Resources

Competitive Advantages, rationale

Northern South Australia embraces the four priority areas identified for immediate attention in the State Government's 2004 "Plan for Accelerating Exploration", namely the:

The regions covered by the Plan are seen as being the most prospective for new mineral, oil and gas discoveries.  The Plan provides for $21 million to support a range of new activities including supporting regional development boards to increase their capabilities to support the industry.

The above regions together with other parts of northern South Australia encompass the primary areas for resources development within South Australia.  In 2002/03 State mining revenue was $1.99 billion, the overwhelming majority of which was drawn from northern South Australia.  The State Strategic Plan calls for minerals revenue to increase to $3 billion, processed mineral output of another $1 billion by 2020, and exploration expenditure of $100 million by 2007

Opal MiningIn 2001, across northern South Australia, approximately 2000 people were directly employed on mining related activities within the region, another 300 were employed on electricity and gas production and numerous others were employed in directly providing support services such as transport to the sector.  While official statistics note that approximately 15% of the region's employment is involved directly with mining, the real direct percentage is more likely to be in the range of 20 - 25% of total employment.  Given the scale and significance of the sector within northern South Australia, its impact can be felt throughout the economy of the north. 

Roxby Downs, Andamooka, Leigh Creek and Coober Pedy exist because of the mining industry.  While each of these communities are broadening their economic base to include other industries, particularly tourism, they each owe their heritage to mining.

The major resources of northern South Australia include oil and gas from the Cooper Basin; copper, gold, uranium, opal, magnesite, coal, iron ore and diamonds.  In addition to these resources, the area is prospective for lead zinc and silver.

The nature of the region's economic prospects have placed the resources sector along with the tourism sector squarely within the core of RDAFN's focus.  The resources sector forms a key plank of the Board's Strategic Plan as the sector most capable of driving broad ranging growth throughout the region.  It is also the sector that with the Emerging Industries of Tourism, Food and the Arts that enables us to harness a range of programs from small business advice to employment and training to the widest range of people throughout the region.  The work RDAFN does in this regard fits well within the State's Strategic Plan particularly in the areas of Growing Prosperity, Attaining Sustainability, Building Communities and Expanding Opportunity.  The sector has the potential because of the scale and nature of its operations to bring forward as a by-product of its activities, needed new infrastructure.  A case in point is that of the proposed next stage development of Olympic Dam.  This development has the potential to see the development of a desalination plant based near Port Augusta, a new rail line from Pimba to the mine and a new power station.  The Board will be encouraging the State and BHP Billiton to implement these developments as a core part of any major new upgrade.

The activities that RDAFN needs to be involved in to ensure that these two sectors are best placed to deliver sustainable economic growth are by their necessity more complex, detailed, labour and resource intensive than would normally be expected of a regional development board.  Other boards service significantly smaller, more accessible, less fragile and more holistically developed regions.  In this sense RDAFN is indeed unique.

To underscore the nature and scale of RDAFN's task in the resources sector, the following are some of the more significant issues that RDAFN needs to be involved in in a hands on manner. :

Northern South Australia's support industry is at a formative stage of development compared to more mature resources centred regions interstate, particularly those in WA and Queensland and its infrastructure is both fragile and poorly developed. The poor quality of rural roads, particularly after rain; air strips and the poor quality and quantity of water are areas of major on-going concern. 

Board's Mission for the Resources Sector

To foster and support the growth of a vibrant and prosperous resources industry in South Australia that underpins the positioning of northern South Australia as the centre of the State's resources sector.

Board's Performance objectives

In seeking to achieve our Mission, the RDAFN will:

Specific performance objectives in achieving this will be to:

Significant Current Developments