Council endorsed the 4.5 per cent increase at a recent council meeting which equates to about $1.42 extra per week for the average residential property Mayor Peter Feasey said community feedback is important “Every comment we receive helps inform the complex decisions behind how rates are applied to individual properties,” Mayor Feasey said.  “Our priority is to strike the right balance—keeping rate increases as low as possible while still delivering the core services and maintaining the service levels our community expects and we’re focused on operational efficiency and financial responsibility “The rising cost of living is affecting everyone including continual increases in the Consumer Price Index and the Local Government Cost Index have created financial challenges for councils across the state.”  a range of flexible payment options are available The City also continues to offer a hardship policy for residents who may be struggling.  “We encourage any ratepayer experiencing financial difficulty to reach out to our team at rates@kwinana.wa.gov.au We are committed to working with any ratepayers who might be going through a tough time to find a solution that meets their needs,” Mayor Feasey said Ratepayers wanting to have their say on the City’s differential rates, and to view the statement of objects and reasons, can do so at www.lovemykwinana.com/rates when coal-fired generation ends in South West WA but new gas turbines are increasingly hard to get AGL is seeking environmental approval to build a 250 megawatt open-cycle gas turbine power station in Kwinana to operate from 2029 when coal-fired power is expected to disappear from the South West grid The WA Environmental Protection Authority released AGL's plans on Friday for seven days of public comment on whether it should review the proposal The "K2" power station would operate as a peaking power station supplying additional power during periods of peak and high shoulder load demands It will run on gas but be capable of burning other fuels Open-cycle gas-fired power stations are less efficient than closed-cycle power stations that use the waste heat from the turbines to generate additional steam power they are more suitable for the fluctuating loads required to support variable renewable energy AGL estimates the plant will emit an average of 196,000 tonnes of CO2 a year for 30 years from 2029 and consume about 50 terajoules of gas a day AGL said greenhouse gas emissions were the only aspect of the project that would have a significant impact on the environment It will be built on the site of its existing 120 megawatt Swift Power Station 40km south of Perth The $7 billion ASX-listed company that is a major electricity generator and power and gas retailer in the eastern states entered the WA power market in 2019 when it bought Perth Energy which owned the existing Kwinana power station AGL has not yet chosen the type and number of gas turbines with costs rising and delivery times growing chief executive of US power generator NextEra Energy said that the cost of a gas-fired power station in the US had tripled in three years “When you look at gas as a solution…you’re really looking at 2030 or later,” he said I worked in oil & gas in commercial and engineering roles for 20 years All the info and a bit of comment on WA energy industry and climate in your inbox every Friday You've successfully subscribed to Boiling Cold Check your email for magic link to sign-in Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Prominent Perth boys’ school Aquinas College has applied to install a $2.37 million digital billboard on Kwinana Freeway to raise money The sign would be 12.5 metres x 3.2 metres, or 40 square metres, almost exactly the size of a standard Transperth bus A digital billboard in freeway-fringing bushland: jarring or justified A member of the school community concerned about the spread of digital billboards in Perth and dubious about Aquinas’ rationale for placing the billboard on its land told WAtoday an unknown local had been letterboxing nearby Salter Point homes with copies of the proposal and A3 sheets of photos The $2 million sign will advertise the school and also feature third-party advertising which the school states will “directly support” its bursary fund which provides financial assistance for students who cannot afford the school’s fees It states the advertising will be “carefully curated by the College’s media booking agent to ensure it aligns with the ethos and reputation of the school and social responsibility to its community.” It is the fourth digital sign application in the City of South Perth; two are installed and one approved along Canning Highway Former City of South Perth councillor Stephen Russell says digital roadside signs are “proliferating” in Perth and queried the appropriateness of a school being able to generate revenue from such a commercial activity “I am having difficulties reconciling Aquinas funding college infrastructure to the tune of $25 million yet needing to rely upon third-party advertisements to fund a bursary for disadvantaged students,” Russell said, referring to Aquinas’ plan to build a new recital hall, music school, Aquinas Club and hockey pavilion, approved in October Russell said the land was zoned “private community purposes” which had among others an objective to “provide sites for privately owned and operated recreation but said for authorities to deem this billboard functioned as a fundamentally private or community objective would make a mockery of the definition He noted Aquinas did not pay council rates on its land A City of South Perth spokesperson said third-party advertising signage was not a use listed in the zoning table and the city therefore needed to consider whether the sign was consistent with the objectives of the zone before making its recommendation to the Development Assessment Panel having regard to the extent of advertising for the school and for third parties Principal Robert Henderson was approached for a response but did not address Russell’s comments or a question about whether any of the advertising revenue would go to the operator He pointed to a media release saying the proposed installation would comply with all Main Roads protocols and make a meaningful impact on families across WA Henderson recently wrote to parents that the proposed placement did not “aesthetically compromise” the campus or river aspect and was a fantastic location for passing traffic “We are seeking our community’s support before we proceed any further,” he wrote The application is currently open for public comment on the City’s website The City will then consider submissions and make its recommendation to the DAP for a final decision Russell is also concerned about the billboards at a vacant former car dealership at Canning Highway/Henley Street on the approach to Canning Bridge, as the site was subsequently deemed a crash risk level 4 location meaning Main Roads would not permit such signage there if it were applied for today The Main Roads policy says level-4 risk road segments have “extremely high casualty crash records” that the addition of any distractions may create an unacceptable risk of a casualty crash Russell said the billboards remaining at the old car dealership site did “not instil confidence.” “Perhaps Main Roads do not want to address the retrospective application of their new policy as they themselves have an existing [digital billboard] at a level 4 site – Kwinana Freeway at Leach Highway – and therefore the shutdown of this [sign] would impact their own state government revenue stream,” he said “Expect more LFDS proposals for South Perth.” Main Roads was unable to comment by deadline Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter Prominent Perth boys\\u2019 school Aquinas College has applied to install a $2.37 million digital billboard on Kwinana Freeway to raise money The sign would be 12.5 metres x 3.2 metres and dubious about Aquinas\\u2019 rationale for placing the billboard on its land The $2 million sign will advertise the school and also feature third-party advertising which the school states will \\u201Cdirectly support\\u201D its bursary fund which provides financial assistance for students who cannot afford the school\\u2019s fees It states the advertising will be \\u201Ccarefully curated by the College\\u2019s media booking agent to ensure it aligns with the ethos and reputation of the school and social responsibility to its community.\\u201D Former City of South Perth councillor Stephen Russell says digital roadside signs are \\u201Cproliferating\\u201D in Perth and queried the appropriateness of a school being able to generate revenue from such a commercial activity \\u201CI am having difficulties reconciling Aquinas funding college infrastructure to the tune of $25 million yet needing to rely upon third-party advertisements to fund a bursary for disadvantaged students,\\u201D Russell said referring to Aquinas\\u2019 plan to build a new recital hall Russell said the land was zoned \\u201Cprivate community purposes\\u201D which had among others an objective to \\u201Cprovide sites for privately owned and operated recreation Principal Robert Henderson was approached for a response but did not address Russell\\u2019s comments or a question about whether any of the advertising revenue would go to the operator Henderson recently wrote to parents that the proposed placement did not \\u201Caesthetically compromise\\u201D the campus or river aspect \\u201CWe are seeking our community\\u2019s support before we proceed any further,\\u201D he wrote The application is currently open for public comment on the City\\u2019s website Russell is also concerned about the billboards at a vacant former car dealership at Canning Highway/Henley Street on the approach to Canning Bridge The Main Roads policy says level-4 risk road segments have \\u201Cextremely high casualty crash records\\u201D Russell said the billboards remaining at the old car dealership site did \\u201Cnot instil confidence.