Industry Competitiveness and Economics

CME’s Industry Competitiveness and Economics (ICE) portfolio advocates for fiscal and policy settings aimed at ensuring Western Australia is an attractive jurisdiction for resources sector investment and operations. The ICE team supports the Western Australian resources sector by delivering rigorous economic analysis, policy evaluation and development, and strategic insights.

The team works closely with member companies to assess regulatory and cost competitiveness, advocate for efficient policy frameworks, and highlight the sector’s contribution to the economy.

They conduct extensive research into economic data and produce high-value reports on behalf of CME members. These reports frequently generate significant interest across media, business, and public audiences, reinforcing CME’s role as a trusted voice on the economic importance of the resources sector.

By generating data-driven reports and engaging in evidence-based advocacy, the team works collaboratively with all levels of Government to help shape policy decisions that foster a competitive and sustainable resources industry in Western Australia.

Key focus areas

• Increasing awareness across governments, politicians and the community of the direct and indirect economic contributions made by the WA resources sector to the nation, State, regions, and local communities in which it operates, through publishing our annual Economic Contribution Factsheets.
• The timely transition of WA’s South West Interconnected System (SWIS) to a low emission, reliable and globally cost-competitive electricity grid to ensure the viability of existing operations, support the decarbonisation of industry, and underpin the development of new strategic industries.
• The delivery of turnkey Strategic Industrial Areas (SIAs) to attract investment and jobs through the availability of project-ready common-use infrastructure.
• The development and expansion of strategic industries including critical minerals, green metals and more.