Budgets leave nation’s powerhouse behind

More than $100 billion is extracted from the Pilbara annually through mining, gas and oil operations, contributing multi-billions to the Federal and State governments to fund national programs and infrastructure. However, Port Hedland and Karratha, despite being dubbed the ”nation’s economic powerhouses”, suffer some of the worst outcomes in the State and indeed the country. Port Hedland is the biggest export port in the world by tonnage with a population of just 15,000 people. Despite the small number of residents, basic services remain inadequate. Karratha, a city rich in natural resources and home to a multibillion-dollar gas industry, still lacks a much-needed mental health facility despite it being announced nearly a decade ago. Insufficient funding or land availability excuses hold no weight given the region’s vast resources. Resource firms extract the Pilbara’s wealth and governments invest it elsewhere, while a reliance on FIFO workers drains spending within the local economy. As can be seen in this masthead’s reporting, in the Pilbara children complain about being hungry at school, housing is near impossible to come by, domestic violence rates are among the worst in the State, there is a lack of adequate mental health services and alcohol and drug abuse is rife. On top of this, everything in the North West is charged at a premium. It is a national shame that, next to schools where kids go hungry, resource firms generate tens of billions in profits. Of the $17.1b in tax revenue collected by the Federal and State governments from oil and gas producers in 2022-23, $14.5b will be handed back to the sector through government subsidies. In the most recent State Budget, the Dampier bulk handling facility was funded to the tune of $101m by the State Government, bringing the total investment to $298m. Meanwhile, just $17.2m was invested in specific health measures for the Pilbara, four dialysis chairs in Karratha and an MRI unit for Hedland. The simple reality is, if there is not major investment to make our regional centres more liveable, nothing will change. When as a country are we going to ask the question of our leaders, in one of the wealthiest countries to ever exist on the face of the Earth, why are we content to let our children go hungry while handing out billions to resource companies? What matters more to Australians? Children’s empty bellies or the oil and gas industry’s overflowing pockets?