\\u201D \\u201CPerhaps Main Roads do not want to address the retrospective application of their new policy as they themselves have an existing [digital billboard] at a level 4 site \\u2013 Kwinana Freeway at Leach Highway \\u2013 and therefore the shutdown of this [sign] would impact their own state government revenue stream,\\u201D he said \\u201CExpect more LFDS proposals for South Perth.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories the 60-year-old alumina refinery that had employed 800 workers is unlikely to reopen Restarting Alcoa's alumina refinery in Kwinana would be a big challenge and unlikely anytime soon according to chief executive Bill Oplinger and it's old technology," Oplinger told the Melbourne Mining Club on Thursday "There are no indications that it would be restarted anytime soon." Alcoa announced the closure of the 60-year-old refinery in January 2024 processing of bauxite mined in the jarrah forest into alumina - the feedstock for aluminium smelters - had ceased Oplinger said production had been curtailed "We have found that when we restart facilities we tend to underestimate how important the knowledge of that workforce is and bringing back a workforce at Kwinana to restart While Oplinger has ruled out a restart soon a later restart would only have greater difficulty dealing with old technology and rehiring experienced workers Alcoa's benefit from saying the refinery is curtailed rather than closed is that it delays what will be an extraordinarily costly rehabilitation of the site In addition to the vast refinery, Alcoa has to manage 140 million cubic metres of toxic red mud tailings piled as high as 85m inland from the refinery, most of which have failed stability checks. Even just curtailing the refinery is expensive, with Alcoa booking a $342 million charge in 2024 for water management at the site, according to Alcoa of Australia's 2024 filing to corporate regulator ASIC. In early 2024, the refinery employed 780 workers. By the end of the year, this had dropped to about 250 to manage the closure process until the end of 2025. After that, about 50 people will be employed at the site, which will still be used to import raw materials and export alumina. In addition to jobs lost at Kwinana, Alcoa retrenched about 290 other employees in 2024. In Australia, Alcoa owns the Pinjarra and Wagerup alumina refineries in WA and the bauxite mines that feed them, as well as a substantial share of an aluminium smelter in Portland, Victoria. Oplinger, who visited Perth earlier in the week, said Australia was a good place for Alcoa to invest due to the availability of yof bausite and "a fantastic workforce, not inexpensive by any stretch, but a fantastic workforce." "We have two of the lowest cost refineries in the world here in Western Australia," he said. "Once those get back to better bauxite quality, which will happen over the next couple of years, they will be in the lowest 10 per cent of the cost curves in the world." To achieve better bauxite grades, Alcoa needs approval to extend its Huntly mine that feeds the Pinjarra refinery northwards, past Serpentine Dam. It is due to soon issue the environmental review documents for public comment. Oplinger was concerned about the price of energy in Australia. "The piece that you have to get right is this balance of energy, and for us that means a domestic gas policy," he said. "We will be big users of gas for a long time into the future." Oplinger said Alcoa would look at renewable energy, but hydrogen was "not on the cards" as it was not close to being economic. I worked in oil & gas in commercial and engineering roles for 20 years. Since 2016, I have written for The West Australian, WAtoday and Boiling Cold, winning five WA Media Awards. All the info and a bit of comment on WA energy, industry and climate in your inbox every Friday Welcome back! You've successfully signed in. You've successfully subscribed to Boiling Cold. Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in. Success! Your billing info has been updated. after the lithium producer reached an agreement with its Chinese joint-venture partner Tianqi Lithium to cease all works at one of its lithium hydroxide plants in Western Australia Shares of the Australian battery metal producer were up as much as 4.6% to A$5.450 IGO warned of an additional net loss in its first-half results earlier this week citing a decline in value of its troubled Kwinana refinery which includes lithium hydroxide plant 2 that was expected to produce 24,000 metric tons per year but has been plagued by design issues and weak lithium pricing Citi analysts noted that the announcement was “not a surprise and removes an overhang” The focus now shifts to other performing assets in Kwinana adding that investor sentiment towards Kwinana is already weak and stopping downstream activities could simplify the capital return story have curtailed operations or delayed expansions after a 90% drop in prices over the last two years while other loss-making mines have maintained production largely because they have the support of Chinese battery-makers A growing list of producers have been reviewing lithium operations in Australia since last year amid a rout in prices that is expected to result in more production cuts which included the likes of Arcadium Lithium and Albemarle determined in a board meeting that “continuing with the construction of Lithium Hydroxide Project Train II is not economically viable” it stated it sees a total impairment provision of around 1.412 billion yuan ($193.74 million) “for construction in progress and right-of-use assets” at the plant (By Shivangi Lahiri; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila Read More: Tianqi Lithium issues profit warning and halts expansion and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Gruyere gold mine joint venture partners Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources reach agreement on a friendly deal to consolidate ownership. The latest 10 include the proposed copper-nickel mine in Minnesota under a joint venture between Glencore and Teck. Exploration and mining of the energy metal has for 12 years been banned or largely restricted for environmental reasons in British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Gina Rinehart's mining company, Hancock Prospecting, is among the biggest donors to opposition leader Peter Dutton's Liberal Party. Jack Lundin, president and CEO, hailed Filo del Sol as "one of the most significant greenfield discoveries in the last 30 years." The 2022 incident is one of many at Alcoa's three refineries that are under an increased level of surveillance from the work safety regulator Alcoa has been fined $400,000 over a 2022 incident in which five people were sprayed with hot caustic liquid after a rushed operation at the Kwinana refinery went badly wrong One high school student was harmed but eventually recovered Magistrate Mahon said it was extremely fortunate that the harm was much less than it could have been but the lawyer for Alcoa disputed that point Alcoa pleaded guilty to breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 by failing to - as far as reasonably practicable - ensure the health and safety of workers WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the workers and students were extremely lucky not to have sustained more serious injuries North said companies must have robust safety controls in place and monitor them to ensure continued effectiveness Alcoa operators smelt burning and spotted a pump that moves caustic liquor from a tank "smoking and spitting embers." Magistrate Mahon said there was an increasing risk of detonation with potentially catastrophic consequences Two workers rushed to switch to another pump mainly because they were concerned it may explode but - according to the prosecution lawyer - also to maintain production Alcoa denied commercial issues influenced decisions Switching between the two pumps was a routine event done on every night shift by a single operator who would first follow a procedure to shut down the operating pump and then follow another procedure to start the standby pump two operators were changing over the pumps when one noticed people enter the area and rushed off to warn them to keep their distance The remaining operator continued working and switched on the standby pump without knowing that their colleague had not shut all the valves on the burning pump Hot caustic liquor spurted out at pressure into an open drain that crossed a thoroughfare and sprayed five people Those affected were rushed to nearby safety showers to strip and wash off the liquor and were then treated at the refinery's medical centre The students had been receiving work experience at the refinery workshop and were on a guided tour of the refinery all