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oPInIon

Diggers & Dealers is

always an exciting time,

but the 2022 edition

might be the most

eagerly anticipated that

I can remember...

The WA mining and resources
or starters, it’s the first Diggers since 2019 that will be held
Fwith borders properly open, both domestically and interna- sector has been very open in
tionally. saying that it can, must and will do
Given last year’s event with borders shut attracted a near-re-
cord 2,500-plus delegates (and a further 4,000 watching on lives- “ much better in this space.
tream), you can imagine what interest in the 2022 event might be
like. events at the Goldfields Arts Centre inclusive ones.
Secondly – and this has been a theme for several years now In line with that, Dr Moyo might be the first female keynote at
– Diggers arrives at a time of significant positivity, buzz, momen- Diggers but I’m certain she won’t be the last.
tum and excitement for mining and resources, not just in Western
Australia but around the world. Rob Carruthers is Acting Chief Executive of the Chamber
Looking through the presenter list, commodities featured in- of Minerals and Energy of WA
clude gold, vanadium, uranium, iron ore, copper, lead, silver,
nickel, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, rare earths, lithium, tailings re-
processing and graphite. And that’s just the first day!
The corresponding operations come in a great range of shapes
and sizes, cover a good portion of the development spectrum
and not only pull in every corner of WA but a variety of locations
across Australia and, indeed, globally.
Knowing that we’ll be hearing from companies with projects in
Mozambique, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Finland, Bosnia and Herze-
govina, Serbia, Mexico, Senegal, Burkino Faso, Guinea and the
US is a reminder of the worldwide importance of the WA mining
and resources community and Australian investors.
It’s also extremely pleasing to see Dr Dambisa Moyo will be-
come the first female keynote speaker in Diggers history.
First and foremost, the renowned economist will deliver some
very valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities fac-
ing mining and resources across all jurisdictions. She also repre-
sents what I see as an ever-growing commitment to diversity and
inclusion at Diggers & Dealers.
Diversity and inclusion have long been key issues for CME
and its member companies. They have been even more strongly
brought into focus in recent times by the Parliamentary Inquiry
into Sexual Harassment of Women in the FIFO mining sector.
The WA mining and resources sector has been very open in
saying that it can, must and will do much better in this space. No
instance of harassment or assault is acceptable, and there is zero
tolerance in this regard. CME member companies are already
undertaking a range of initiatives to ensure working environments
and work-adjacent settings are both safe and inclusive.
However, those efforts can only be truly effective if these goals
are shared by the whole ecosystem of our sector, including the
major industry events we attend. I’m extremely confident that
participants at Diggers & Dealers will set the right standard and
CME appreciates the commitment by its organisers to making all

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