Port of Port Hedland development plan reviewed to maximise exports $1.8 million allocated to improve access for regional learner drivers
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undreds of learner drivers in the Kimberley and Pilbara will benefit after six projects were awarded a share in $1.8 million of grants from the Driving Access and Equity pilot program. Three programs in the Kimberley received almost $1.17 million, while three Pilbara recipients will share in $711,000. The funding will increase the number of qualified driving instructors and supervisors in the Kimberley and Pilbara, increase access to safe vehicles, and provide culturally appropriate education and mentoring to help people gain their driver's licence. The Kimberley and Pilbara regions were identified for the first funding round of the Driving Access and Equity pilot program as they have a higher concentration of disadvantaged learner drivers due to remoteness and limited access to licensed vehicles and driving supervisors. The second round of grants for organisations in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, worth a further $1.9 million, have now closed and are being assessed. The program was established last year following the McGowan Government's Skills Summit where lack of access to driving services, instructors and eligible vehicles was highlighted as a key barrier for youth employment in regional areas. As well as grants, the program has doubled the number of officers employed to deliver driver and vehicle licensing services to remote Kimberley, Pilbara and Mid-West communities from five to 10, with all of those officers now working.
T
he State Government has endorsed a revised Port of Port Hedland development plan to support proponents' throughput aspirations and maximise exports from Australia's busiest bulk export port. The comprehensive review, undertaken by Pilbara Ports Authority, will enable the growth of iron ore exports to 660 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), allowing port proponents to invest in landside infrastructure upgrades and advance their investment and growth strategies. The amended port development includes: • the development of an additional iron ore export berth, Stanley Point Berth 3; • a future bulk liquids berth in South West Creek; • the development of a second general cargo berth at Lumsden Point; • increased capacity allocations of approximately 25 per cent for existing port proponents BHP,
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) and Roy Hill; • new allocations for the future development of Stanley Point Berth 3 - which, subject to all necessary approvals to develop being obtained, would be allocated to the recently announced joint venture between Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd and Mineral Resources Limited; Ports Minister Rita Saffioti said, "The Port of Port Hedland Plan was last reviewed in 2012, when it set a total throughput of 495Mtpa. "We have well and truly exceeded this, with the port achieving a total annual throughput of 546Mt last financial year - of which 523 million tonnes were iron ore exports by port proponents. "This in part was made possible by investing in world-leading maritime technologies to maximise port efficiency and safety, which has seen a 6.9 per cent increase in potential shipping capacity at Port Hedland.
WATM • March 2022
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