three of Alcoa's refineries have been plagued by excessive leaks and spills of caustic liquor pumped around them in massive volumes and at high temperatures The September 2022 incident contributed to ten injuries from chemicals that year at the Kwinana alumina refinery and 82 such injuries across Alcoa's three refineries over the past three years Alcoa reported 574 chemical spills at its refineries in those three years a spokesman for WorkSafe Mines Safety and Dangerous Goods said Alcoa's refineries are subject to an "enhanced program of regulatory oversight." Its inspectors perform regular planned and unplanned inspections and regularly meet with senior executives to discuss safety performance and regulatory compliance "All chemical spills and burns are of concern to the department and we continue to work with Alcoa towards improving safety performance," he said "Alcoa has allocated resources to implement a Chemical Burns Elimination Project across its refineries resulting in a significant reduction in caustic burn injuries with work continuing towards further improvements." The maximum penalty for a category two offence under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 is $1.8 million The prosecution argued that Alcoa's penalty should be in the mid-range or higher while the company said it "was at the lower end of seriousness." Magistrate Mahon said the handling of caustic was at the heart of Alcoa's operation He concluded the incident was "just shy of mid-range" and prescribed a penalty of $400,000 Among the mitigating factors he cited were Alcoa pleading guilty and that it was "a good corporate citizen." Alcoa shut down the Kwinana refinery in 2024 The cost of managing water where it stores 140 million tonnes of caustic red mud has doubled Alcoa will spend $US163 million ($260 million) managing water at its mountain of caustic red mud in Kwinana where savings from shutting down its 60-year-old alumina refinery have been slow to materialise When Alcoa announced the closure in January 2024, it estimated that it would cost up to $US200 million ($319 million) The expenses included $US81 million for water management and $US55 million for the 800 employees who would be made redundant or redeployed Alcoa chief financial officer Molly Beerman said the US bauxite miner and aluminium producer had allocated a further $US82 million to manage water at its Kwinana bauxite residue site we completed the technical evaluation of the water management requirements for the residue areas and increased the duration of the transition and related equipment costs for ongoing water treatment," she told Wall Street analysts Thursday morning Perth time The Kwinana refinery made a loss of $US130 million in 2023 and Alcoa initially expected to save $US70 million a year once it closed down in mid-2024 "The Kwinana curtailment has been slow to deliver savings due to high transition and holding costs," she said adding that the company was still chasing the targeted savings Alcoa refers to the closure as a curtailment as it may reopen the facility in the future It continues to use the Kwinana site to export alumina from its Pinjarra refinery Alcoa would face further significant costs Alcoa still has $US140 million set aside to spend at Kwinana and expects to outlay a large majority of that this year Alcoa has piled 140 million tonnes of highly caustic waste inland of the Kwinana refinery as high as 85m Near its three WA refineries - Kwinana, Pinjarra, and Wagerup - the company stores enough red mud to fill Optus Stadium more than 350 times the company disclosed that 21 storage areas failed stability checks Alcoa will spend $US70 million in 2024 preparing to move into a new mining area in the jarrah forest with more significant expenses to follow in 2026 The company has been under pressure in WA since it was revealed two years ago that its strip mining near Serpentine Dam threatened Perth's water supply In December 2024, the WA government gave it permission to keep mining while the independent Environmental Protection Authority reviewed its operations. It is now under a modified deregulatory regime that WA Premier Roger Cook said strengthened the protection of the environment Alcoa chief executive officer Bill Oplinger said progressing mining approvals in WA was "of paramount importance." The company is expected to release for public comment in coming months a detailed environmental assessment of an expansion of its Huntly mine inland of Pinjarra "We successfully operated under our new mining conditions in Western Australia (in 2024) which included daily observation of our mining and rehabilitation practices by certain regulators," he said which could hold the balance of power in WA's upper house after the March election called for an end to mining in WA's forests Greens WA forest spokeswoman Jess Beckerling said the jarrah forest could not be restored after bauxite mining “It’s staggering that the Cook Government has allowed clearing to continue even in the face of the Water Corporation stating that a contamination event from Alcoa’s strip mining is considered certain and that it constitutes the most significant risk to Perth and the South West’s water quality,” she said Cook rejected the move as it threatened 7000 jobs with Alcoa and fellow bauxite miner South32 "We’re transitioning Alcoa to a modern environmental approvals framework and we’ve tightened controls over their operations while protecting the thousands of jobs their operations support in WA," he said The two projects will be "recycled" amid BP's concerns about costs and government policy UK oil and gas producer BP has put on ice plans for two clean fuel projects worth about $1 billion at its disused oil refinery in Kwinana BP informed its employees in meetings on Thursday according to people involved who were not authorised to speak to the media BP was considering building a biofuel plant to make sustainable fuel from biomass and a green hydrogen plant dubbed H2Kwinana Some workers were told the projects were to be "recycled" which likely means BP will return to the early stages of its project assessment process to fundamentally review what Factors influencing BP’s decision included rising costs to build the plants and the lack of a mandate in Australia to use the fuels leaving BP uncertain if the products would have a ready local market The cost of the KRF had been reported to be $580 million while a public conceptual study estimated the first stage of H2Kwinana to cost $399 million A BP spokesman said it had made significant progress in developing the renewable fuels and hydrogen projects at Kwinana over the past three years "While bioenergy remains a core part of BP’s strategy BP has decided to rephase the Kwinana Renewable Fuels project," he said "This involves adjusting the pace of delivery with a focus on improving capital efficiency and better alignment with government policies." The KRF was to be the first of five BP plants worldwide to turn biomass into 10,000 barrels a day of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel Work was underway refurbishing tanks at Kwinana and an $80-million-plus hydrogen production unit had been ordered from French firm Technip BP's decision on renewable fuel is not a surprise after Boiling Cold revealed two weeks ago that engineering and design contractors had been stood down The hydrogen plant was one of six short-listed in late 2023 to compete for $2 billion of Federal Government funding under its Hydrogen Headstart Program BP declined to comment on H2Kwinana until the Federal Government announced its decision on the hydrogen funding a spokesperson for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency that administers the program told Boiling Cold it expected to announce the successful applicants in the coming weeks The KRF was to be one of the customers for H2 Kwinana and Boiling Cold understands BHP's nearby shuttered nickel refinery was also lined up as a major customer The $136 billion company started front-end engineering for the hydrogen plant in late 2023 backed by $70 million from the Federal Government with a 100-megawatt electrolyser to extract hydrogen from water using renewable energy was expected to provide about 150 jobs in operations Its annual production of 14,000 tonnes of green hydrogen would have been enough to fuel about 750 heavy vehicles There was potential to eventually expand the project 15-fold BP will continue to use its prime 250-hectare waterfront site in Kwinana to import and store fuel There was bad news for another of those projects on Monday: the Central Queensland Hydrogen project in Gladstone.  