David Michael: Mines Minister returns to Diggers & Dealers to reiterate support for the all-important sector

The State’s mines minister is set to use a friendly audience to reiterate the Cook Government’s support for the all-important sector as it continues to play a crucial role in executing the Cook Government’s election promises. Appointed to the role in December 2023, David Michael first attended the annual Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie in 2024, when a record 2700 delegates attended. The three-day conference starting Monday - the biggest event on WA’s corporate calendar - is expected to nudge those levels this year, with more than 2500 people tipped to flock to the historical Goldfields city. Mr Michael will make the case for why the State’s world-leading resources sector will remain central to diversifying the economy, increasing renewable energy “and making more things here”. “Diggers & Dealers is the perfect opportunity for our government to meet with key industry figures and come up with new ideas that will ensure WA remains the best place in the world to live and do business,” Mr Michael told The Sunday Times. “This year, my message to attendees will be clear. “If we want our State to be the healthiest State in the nation and ensure every Western Australian has a home, then we must get behind our State’s miners.” Gold is set to dominate the agenda at the networking event, amid all-time record high prices. According to the World Gold Council, the average London Bullion Market Association (PM) gold price was a record US$3280.35/oz in the June quarter, up by a staggering 40 per cent year-on-year. Against that backdrop, the program is heavily weighted towards gold companies, with 60 per cent of the 67 presentations from firms with gold interests in WA. Forum chair Jim Walker said that was up from less than 50 per cent in recent years when battery metals were a larger part of the investment focus. Five lithium companies were presenting this year, which was down from nearly 20 per cent of the program over the past two years, he said. “Very recently there have been positive signs that lithium demand is improving - I expect these presentations to be well attended as investors hunt for the best lithium investment to profit as the market improves,” Mr Walker said. He said the keynote presentation would be in panel format for the first time, featuring Canadians for Nuclear Energy president Dr Chris Keefer and Centre for Independent Studies director of energy research Aidan Morrison. Now in its 34th year, there will be 162 companies looking to wheel and deal in the exhibition space.