – SACOME lobbied the Federal Government for improvements to the JMEI, resulting in a more operationally efficient tax credit scheme to assist explorers raise project capital. SACOME’s suggested improvements resolved issues with the Exploration Development Incentive that limited its use by operators and unlocked $2.4 million in tax credits for South Australian explorers.

Joy Baluch Bridge Funding – SACOME alongside the SA Freight Council and the RAA, secured $200 million in Federal and State Government funding for duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge in Port Augusta. This outcome resolved a key infrastructure bottleneck for one of the State’s important resources regions.

2018-19

Accelerated Discovery Initiative: Following the cessation of the PACE program in 2018, SACOME lobbied intensively for the reinstatement of exploration incentive funding across this period. This resulted in South Australian Government funding of $10 million for the Accelerated Discovery Initiative in 2018-19.
Eyre Peninsula Transmission Line Upgrade - SACOME advocated for upgrade of transmission line infrastructure to enable resources projects on the Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula and the Far North of the State. The South Australian Government allocated $240 million to these works, which were also approved by the Australian Energy Regulator.

Parliamentary Friends of the Resources Sector - In 2018 SACOME achieved bipartisan support for the Parliamentary Friends of the Resources Sector forum series. These forums aim to provide parliamentarians and their staff with a greater understanding of the resources sector.

2019-20

Statutes Amendment (Mineral Resources) Act 2019 - Amendment of the Mining Act 1971 was a major legislative process. SACOME undertook extensive advocacy to ensure that a landowner ‘right to veto’ mining activity was not included in the Act. This outcome would have acted as a major sovereign risk concern for investment in South Australian mineral resources projects. SACOME worked closely with the MCA, APPEA, AMEC and CCAA to communicate concerns, ultimately securing bipartisan assurance that the amended Act would not include a right to veto.

COVID-19 Response – SACOME has provided leadership and guidance to the South Australian resources sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes: provision of time critical information; development of emergency protocols to ensure continued operation; economic recovery initiatives; webinar series with government and industry leaders covering health, economic and operational matters; and ongoing liaison with other State and national Chambers.

2020-21

At the request of the South Australian Marshall Liberal Government and in close consultation with member companies, SACOME developed a suite of ‘post-COVID 19’ economic recovery initiatives. The initiatives submitted by SACOME sought to address barriers to resources sector development in South Australia, consistent with SACOME’s broader strategic advocacy.
Notably, the proposal to establish a ‘Northern South Australia Productive Water Security Initiative’ which aimed to provide an industrial water solution to the Gawler Craton as an enabler of resources project in the Far North of the State was adopted by government.
SACOME also worked closely with Infrastructure SA to have ‘Northern Water’ recognised by the Commonwealth Government, with the initiative listed on the Infrastructure Australia Priority List in March 2021.
SACOME launched its inaugural ‘South Australian Resources Sector Economic Contribution Study’ in this year. The survey of SACOME member companies based on FY 19/20 data highlighted that $1 in every $20 of the South Australian economy was generated by the resources sector and 1 in every 33 jobs was supported by the sector.
The Economic Contribution Study also showed that, while many operations are regionally based, the economic contribution of the resources sector has a whole-of-state benefit, supporting jobs, community groups and suppliers across the State and all the way to the CBD.

2021-22

Within the context of a looming South Australian General Election and in response to persistent dissatisfaction from Independent Parliamentarians over the amended Mining Act, a Parliamentary Inquiry into Land Access was established with the support of the then Labor Opposition.
This Inquiry sought further reforms than those implemented through the Mining Act review process, including a possible land owner right to veto.
Despite the politically charged nature of this debate, SACOME, in providing evidence to the Inquiry, highlighted that a landowner right to veto continues to be inconsistent with the long-standing principle of Crown ownership of mineral and petroleum rights that exists in Australia; and that the recently amended Mining Act should be afforded sufficient time to operate before making the type of changes contemplated by the Inquiry.
Ahead of the South Australian General Election in March 2022, SACOME released its pre-election priorities, maintaining a strong focus on long-term strategic objectives to resolve jurisdictional impediments to growth, address structural challenges and improve regulatory outcomes for the South Australian resources sector.
SACOME’s priorities of the Northern Water Project, Energy Transition, Land Access, Resources Infrastructure Corridors and Workforce & Skills reflected the key challenges faced by the South Australian resources sector and were at the centre of SACOME’s advocacy both pre and post-election.
SACOME’s lobbying resulted in the establishment of an Energy Transition Roundtable by the Malinauskas Government, a vehicle through which SACOME continued to highlight the disproportionate costs borne by the commercial and industrial sector along with presenting policy solutions to transition to a net-zero emissions future while making the cost of the transition equitable.