The Australian reported that the Queensland government has rejected a request for more than $1 billion in government funding from the joint venture led by state-owned power generator Stanwell Corporation The other shortlisted projects are Korea Electric Power Corporation’s proposal in Newcastle Origin Energy’s Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub a $1 billion synthetic fuels plant in Tasmania backed by Chilean HIF Global and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners' Murchison Green Hydrogen near Kalbarri in WA Australia's largest ironmaking electric smelting furnace will test technology that could secure the future of Australia's largest export Some of the biggest companies in WA have chosen Kwinana to build Australia's largest ironmaking electric smelting furnace to test technology that could secure the future of Australia's largest export Iron ore miners BHP and Rio Tinto and east coast steel maker Bluescope announced in February that they were working to find a site to show molten iron can be made from Pilbara ores using renewable power and direct reduced iron process technology the venture - now badged NeoSmelt - revealed that Kwinana was the chosen site and gas giant Woodside would join them as an equal partner and energy supplier Electric smelters are the most likely way that iron and steel can be made without coal to slash carbon pollution but the low grade and high impurity levels of almost all Pilbara iron ore make it unsuitable for current smelters Making steel produces seven percent of the world's climate-heating carbon pollution and Australia may lose from the race to lower those emissions without new technology that can use its $100 billion of annual exports The venture's plan is to complete a pre-feasibility study in March 2025 make a final investment decision in 2026 and potentially commission the plant in 2028 The WA Government will spend $75 million to help the project Its chief executive of Australia Tania Archibald said it leveraged its iron and steelmaking experience at the Port Kembla steelworks and its unique capability as the operator of the world’s only electric smelting furnace processing direct reduced iron Woodside chief operating officer Australia Liz Westcott said the company supported NeoSmelt’s goal of exploring lower-emissions steelmaking pathways for Pilbara iron ores.  “Natural gas and hydrogen may enable emissions reductions in steelmaking," she said Last week a report on developing a green iron industry in the Pilbara concluded natural gas was a suitable transition pathway until clean hydrogen was available Woodside is studying building a blue hydrogen plant near the NeoSmelt site that would make hydrogen the conventional way - from gas and producing large amounts of carbon dioxide - but capture and bury much of the carbon pollution The NeoSmelt investment comes on top of Rio Tinto's announcement in July of a $215 million research effort based in Rockingham's industrial area to trial making iron with biomass and microwave energy instead of coal Today's announcement occurred opposite the BHP nickel refinery that was recently shuttered until at least 2027 as it could not compete with cheap Indonesian production Woodside's participation is subject to the finalisation of commercial arrangements SearchTen adherents enrolled at Kwinanadeansimpson7Apr 102 min readUpdated: Apr 10 The 10 adherents enrolled at Kwinana on Sunday 6 April alongside Colonel Winsome Merrett (far left) Major Andrew Jarvey (Southern WA Area Officer) and Major Scott Ellery (Kwinana Corps Officer).BY DEAN SIMPSONKwinana Salvos have welcomed 10 new adherents into membership of the thriving corps in southern Perth (WA).Corps Officer Major Scott Ellery conducted the enrolment ceremony while Chief Secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett presented the certificates and congratulated the corps’ newest members Adherents are Christians who pledge to support their local Salvation Army corps declare their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and service at a local Salvation Army corps identifying with the mission of the Salvation Army The new adherents at Kwinana are Rosie Teasdale “Colonel Winsome Merrett was across from Victoria and requested to special at a corps here in WA,” Scott said and we took the opportunity to enrol the adherents “During a Sunday meeting a few weeks previously I had opened the opportunity for anyone interested in exploring membership within The Salvation Army Kwinana to attend a Membership Afternoon we discussed the two avenues of membership – Adherency and Soldiership – and explored the wonderful missional organisation that they were considering officially joining “Several of the people who became adherents are considering exploring soldiership and will take part in a five-week discovery series in the coming weeks Another two people are intending on becoming adherents but were unable to attend on the day.” Among those who shared their stories with the congregation were Rosie and Julian Rosie spoke about how proud her father would have been of her joining the Salvation Army he highly respected The Salvation Army's support and engagement with soldiers during the war Julian spoke about the powerful leading of the Holy Spirit which guided him and his family to move from Tasmania to WA and engage with The Salvation Army “just up the street from his new home” Area Officer Major Andrew Jarvey and Faith Communities Development Secretary Major Dianne Jarvey also attended the service echoing the reassuring words of Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” “It was incredibly moving to hear from new members about the divine guidance that brought them to the church,” Dianne said “They shared their excitement about how they believe God has a unique plan for them through the Salvos The Salvation Army is an international movement Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name with love and without discrimination Search past articles on Others Read past issues of Others Magazine Read past issues of Pipeline Magazine Read past issues of On Fire Magazine Salvos Online is the internal news website of The Salvation Army Australia Territory The website is part of the Internal Communications Department and includes leadership updates Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Prominent Perth boys\\u2019 school Aquinas College has applied to install a $2.37 million digital billboard on Kwinana Freeway to raise money. The sign would be 12.5 metres x 3.2 metres, or 40 square metres, almost exactly the , placed just north of Mount Henry Bridge, visible to north and southbound traffic. A member of the school community concerned about the spread of digital billboards in Perth, and dubious about Aquinas\\u2019 rationale for placing the billboard on its land, told WAtoday an unknown local had been letterboxing nearby Salter Point homes with copies of the proposal and A3 sheets of photos. The $2 million sign will advertise the school and also feature third-party advertising which the school states will \\u201Cdirectly support\\u201D its bursary fund, which provides financial assistance for students who cannot afford the school\\u2019s fees. It is the fourth digital sign application in the City of South Perth; two are installed and one approved along Canning Highway, at South Terrace and Henley Street, and soon Hobbs Avenue. Former City of South Perth councillor Stephen Russell says digital roadside signs are \\u201Cproliferating\\u201D in Perth and queried the appropriateness of a school being able to generate revenue from such a commercial activity, even if for a bursary. \\u201CI am having difficulties reconciling Aquinas funding college infrastructure to the tune of $25 million yet needing to rely upon third-party advertisements to fund a bursary for disadvantaged students,\\u201D Russell said, referring to Aquinas\\u2019 plan to build a new recital hall, music school, Aquinas Club and hockey pavilion, . Russell said the land was zoned \\u201Cprivate community purposes\\u201D, which had among others an objective to \\u201Cprovide sites for privately owned and operated recreation, institutions and places of worship\\u201D, but said for authorities to deem this billboard functioned as a fundamentally private or community objective would make a mockery of the definition. He noted Aquinas did not pay council rates on its land. A City of South Perth spokesperson said third-party advertising signage was not a use listed in the zoning table and the city therefore needed to consider whether the sign was consistent with the objectives of the zone before making its recommendation to the Development Assessment Panel, having regard to the extent of advertising for the school and for third parties. Principal Robert Henderson was approached for a response but did not address Russell\\u2019s comments or a question about whether any of the advertising revenue would go to the operator. He pointed to a media release saying the proposed installation would comply with all Main Roads protocols and make a meaningful impact on families across WA, including First Nations students. Henderson recently wrote to parents that the proposed placement did not \\u201Caesthetically compromise\\u201D the campus or river aspect, and was a fantastic location for passing traffic. \\u201CWe are seeking our community\\u2019s support before we proceed any further,\\u201D he wrote. The application is currently open for public comment on the City\\u2019s website. The City will then consider submissions and make its recommendation to the DAP for a final decision. Russell is also concerned about the billboards at a vacant former car dealership at Canning Highway/Henley Street on the approach to Canning Bridge, as the site was subsequently deemed a , meaning Main Roads would not permit such signage there if it were applied for today. The Main Roads policy says level-4 risk road segments have \\u201Cextremely high casualty crash records\\u201D, that the addition of any distractions may create an unacceptable risk of a casualty crash, and no digital signs will be permitted. \\u201CPerhaps Main Roads do not want to address the retrospective application of their new policy as they themselves have an existing [digital billboard] at a level 4 site \\u2013 Kwinana Freeway at Leach Highway \\u2013 and therefore the shutdown of this [sign] would impact their own state government revenue stream,\\u201D he said. \\u201CExpect more LFDS proposals for South Perth.