WA Labor to fund $9 million Exploration Incentive Scheme expansion

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $9 million to increase grant funding and geological information for Western Australia’s exploration industry, to encourage discovery of new job-creating projects in regional areas.
  • Re-elected Cook Labor Government to grow successful Exploration Incentive Scheme
  • $9 million funding increase to encourage mining exploration and support jobs in regional WA
  • Commitment includes $2.5 million for specialist equipment to accelerate exploration

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $9 million to increase grant funding and geological information for Western Australia’s exploration industry, to encourage discovery of new job-creating projects in regional areas.

WA Labor’s commitment will increase the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS), providing explorers with up to a total of $18 million in grant funding each year, to promote activities such as drilling, geophysics and energy analysis.

In addition to this, $2.5 million will be provided for the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) to purchase specialist equipment, including a TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyser – a novel mineral mapping instrument that can help reduce exploration costs.

DEMIRS will also purchase specialist passive seismic machines which can identify areas suitable for activities such as CO2 injection.

Data from the new equipment will be fed into the State’s geoscience dataset and made available for explorers to use, with the aim of accelerating exploration.

The EIS is a competitive program that offers co-funding to innovative exploration drilling projects. It has supported 59 discoveries made in WA since 2017.

WA Labor’s commitment builds on the Cook Labor Government’s work to continue to grow and diversify WA’s economy and provide quality jobs for Western Australians right across the State, including through $102 million in EIS grant funding provided to date.

Comments attributed to Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael:

“WA may have the nation’s leading economy, but we take nothing for granted when it comes to ensuring Western Australians have access to quality jobs and opportunities into the future."

“For every $1 million invested in the Exploration Incentive Scheme, there is a $31 million return."

“This scheme is literally groundbreaking, supporting explorers and junior minors in their hunt for the next big discovery that will help drive WA’s future prosperity."

“A re-elected Cook Labor Government will always do what’s right for WA, and this funding boost will increase the odds of opening new mines and creating good local jobs in regional communities."

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