Rio Tinto Weipa general manager Steve Dunstone talks about the mining giant’s local operations and the township during the community forum held at the Carpentaria Golf Club on 3 April. Photo: Supplied.
Social and community services, impact assessments, employment and the viability of Weipa were all on the agenda when Rio Tinto hosted its first community forum for 2025 on 3 April.
The biannual forums provide an opportunity for community members to engage directly with Rio Tinto management and find out what is happening with the mining giant’s local operations and the Weipa township.
Key topics raised at the event, which was held at the Carpentaria Golf Club, included an update on Rio Tinto’s operations, projects, capital works, planned mine closure and expansion plans, economic development and local employment.
The preliminary findings of last year’s socioeconomic impact assessment (SEIA) were unveiled at the forum, with data coming from more than 400 staff surveys, 132 surveys in Weipa, 331 surveys in local Indigenous communities, 32 structured interviews and four workshops.
The need to advance the future governance of Weipa – normalisation – was one of the major factors highlighted by respondents, and Rio Tinto Weipa general manager Steve Dunstone said the SEIA findings would play a vital role in directing future planning opportunities.
“The community participation in the SEIA survey has been very encouraging and we thank everyone who took part, as it has provided us with a better understanding of what is important,” he said.
“We value the community’s feedback, and these initial findings will assist to inform our future planning and identify opportunities to ensure that any community impacts from changes in our operations are managed into the future.
“Bringing the community together strengthens our connections to the Weipa community, so it’s really important we take the time to meet, share information, answer questions and provide a platform to hear concerns and feedback.”
Freight costs, housing availability and affordability, and the difficulties faced by non-mining businesses in attracting and retaining staff were also discussed, as was the perception mine closures would lead to “outmigration of residents and investment loss in Weipa”.