\\u201D Main Roads was unable to comment by deadline. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. WA Labor has committed to a $700 million widening of the Kwinana Freeway from Roe Highway to Mortimer Road, but wants the federal government to tip in half the cost. Premier Roger Cook announced the $350 million commitment in his home electorate of Kwinana on Wednesday morning, which would mean another round of widening works for southern suburbs commuters on the busy stretch of road after the last round of lane additions in the 2010s. WA Premier Roger Cook.Credit: Ross Swanborough Under the plan, an additional lane would be added in both south and northbound directions between Russell Road and Mortimer Road, taking the section of freeway from two lanes to three. Another lane would be added southbound between Roe Highway and Berrigan Drive, expanding the freeway to five lanes, and another lane would be added from Russell Road to Beeliar Drive, taking it to four lanes. The freeway would also be converted to a smart freeway from Safety Bay Road to Roe Highway, with traffic signals at on-ramps to control traffic flow. Labor has started this week with a congestion election commitment blitz after promising a fix of the Erindale Road Reid Highway intersection on Tuesday. But, like that project, the Kwinana Freeway widening requires the federal government to stump up half the costs. “I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say today is the most exciting announcement of all,” Cook said. “We’re saying, and without a hint of a conflict of interest, that if re-elected, the WA Labor government will widen the Kwinana Freeway between Beeliar Drive and Mortimer Road to get the freeway moving again,” he said. “I’ve lived here since 2009 and look, I’ve driven that stretch of the freeway thousands, literally thousands of times, and like so many West Aussies in this part of the world, I’m immensely frustrated with the pinch points that happened between Mortimer Road and Russell Road. “This will mean that for all those people in the southern suburbs, 100,000 traffic movements a day will be able to avoid these pinch points.” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the government would also replace the wire barriers separating traffic from the Mandurah train line with concrete barriers. She said by 2031, 20,000 more vehicle movements would be recorded on the freeway and the average commuter would save 10 minutes. Saffioti said construction would begin in 2028, with completion set for 2030. Labor also committed to a number of other road projects in the southern suburbs. The Liberals would not match the commitment with WA Liberal deputy Steve Martin saying it was not on their priority list. “Our priorities are cost of living, health, housing, law and order and fixing regional services,” he said. \\u201CI don\\u2019t think it\\u2019s too far-fetched to say today is the most exciting announcement of all,\\u201D Cook said. \\u201CWe\\u2019re saying, and without a hint of a conflict of interest, that if re-elected, the WA Labor government will widen the Kwinana Freeway between Beeliar Drive and Mortimer Road to get the freeway moving again,\\u201D he said. \\u201CI\\u2019ve lived here since 2009 and look, I\\u2019ve driven that stretch of the freeway thousands, literally thousands of times, and like so many West Aussies in this part of the world, I\\u2019m immensely frustrated with the pinch points that happened between Mortimer Road and Russell Road. \\u201CThis will mean that for all those people in the southern suburbs, 100,000 traffic movements a day will be able to avoid these pinch points.\\u201D \\u201COur priorities are cost of living, health, housing, law and order and fixing regional services,\\u201D he said. The fire started around 11.45am on Wednesday near the Mundijong Road exit ramp forcing the closure of the freeway for about an hour. It has since reopened but the left lane remains closed along with the Mundijong Road exit ramp. Main Roads WA says the fire has now been extinguished. The upgrades, funded by the state and federal governments on a 50:50 basis, will include widening to add around 50 per cent capacity to the upgraded sections. WA Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti said, “The investment will ensure we can continue our government’s major transformation of the Kwinana Freeway, which has seen the installation of smart freeway technology, the Armadale Road to North Lake Road Bridge Project and widening to large sections.” The Kwinana Freeway upgrade will also support the operations of the future Westport project, while improving safety and delivering congestion relief. The upgrades to road infrastructure aim to support the growing industrial areas and Defence Assets on the Western Trade Coast. The Westport project is being touted as the linchpin for future trade growth in Western Australia, supporting local jobs and WA’s economy for the long term. This new funding builds on the previous $67 million joint commitment towards planning and scoping of landside enabling infrastructure for the Westport project. The Australian government is currently investing $9.7 billion towards transport infrastructure projects in Western Australia. Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese said, “Western Australia is an economic powerhouse, and we want to make sure we are investing in future job creating projects like Westport, while still delivering the immediate congestion benefits for commuters now. “This project will support jobs, improve safety and ease congestion for the 100,000 commuters who use the Kwinana Freeway each day.” Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aea7085432dac88f55153cbd8d70c245" );document.getElementById("g3bfc1e4af").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe IGO is struggling to find customers for its lithium hydroxide as dismal prices cause the battery material to pile up at its Western Australia processing plant The lithium and nickel miner on Monday warned that sales from the refinery were so slow that it did not expect to receive a dividend from the Kwinana plant’s owner SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. BP’s Kwinana pause shows WA risks being left behind in renewables raceWe should be leading the energy transition BP’s decision to hit pause on turning Kwinana into a clean energy hub is a wake-up call for Western Australia We should be leading the renewable energy transition but instead we’re stalled by slow approvals A year ago, I called for production tax credits to supercharge Australia’s critical minerals processing I’m finally debating the legislation in parliament – an idea supported by industry but buried in political point-scoring Read MoreCritical mineralsOpinionLatest In FederalFetching latest articles Lithium Hydroxide Market Analysis: Industry Market Size Copyright © ChemAnalyst - 2020 | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy It looks like nothing was found at this location The Western Australian government has given BP approval to convert its Kwinana refinery into a clean energy hub under a $580 million plan BP will transition the 250ha Kwinana Industrial Area site into an energy hub that will produce and supply renewable fuels and energy products Related article: BP ‘resets’ renewables plan as oil and gas boom BP’s vision for the Kwinana Energy Hub includes plans for: “We’re proud of our nearly 70-year history of operations in Kwinana and we look forward to bringing the energy transition to Kwinana,” the company said Related article: Lightsource bp sells solar assets to fund APAC expansion “We expect our plans to support local jobs and skills needed to help to deliver future energy solutions.” Construction of the Kwinana Energy Hub will begin within months with production anticipated to begin from 2027 Sign up to receive the latest Energy News emailed directly to your Inbox Click Here to Subscribe BP puts $1b Kwinana hydrogen and clean fuel projects on ice Some workers were told the projects were to be “recycled” While bioenergy remains a core part of BP’s strategy BP has decided to rephase the Kwinana Renewable Fuels project “This involves adjusting the pace of delivery with a focus on improving capital efficiency and better alignment with government policies.” BP’s decision on renewable fuel is not a surprise after Boiling Cold revealed two weeks ago that engineering and design contractors had been stood down READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central BP puts $1b Kwinana hydrogen and clean fuel projects on ice, source Hydrogen on show at the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps A pillar of endurance racing and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s efforts to decarbonise motorsport hydrogen will be highlighted during the forthcoming.. The Trump Administration Climate Plan: Red States Get Hydrogen a hydrogen hub in upheaval as natural gas producer pauses involvement while four others bail on the project South Australia closes Hydrogen Power SA office The state government of South Australia has rolled its Office of Hydrogen Power SA (OHPSA) into the Department of Energy and Mining (DEM) COPYRIGHT POLICY DISCLAIMER TERMS & CONDITIONS PRIVACY POLICY Don't be shy, get in touch. We love meeting interesting people and making new friends. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced Western Australia’s second Kwinana big battery is now complete, providing 200MW of additional power capacity and 800MWh of additional energy storage capacity to Synergy‘s South West Interconnected System (SWIS) The $661 million Kwinana Battery Energy Storage System stage two comprises 288 shipping container-sized battery modules and features 72 inverter units Related article: Project spotlight: Kwinana Battery Energy Storage System Work on the project began in July last year and is now complete with the battery to switch on before Christmas It comes as Western Australia’s main electricity grid hit a new renewable energy record this month with renewables peaking at 85.1% of energy on the South West Interconnected System on 17 November The Western Australian Government has more than doubled the renewables on the grid since 2017 increasing from 14% in 2017 to more than 34% in 2023 Synergy’s two big batteries in Kwinana will be able to power 450,000 households for up to four hours throughout Perth and beyond once the new battery is switched on The Kwinana big batteries join Neoen’s 560MW/2,240MWh battery unit in Collie as well as the Collie Battery Energy Storage System The Kwinana Battery was delivered using an integrated project management team. GenusPlus Group provided civil and electrical balance of plant, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) supplied the containerised liquid-cooling battery systems, and Power Electronics delivered the inverters “With the completion of Synergy’s second Kwinana battery we are delivering on our promise to provide Western Australians with power that is clean Related article: Battery systems now in place at Kwinana Stage Two “It won’t just soak up excess rooftop solar and onshore wind during the day—it will provide electricity in the evening “As we continue to retire state-owned coal-fired power large-scale storage will play a critical role in enabling a smooth transition and backs in households seeking to benefit from rooftop solar.” The development is timely as WA's main electricity grid recently achieved a renewable energy milestone The state government of Western Australia (WA) has completed the second phase of the Kwinana big battery project a significant step in the region’s energy transition Phase two involved the construction of the A$661m ($428m) Kwinana battery energy storage system (BESS) which comprises 288 battery modules and 72 inverter units and has an 800-megawatt hours (MWh) storage capacity and 200MW output capability This development is timely as WA’s main electricity grid recently achieved a renewable energy milestone with renewables supplying 85.1% of energy on the South West Interconnected System on 17 November 2024 the WA government has more than doubled the share of renewable energy on the grid The investment in battery systems such as the Kwinana project is crucial for WA to increase its renewable energy contribution ensuring affordable and reliable energy for the state Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Synergy’s two big batteries in Kwinana will have the capacity to supply power to 450,000 households for up to four hours These batteries complement Neoen’s 560MW/2,240MWh battery unit in Collie and the Cook government’s Collie BESS The Cook Labor government is investing A$5.4bn ($3.4bn) to facilitate WA’s energy transition – a significant commitment to sustainable power infrastructure WA Premier Roger Cook stated: “Our clean energy plan is setting up WA for the future and locking in affordable and reliable energy for every Western Australian “We’re smashing renewable energy records because of our Labor government’s significant investment into the energy transition “The Kwinana big batteries will play a vital role in keeping our energy system reliable and stable allowing us to bring on more renewable energy and sensibly phase out coal by 2030.” Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. Western Australia is set to become home to the nation’s largest steelmaking electric smelting furnace BHP and Rio Tino announced in February they would work with steelmaking giant BlueScope to scout out a location for a world-leading pilot plant that will deliver green steel for the global market The plant will test out new technology to produce iron without metallurgical coal slashing emissions from the steelmaking process with the majors declaring Kwinana to be the project’s new site “A successful pilot plant of this scale would be a huge achievement as we work with our partners, here and around the world, to help fast-track near zero emission pathways for steelmakers using Pilbara ores,” BHP WA Iron Ore asset president Tim Day said “These are the Pilbara ores that power this nation’s economy so getting it right would be a major step forward in setting up WA and Australia to be an important part of a low greenhouse gas emission future.” Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said the project is just one of the ways the major is working with its peers to develop the technology needed to reduce the carbon intensity of iron and steelmaking “We must find better ways to produce the most commonly used metal in the world while meeting the needs of our planet and our climate objectives,” Trott said “The NeoSmelt pilot plant builds on the suite of projects Rio Tinto has underway with our customers and suppliers to find better ways to accelerate their efforts to meet their decarbonisation targets.” The decision to locate the project in Kwinana follows extensive assessment of options around Australia and recognises Kwinana’s important role as one of the nation’s premier industrial areas for green industries The WA Government will invest $75 million towards the project including for project infrastructure in the Kwinana industrial area “Securing NeoSmelt for Kwinana positions WA at the cutting edge of the global push to slash emissions from steel production – and means our Pilbara iron ore will be processed right here in WA,” WA Premier Roger Cook said “Putting the global steel industry on the pathway to zero emissions means more jobs in processing in WA and a strong future for WA’s iron ore industry.” The NeoSmelt parties have also today announced Woodside Energy will join the consortium as an equal equity participant and energy supplier subject to finalising commercial arrangements “Woodside supports the NeoSmelt project’s goals of exploring lower-emissions steelmaking pathways for Pilbara iron ores and unlocking new skills and capabilities through the energy transition,” Woodside energy executive and president and chief operating officer Australia Liz Westcott said “Natural gas and hydrogen may enable emissions reductions in steelmaking and we are proud to bring to the NeoSmelt project our expertise experience and know-how as a global supplier of energy.” Pre-feasibility works are expected to conclude in March next year with a final investment decision in 2026 and the plant potentially commissioned in 2028 WA is the world’s largest single exporter of iron ore into the global market With the steel industry generating about eight per cent of global carbon emissions WA is set to play a leading role in reducing emissions from steel Earlier this month, a report from the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA found the large-scale production of green iron in WA could reduce global emissions by 1.2 per cent by 2050 – effectively offsetting nearly every tonne of CO2 currently produced in Australia Production on such scale will also see over $74 billion in economic value generated and over 19,600 direct jobs supported Subscribe to the Mining newsletter to get the latest news that matters to Australia’s premier industry Northern Star Resources has announced it has officially acquired De Grey Mining as of today A new deal by two gold mining partners in Western Australia will see $3.7 billion change hands by the end.. Industry players have reacted to the results of this weekend’s Federal election Fortescue founder and executive chair Andrew Forrest was.