Statement to the Senate Select Committee on Job Security

The Minerals Council of Australia appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the Senate Select Committee’s inquiry into job security.

While the inquiry’s terms of reference focus on the economic and social effects of precarious employment, the MCA considers it important to reiterate the benefits of having a globally competitive mining industry that delivers highly skilled, highly paid and secure jobs across Australia.

Only 1 per cent of non-managerial workers in mining depend on an award for their wages and conditions. The Australian minerals industry makes use of enterprise agreements and flexible work arrangements to meet the increasingly diverse requirements of the mining industry’s workforce, integrate advanced technology into operations, increase productivity and competitiveness, and ultimately deliver more jobs and higher wages.

The Australian mining industry has a high share of permanent and full-time employees. 84 per cent of mining workers are permanent employees, compared to 78 per cent for all industries. 96 per cent of mining workers are employed full-time, compared to 68 per cent for all industries.

That said, all mining workers – whether permanent or casual – are highly renumerated. Median weekly earnings for full and part-time workers in mining (including both permanent and casual employees) were $2,325 in 2020, double the median for all industries ($1,150).

Median weekly earnings for permanent mining employees was $2,365 in 2020. Casual employees in mining had median weekly earnings of $2,109 in 2020, which was:

• More than triple the median for casual employees across all industries ($624)
• 62 per cent higher than the median for permanent employees across all industries ($1,300)
• 47 per cent higher than the median for full-time employees across all industries ($1,433)
• 42 per cent higher than the median for full-time permanent employees across all industries ($1,486).

The gap in median weekly pay between permanent and casual employees is smaller in mining (12 per cent) than in all other industries. Across the economy overall the gap is 108 per cent.

Mining provides a strong skills base in Australia’s regions. The industry employs approximately 8,600 apprentices and trainees and in coming years will provide 5,000 new mining apprenticeships, mostly in regional Australia.

A highly skilled workforce, productive workplace relations, competitive tax settings, timely environmental approvals and support for exploration are all essential to encouraging investment in large and long-life mining projects and securing the benefits they bring to workers, communities and governments.

Read the submission here: