Diggers & Dealers

Last updated

Diggers & Dealers
Begins5 August 2024
Ends7 August 2024
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Years active32
Inaugurated1992;32 years ago (1992)
FounderGeoffrey Stokes
Most recent7 - 9 August 2023
Participants Australian mining industry
Attendance2,650 (2023)
Website www.diggersndealers.com.au

Diggers & Dealers is an annual mining conference held in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. First held in 1992, today it is attended by over 2,500 delegates. [1] As of 2023, a three-day pass to the conference costs $2,250, while a one-day pass costs $1,110. [1]

Contents

History

1992

The annual conference was initiated by Palace Hotel, Kalgoorlie proprietor Geoffrey Stokes in 1992, with the first conference attended by 10 delegates. [2]

2009

The 2009 conference was held during the Global Recession, with 12,000 jobs having been lost in the Australian mining industry in the previous eight months. Despite this, Western Australian mining recovered much better than most, and the general mood was "upbeat", unlike in the previous year. [3]

2010

The event, usually non-political and mining orientated, was overshadowed by the 2010 Australian federal election, held less than three weeks later. It was dominated by discussion about the unpopular Mineral Resource Rent Tax, newly introduced by the Gillard government, which was seen as disadvantaging the smaller mining companies and favouring the larger ones like BHP, Rio Tinto and Xstrata. The conferences chairman, Barry Eldridge, predicted the political backlash for the government already before the conference. [4] [5] [6]

The conference stretches Kalgoorlie's abilities to accommodate all delegates to the extreme. Rooms are often booked out two years in advance, with nightly rates rising by 150% during the conference. Local residents are encouraged to rent out their houses during the event and leave town. A three-bedroom house can fetch several thousand dollars for three days. [7] [8]

In 2010, the three-day program consisted of presentations by major and minor mining companies, especially gold miners. In 2010, AngloGold Ashanti, through CEO Mark Cutifani, Barrick Gold, through Gary Halverson, President Asia Pacific and Fortescue Metals Group, represented by CEO Andrew Forrest, were some of the major presenters. [5]

Another outcome of the 2010 conference was the recognition that mining had to lift its profile nationally and to advertise better its record on "job creation, relations with indigenous people and its environmental record". [9]

After the mining boom

Despite a downturn in mining in 2015 the event was still held. [10] [11]

Awards

Annually, the conference hands out a number of awards for achievements in the mining industry. Since 1997, the G.J. Stokes Memorial Award, the Digger Award and the Dealer Award are awarded. In 2003, a Media Award was added and in 2007, a Best Emerging Company award. Former award winners include Joseph Gutnick (1997), the only individual to win the Digger Award, and Robert Champion de Crespigny, former CEO of Normandy Mining. [12]

GJ Stokes Memorial award

Named after the Diggers & Dealers founder and awarded to a long time servant of the mining industry [13]

1997 - Arvi Parbo
1998 - Ian Burston
1999 - Charles Court
2000 - Roy Woodall
2001 - not awarded
2002 - David Reed
2003 - Trevor Sykes
2004 - Laurence Brodie-Hall
2005 - Peter Newton
2006 - Graeme Smith, George Botica, Barry Paterson & Ron Harken
2007 - Pierre Lassonde
2008 - Owen Hegarty
2009 - Nick Giorgetta
2010 - David Moore
2011 - George Jones
2012 - Geoff Loudon
2013 - Andrew Forrest [14]
2014 - Jim Walker
2015 - Mark Cutifani
2016 - Christopher Bonwick
2017 - Jim Askew
2018 - Ron Sayers
2019 - Mark Creasy
2020 - Gina Rinehart
2021 - Steve Coughlan [15]
2022 - Tim Goyder [16]
2023 - Neil Warburton [17]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Diggers & Dealers".
  2. ↑ Diggers & Dealers: Where it all began Mining Plus July 2017
  3. ↑ "Diggers and Dealers opens". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 3 August 2009.
  4. ↑ Diggers and Dealers 2010 - The Song Remains The Same ABC Rural , author: Babs McHugh, published: 2 August 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  5. 1 2 Politics on the agenda at Diggers & Dealers mining conference The Australian , published: 31 July 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  6. ↑ Kalgoorlie full for Diggers and Dealers ABC News , published: 2 August 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  7. ↑ Kalgoorlie braces for annual Diggers & Dealers goldrush Archived 2 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine perthnow.com.au, published: 31 July 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  8. ↑ Perfect opportunity to bash mining tax Brisbane Times , published: 2 August 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  9. ↑ Diggers to create $20m fund to 'sell' the industry The Australian , published: 4 August 2010, accessed: 26 October 2010
  10. ↑ "Attendee numbers defy downturn at annual mining knees-up". 3 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "Diggers and Dealers Awards 2015". 6 August 2015.
  12. ↑ Official Diggers & Dealers website: Forum Awards Archived 3 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine accessed: 26 October 2010
  13. ↑ "Diggers & Dealers Roll of Honour". Kalgoorlie Miner . 2 August 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  14. ↑ Twiggy Forest wins Diggers & Dealers gong ABC News 8 August 2013
  15. ↑ Steve Goughlan Business News
  16. ↑ Wild weather strikes Diggers & Dealers Kalgoorlie Miner 3 August 2022
  17. ↑ Diggers & Dealers 2023: Pilbara Minerals wins Digger of the Year Award The West Australian 9 August 2023
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