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media The Thriving Suburbs Grant will see $15 million spent on improving the Kwinana Recquatic Centre increasing its pool capacity and redeveloping health "The Thriving Suburbs grant will enable the redevelopment of the already multi-award-winning but aging Kwinana Recquatic Centre and community-focused facility that will serve the needs of our rapidly growing community into the future," Mayor Peter Feasey said "$21.9 million was budgeted in the City’s Long Term Financial Plan from 2028 to commence the redevelopment now with the grant funding the City can fast track this project with a total budget of $36.9million “The design is proposed to include an expanded pool area including learn-to-swim family leisure pool with water play feature and a toddler and family area health programs and new change areas." Just over $2 million will also go towards the redevelopment of the Kwinana City Centre The project will improve key connections with new surface treatments installing public art to link spaces and improve wayfinding Public spaces in the City Centre will be improved with additional landscaping The planning and design phases for both projects will begin early next year “This grant is the most significant investment in infrastructure in the City of Kwinana to date and we could not be more appreciative of the opportunity nor understate the positive impact that this will have on the lives of the Kwinana community,” Mayor Feasey said Lithium and nickel miner IGO has reported a loss of $782.1 million over the last six months reversing a profit of $288.3 million a year earlier The loss was largely driven by a $524.6 million impairment charge on the Kwinana lithium hydroxide refinery underscoring the challenges in Australia’s downstream processing sector Read MoreMiningInternational GoldfieldsLithiumLatest In MiningFetching latest articles HydrogenBP puts the brakes on multimillion-dollar renewables project Down UnderUK supermajor to “rephase” Kwinana fuels scheme as costs escalate Can tax breaks revive it?The prime minister believes he can revive hopes of turning Australia into a minerals processing powerhouse Is this anything other than wishful thinking Tianqi lithium hydroxide processing plant at Kwinana The $1.2 billion lithium hydroxide refinery on the shores of Perth’s southern beaches was once heralded as vital to Australia’s dream of becoming a battery minerals processing powerhouse the Tianqi Lithium plant sits in an uneasy state – its expansion plans in tatters Conveyor belts that once ferried lithium-rich rock to a 1000-degree kiln and onto a vat of chemicals lay idle for long periods at the start of the year The Cook Labor Government is finalising plans for a new A$7.2 billion ($4.7 billion) container port in Kwinana set to replace Fremantle as Western Australia (WA)’s main port The announcement comes as the Cook Government confirmed the Westport business case has been finalised, showing significant risk to the WA economy from future constraints on container trade if Westport is not built in time The business case found inaction to address constraints on trade could cost the WA economy A$244 billion ($159 billion) over coming decades – an average of A$5 billion ($3.26 billion) per year – driving significant increases in the costs of everyday household goods and for WA businesses Fremantle Port is slated to hit its 1.4 million container capacity by 2040 or possibly mid-2030s with higher trade volumes A new port is hence needed by the late 2030s to ensure a smooth transition READ: Australian governments fund AUS600 million enhancement in Port Hedland The government shared that if no action is taken and trade exceeds Fremantle Port’s capacity containers bound for WA will need to be offloaded at east coast ports and transported back by road and rail adding to costs and putting WA’s economic self-sufficiency at severe risk The business case also confirmed that the option to extend the life of Fremantle Port would still require Westport to be built less than 10 years later costing WA taxpayers an extra A$2.2 billion ($1.4 billion) READ: Australian Border Force seizes $6.5 million worth of cocaine at Port Botany The new Kwinana container terminal is expected to boost WA’s trade capabilities and increase rail transport from 20 per cent to 30 per cent It will also generate thousands of jobs and unlock 260 hectares in Fremantle The Federal Government has underscored Westport as a nationally critical project having committed A$33.5 million ($21.9 million) towards the next phase of planning with additional funding to be sought as the programme progresses towards construction A recent Ports Australia report highlights the vital economic role of New South Wales and Australian ports, which handle goods worth A$650 billion ($433 billion) annually DP World is set to implement OneStop Modal and the OneStop Vehicle Booking System (VBS) The US House of Representatives has voted to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency‘s (EPA) 2023 global schedule reliability surged to 57.5 per cent Container throughput at the Port of Melbourne totalled 267,000 TEUs in March 2025 Cover image: ©Associated Press The death toll has risen to at least 70 If the walls at the Flying Angel Club in Fremantle could talk they would tell you the secrets of the sea – or more specifically the secrets of the seafarers that come seeking sanctuary among its halls and rooms ocean disasters and of lonely hearts have trickled through the doors of the Queen Victoria Street building (and previously High Street) since the 1960s the Flying Angel Club sits opposite Victoria Quay Club chairman Ross Storer and operations manager Hilme KhamassiCredit: Claire Ottaviano The Mission to Seafarers volunteers provide more than just a place to sleep and food to eat they’re a friendly face and compassionate ear for those far from home some who have gone months without touching dry land Chairman Ross Storer said it was the appreciation of seafarers that kept the volunteer effort moving 24 hours a day “It’s a place where they can be safe,” he said “They know that they can get picked up from the ship and safely dropped off here for two or three and know they can be safely taken back to the ship “They can find seafarers from other ships and share things in common.” Services also include driving seafarers to doctors the Flying Angel Club housed a crew of actual pirates – pursued by the Australian Navy for 21 days for illegally fishing Patagonian toothfish When the crew were brought back to Fremantle for trial staff and volunteers looked after them for the next two years the club took on all 50 crew members of the livestock ship Ocean Drover after a fire broke out while the ship was docked at Fremantle Port Perhaps the most impactful time was during the three-year ban on shore leave in the COVID years Drivers did all the shopping for seafarers and put themselves at risk transporting sick crewmen to quarantine staff and volunteers packed more than 700 hampers filled with Australian treats and gifts and delivered them to the docks Flying Angel Club delivers Christmas presents to seafarers “Imagine you are on the ship working for eight or nine months it’s a Christmastime and you are away from your family,” operations manager Hilme Khamassi said fly-out out here; we’re talking about nine months and it’s Christmastime and you see someone coming wearing a Christmas hat carrying the bags and their smile just got bigger and bigger because they knew that someone was thinking about them the seafarers deserve all the help and support we can give.” But the future of the club is in a state of uncertainty under the state government’s plans to move Fremantle’s container port to the new Westport terminal in Kwinana by the late 2030s In January, a vision for a Fremantle Port without its landmark mechanical “dinosaurs” was revealed as a part of a 50–year plan to transform it into a world-leading waterfront city. a 45-minute drive from Fremantle with less surrounding infrastructure and social hubs “It will affect the work we can provide to the seafarers,” Khamassi said we can’t keep running from here to go 45 minutes to the outer harbour and bring them back we have everything we need here and [the Port Authority] know what we’re doing and they know we are important to the seafarers There’s also the economic and social impact on the port city’s community with the club estimating each seafarer spends about $200 in the shops The Flying Angel Club is funded by the Fremantle Port Authority (Fremantle Ports) which provided about $210,000 to the not-for-profit last financial year The Flying Angel Club is a refuge for many seafarers.Credit: Claire Ottaviano The Fremantle Ports harbour master’s office also conducts routine inspections of ships While no welfare issues have been found recently Fremantle Ports’ 2023/24 Modern Slavery Statement noted that occasionally when Flying Angels transport is unavailable due to either funding or driver availability some ship operators are reluctant to pay for seafarers’ shore leave transport “Our focus with the industry is to ensure that seafarer welfare is sustainable and there is awareness of the risks and issues that seafarers face,” the spokesperson said A Westport spokesperson said it had undertaken more than 1500 hours of stakeholder engagementsince January 2022 to inform design of the future port facilities and container supply chain They said this included engagement with The Flying Angel Club to understand how seafarer welfare support could be effectively incorporated in overall Westport planning for future port facilities Neither authority provided comment on future plans to incorporate a dedicated seafarer welfare hub such as The Flying Angel into the new Kwinana port “We’ve never faced this predicament before to uproot everything from what we’ve had and what we’ve got now and go down to Kwinana whether it’s a drop-in centre or something like what we have now,” Storer said I know that we will try to get the best outcome for these people – we’re stubborn that way.” they would tell you the secrets of the sea \\u2013 or more specifically they\\u2019re a friendly face and compassionate ear for those far from home \\u201CIt\\u2019s a place where they can be safe,\\u201D he said \\u201CThey know that they can get picked up from the ship and safely dropped off here for two or three \\u201CThey can find seafarers from other ships and share things in common.