Outback council to cut road funding as MinRes chases 'punitive' refund
The Shire of East Pilbara will pay Mineral Resources almost $160,000 in refundable rates from road maintenance funds after the WA government overturned a Supreme Court decision in support of mining companies.
The Shire of East Pilbara will refund Mineral Resources (MinRes) nearly $160,000 in historic rates from its road maintenance budget. The refund comes after the state government overturned a controversial Supreme Court decision that allowed local councils to claim rates from resources companies mining occupied Crown land. This move has raised concerns among remote residents, as critical access roads may deteriorate even further.
The Shire of East Pilbara president, Anthony Middleton, stated that the money will be sourced from the council's road maintenance funds, resulting in reduced service provision. Local governments that imposed fees on miners were ordered to refund them, backdated to the 2017-18 financial year. MinRes, a multi-billion-dollar mining company, posted a record net profit of $1.2 billion last week.
The refund will affect residents in the Western Desert community of Kunawarritji, which has been struggling with deteriorating road conditions. The community's CEO, Chris Flood, expressed shock and concern over the shire's decision, emphasizing the safety implications and the ongoing problem. The East Pilbara Shire described the retrospective nature of the refundable rates as "punitive" in reports filed ahead of the next council meeting.
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