2022-23

Consistent with its principle of energy source neutrality, decarbonisation and a commitment to progressive energy policy, SACOME hosted a Nuclear Forum for MPs, with presentations from national and international industry experts.
SACOME continued its advocacy in the areas of climate change, providing submissions to the Commonwealth Government’s Safeguard Mechanism review.
In addition, SACOME continued to call for development of an Energy Transition Roadmap in South Australia to provide structure to what has historically been a disorderly and expensive process for commercial and industrial operators in South Australia.
SACOME also responded to major South Australian Government consultation processes; namely the Petroleum & Geothermal Energy Act, Scoping Framework, Safeguard Mechanism Framework, Financial Assurance Frameworks, Hydrogen & Renewable Energy Issues Paper, Industrial Relations Bill, Employment White Paper, and Energy Transition Green Paper.
Early 2023 saw the South Australian resources sector continuing to enjoy a cyclical upswing, buoyed by increased demand for resources and record export figures, and reflected in rising exploration expenditure and ongoing demand for labour.
Toward the end of the financial year, SACOME also released its second Economic Contribution Report which showed that 15 resource sector companies collectively contribute $10.7 billion to South Australia’s economy - the equivalent of 8.3% of GSP or $1 in every $12 in the State created by the resources sector.
The end of 2022-23 also saw the completion and opening of the Joy Baluch Bridge in Port Augusta, a major infrastructure project benefiting multiple industry sectors and the community, and for which SACOME had intensively lobbied over the last term of government.

2023-24

Mid 2023 saw the release of the Commonwealth Government’s Critical Mineral’s Strategy 2023-2030, SACOME reiterated calls to expedite development of a South Australian Critical Mineral’s Strategy, recognising the opportunities in critical mineral project development, research and development activity, advanced manufacturing and related upstream processing activity that reside in South Australia.
SACOME continued its advocacy on energy policy, attending the second Energy Transition Roundtable and making a submission on behalf of member companies to the South Australian Government’s ‘Green Paper on the Energy Transition’.
Included in the submission were the results of an independently commissioned report confirming that South Australia’s energy transition has cost hundreds of millions in system security cost, market interventions, infrastructure upgrades and energy transition measures since 2016; and that the extra charges to cover interventions needed to keep SA’s power grid stable had more than tripled in 3 years and now account for up to 30 per cent of some industrial company bills.
SACOME’s submissions to InfrastructureSA’s 20-Year State Infrastructure Strategy reiterated the importance of the Northern Water Project to the South Australian resources sector and the further refinement and embedding of the Resource Sector Economic Heatmap as a policy and planning tool for government.
SACOME also attended the Outback Roads Roundtable and advocated on behalf of members for improved management of our State’s extensive road network, recognising its logistical importance to the resources sector.
The arrival of 2024 marked SACOME’s 45th year of operation and a continued commitment to strategic advocacy.
SACOME commenced the year by releasing its 2024 Policy Priorities, with the key elements being:
- Ensuring the orderly transformation and decarbonisation of the resources sector in a rapidly changing energy system;
- Continued investment in critical enabling infrastructure;
- Development and maturation of the State’s the nascent ‘green energy’ industry, including hydrogen production in the Upper Spencer Gulf;
- Development of a world-class copper province in the Gawler Craton;
- The manufacturing of ‘green steel’ at Whyalla; and
- Positioning South Australia as a supplier of critical minerals at a time of growing demand.
In March 2024 the Malinauskas Government announced its State Prosperity Project policy initiative. This initiative strongly mirrors much of SACOME’s strategically-focussed advocacy and policy work, noting that it included development of the Northern Water Project; expansion of Green Steel production in Whyalla; expansion of copper production in South Australia; and development of a hydrogen industry in the Upper Spencer Gulf.