\\u201D the Flying Angel Club housed a crew of actual pirates \\u2013 pursued by the Australian Navy for 21 days for illegally fishing Patagonian toothfish \\u201CImagine you are on the ship working for eight or nine months it\\u2019s a Christmastime and you are away from your family,\\u201D operations manager Hilme Khamassi said \\u201CWe\\u2019re not talking about fly-in fly-out out here; we\\u2019re talking about nine months and it\\u2019s Christmastime and you see someone coming wearing a Christmas hat carrying the bags the seafarers deserve all the help and support we can give.\\u201D But the future of the club is in a state of uncertainty under the state government\\u2019s plans to move Fremantle\\u2019s container port to the new Westport terminal in Kwinana by the late 2030s a vision for a Fremantle Port without its landmark mechanical \\u201Cdinosaurs\\u201D was revealed as a part of a \\u201CIt will affect the work we can provide to the seafarers,\\u201D Khamassi said we can\\u2019t keep running from here to go 45 minutes to the outer harbour and bring them back we have everything we need here and [the Port Authority] know what we\\u2019re doing There\\u2019s also the economic and social impact on the port city\\u2019s community The Fremantle Ports harbour master\\u2019s office also conducts routine inspections of ships Fremantle Ports\\u2019 2023/24 Modern Slavery Statement noted that occasionally when Flying Angels transport is unavailable due to either funding or driver availability some ship operators are reluctant to pay for seafarers\\u2019 shore leave transport \\u201COur focus with the industry is to ensure that seafarer welfare is sustainable and there is awareness of the risks and issues that seafarers face,\\u201D the spokesperson said \\u201CWe\\u2019ve never faced this predicament before to uproot everything from what we\\u2019ve had and what we\\u2019ve got now and go down to Kwinana whether it\\u2019s a drop-in centre or something like what we have now,\\u201D Storer said I know that we will try to get the best outcome for these people \\u2013 we\\u2019re stubborn that way.\\u201D You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream After a decision came out of the blue to create a motorised street circuit at Burswood the Mayor of the Town of Victoria Park has become suspicious of the real agenda Mayor Karen Vernon explains to Perth Today host Simon Beaumont that the information she has uncovered suggests this announcement could be related to the land required for the Westport precinct and could in fact indicate the end of Kwinana Motorplex ‘The current Westport website says they’re looking at the moment at the voluntary resumption of land needed for the Westport precinct and there might need to be compulsory resumption of land,’ she said You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Western Australia’s state-owned gentailer Synergy has completed the installation of Kwinana battery Stage 2 and together with Stage 1 will power 450,000 Perth households for up to four hours Feeding into the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) both stages of Kwinana will power 450,000 Perth households for up to four hours with KBESS2 providing over four times the storage capacity of the 150 MW KBESS1 WA Energy Minister Reece Whitby said the government’s promise of clean “It won’t just soak up excess rooftop solar and onshore wind during the day – it will provide electricity in the evening and the wind doesn’t blow,” Whitby said The $661 million (USD 427.6 million) KBESS2 comprises 288 containerised China-headquartered Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL) liquid-cooling lithium ion phosphate (LFP) batteries The 72 inverters are provided by Spain-headquartered Power Electronics and the project is connected to utility Western Power’s 330 kV transmission system via existing infrastructure at the adjacent KBESS1 Work on the Kwinana battery project began in July 2023 and the battery is expected to be switched on before Christmas 2024 contributing to the WA government’s bid to close coal-fired power generators by 2030 and replace them with renewables WA Premier Roger Cook said the Kwinana big batteries will play a vital role in keeping the state’s energy system reliable and stable while bringing on more renewable energy and phasing out coal by 2030 “We’re smashing renewable energy records because of our Labor Government’s significant investment into the energy transition,” Cook said KBESS1 AND KBESS2 join Neoen’s 560 MW / 2,240 MWh battery unit in Collie WA broke a renewable energy record on 17 November 2024 when 85.1% of electricity was generated by renewables More articles from Ev Foley Please be mindful of our community standards By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy By subscribing to our newsletter you’ll be eligible for a 10% discount on magazine subscriptions Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" pv magazine Australia offers bi-weekly updates of the latest photovoltaics news We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide up to date information delivered straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. To find out more, please see our Data Protection Policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close The Australian miner’s JV could be hit by a Chinese IP export ban one of Australia’s only two battery grade lithium hydroxide facilities has had a tough start since its late 2022 debut — with its first train underperforming and its second unceremoniously cancelled Now there are fears that a mooted ban on exporting Chinese processing technology could throw another spanner in its works “I did note that there was a headline article a couple of weeks ago talking about the Chinese banning export of processing intellectual property Is that influencing Tlea discussions at the moment?” asked Jon Bishop director of equity research at New Zealand investment firm Jarden on Kwinana part-owner IGO’s FY'25 Q2 results call last week He also wondered if the prospect of a ban risked “negative dragging on the ability to improve the operational performance of that asset” EV inFocus: Hard news for the corporate e-mobility sector Kwinana is owned by Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia (Tlea) a 51:49pc joint venture between China’s Tianqi Lithium and Australian miner IGO And the latter’s CEO Ivan Vella admits that any future restrictions on Chinese technology being used abroad could be an issue — albeit in a Kwinana context it “has not come up as an issue or has not been a specific area of focus” It is still not entirely clear how that plays out I think the intent has been stated by China,” Vella acknowledges But he has to confess that IGO’s Chinese partner has “got such deep experience” the working refineries in the world are in China and they are all performing,” Vella adds The potential technology transfer issue is a reminder of increasing political risk around lithium with a Sinophobic administration in the White House ratcheting up the global temperature “There is obviously a lot of moving parts around the lithium and energy storage industry right now despite previous tensions with its Pacific neighbour has been relatively sanguine about Chinese involvement in its EV value chain — from upstream lithium mining and processing through to welcoming Chinese BEVs into its market there could be future disadvantages for Australian lithium mined or processed in partnership with Chinese firms should other jurisdictions press on with reshoring/'friend-shoring' policies that incentivise battery value chains free from Chinese fingerprints IGO’s main priority is to try to improve performance at Kwinana where all works on train 2 were put on ice in late January and IGO took a A$525mn ($332mn) impairment charge at the end of its financial second quarter IGO and Tianqi Lithium “are continuing to develop a pathway for Kwinana which is acceptable to both parties” resources research an analyst at Australian bank Macquarie is concerned at IGO’s guidance on production costs These fell by 40pc year-on-year in the first half of IGO’s financial year ’25 compared to the same period in FY’24 While IGO is guiding for a further squeezing lower to A$22,000-25,00 for FY’25 as a whole at an equivalent of c.$15,000/t at the midpoint Vella leans largely on average costs coming down as production goes up when you are operating a big plant like that as the volumes come up that will amortise down,” he suggests “Naturally not having more tonnes through train 2 makes that harder so the problem is not easier looking forward,” the IGO chief continues “The issue in front of the team is to get the volume up as quickly as possible and that is what will move the dial on the cost per tonne processed.” And he is clear that IGO will not just throw money at its Kwinana problems “When I talk about capital allocation… unless we can see that pathway — at least with a reasonable sensitivity — that generates an appropriate return then we are going to push back on that capital and say we want another way of doing things to get to the kind of performance that we expect,’” Vella says analyst at financial services firm Canaccord Genuity if there was “a drop-dead date for when you have got to make a decision as to whether this asset just gets turned off” he maintains that simply walking away from Kwinana is not on the table at present You've successfully subscribed to EV inFocus