Minerals Council of Australia
array(24) { ["ID"]=> int(59) ["id"]=> int(59) ["title"]=> string(13) "mini-mca-logo" ["filename"]=> string(17) "mini-mca-logo.svg" ["filesize"]=> int(11663) ["url"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["link"]=> string(38) "https://minerals.org.au/mini-mca-logo/" ["alt"]=> string(0) "" ["author"]=> string(1) "1" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["caption"]=> string(0) "" ["name"]=> string(13) "mini-mca-logo" ["status"]=> string(7) "inherit" ["uploaded_to"]=> int(0) ["date"]=> string(19) "2022-11-22 08:27:20" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2022-11-22 08:27:20" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["mime_type"]=> string(13) "image/svg+xml" ["type"]=> string(5) "image" ["subtype"]=> string(7) "svg+xml" ["icon"]=> string(60) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-includes/images/media/default.png" ["width"]=> int(92) ["height"]=> int(64) ["sizes"]=> array(27) { ["thumbnail"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["thumbnail-width"]=> int(150) ["thumbnail-height"]=> int(104) ["medium"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["medium-width"]=> int(300) ["medium-height"]=> int(208) ["medium_large"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["medium_large-width"]=> int(640) ["medium_large-height"]=> int(444) ["large"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["large-width"]=> int(640) ["large-height"]=> int(444) ["1536x1536"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["1536x1536-width"]=> int(92) ["1536x1536-height"]=> int(64) ["2048x2048"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["2048x2048-width"]=> int(92) ["2048x2048-height"]=> int(64) ["gform-image-choice-sm"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["gform-image-choice-sm-width"]=> int(92) ["gform-image-choice-sm-height"]=> int(64) ["gform-image-choice-md"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["gform-image-choice-md-width"]=> int(92) ["gform-image-choice-md-height"]=> int(64) ["gform-image-choice-lg"]=> string(68) "https://minerals.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mini-mca-logo.svg" ["gform-image-choice-lg-width"]=> int(92) ["gform-image-choice-lg-height"]=> int(64) } }
  • About
    • About the MCA
    • MCA VIC
      • MCA VIC
      • Melbourne Mining Club
      • Members Operating in VIC
      • Victorian Mine Rescue Competition
      • Victorian Women in Resources Awards
    • MCA NT
      • MCA NT
      • Members operating in NT
      • Darwin Mining Club
      • NT Mining Cadets
    • Events
  • Mining Facts
    • Mining Facts
      • Mining Facts
      • Coal
      • Copper
      • Critical Minerals
      • Gold
      • Iron Ore
      • Uranium
  • Membership
    • Membership
    • MCA Members
    • Join
  • Policy & Advocacy
    • Policies
    • Economic policy
    • Energy and climate change
      • Energy and climate change
      • Mining towards net zero
    • Safety and health
      • Safety and health
      • Respectful Workplaces
      • Fatality Prevention
    • Sustainability
      • Sustainability
      • Communities
      • Enduring Value Framework
      • Indigenous partnerships
      • Land Use and Water Stewardship
      • Towards Sustainable Mining
    • Trade and Investment
    • Workforce, innovation and skills
      • Workforce, innovation and skills
      • Diversity and inclusion
      • Minerals Tertiary Education Council
      • Women in Resources Awards
    • Workplace relations
  • Latest News
  • Careers
    • Careers
    • Minerals Industry Experience Program
  • Campaigns
  • Search
  • Login
  • About
    • About the MCA
    • MCA VIC
      • MCA VIC
      • Melbourne Mining Club
      • Members Operating in VIC
      • Victorian Mine Rescue Competition
      • Victorian Women in Resources Awards
    • MCA NT
      • MCA NT
      • Members operating in NT
      • Darwin Mining Club
      • NT Mining Cadets
    • Events
  • Mining Facts
    • Mining Facts
      • Mining Facts
      • Coal
      • Copper
      • Critical Minerals
      • Gold
      • Iron Ore
      • Uranium
  • Membership
    • Membership
    • MCA Members
    • Join
  • Policy & Advocacy
    • Policies
    • Economic policy
    • Energy and climate change
      • Energy and climate change
      • Mining towards net zero
    • Safety and health
      • Safety and health
      • Respectful Workplaces
      • Fatality Prevention
    • Sustainability
      • Sustainability
      • Communities
      • Enduring Value Framework
      • Indigenous partnerships
      • Land Use and Water Stewardship
      • Towards Sustainable Mining
    • Trade and Investment
    • Workforce, innovation and skills
      • Workforce, innovation and skills
      • Diversity and inclusion
      • Minerals Tertiary Education Council
      • Women in Resources Awards
    • Workplace relations
  • Latest News
  • Careers
    • Careers
    • Minerals Industry Experience Program
  • Campaigns
  • Search
  • Login
Back to Policies

Communities

Australian mining continues to be a significant contributor to the economic and social foundations of regional and remote communities.

Long-life mining operations support local employment, business activity, infrastructure and the population base that underpins many regional services.

MCA supports policy settings that enable mining investment to contribute to regional economic development while recognising the different local circumstances that arise across the mining lifecycle.

MCA’s current policy work is focused on three areas.

  • Regional economic participation by supporting local employment, skills development, procurement and opportunities for regional and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to participate in mining supply chains
  • Supporting better infrastructure and services by supporting coordinated planning between governments, industry and local communities so housing, transport, power, water and essential services can respond to major project development
  • Mining Lifecycle by supporting early planning for the different economic and community factors associated with construction, operations, care and maintenance, closure and transition.

Local community outcomes are strongest when investment can proceed, local businesses can participate and governments and industry work constructively to plan for the long-term needs of mining regions.

MCA will continue to advocate for practical, coordinated policy settings that support investment, regional economic participation and the long-term capability of regional communities.

Related Resources

  • ESG: Change for the better

Related Articles

  • 05 October 2026

    Protecting workers and reducing modern slavery risks should not increase compliance burden on mining supply chain businesses

    Read more
  • 24 June 2026

    Australian mining backs practical refinements to native title  

    Read more
  • 14 May 2026

    MCA CEO opening statement to APH Standing Committee on Primary Industries Critical Minerals Inquiry

    Read more

What's New

Good Guide to Critical Minerals

Read now

Other Policies

See all policies
Economic Policy

Australian mining is a nation builder and global leader. It is Australia’s largest exporter, company tax payer and investor in infrastructure.

Learn more
Workforce, innovation and skills

A highly skilled and technologically advanced future workforce will be required for the specialist mining occupations coming online.

Learn more
Trade and Investment

Trade, investment and economic co-operation maximise opportunities for Australia’s mining and minerals processing industry to boost national income, generate government revenue and create high value jobs.

Learn more
Safety and health

The safety, health and psychological wellbeing of the mining workforce is the industry’s number one value and commitment.

Learn more
Energy and climate change

To achieve net zero emissions, Australia requires a stable policy framework enabling all low emissions technologies to participate in competitive decarbonisation of the economy.

Learn more
 Workplace relations

Australia needs a modern and adaptable workplace system that attracts investment, drives sustainable wage growth and contributes to national prosperity.

Learn more
Sustainability

The Australian minerals industry is committed to responsible mining through continual improvement of environmental stewardship and social performance and by contributing to sustainable development.

Learn more

Sign up for updates

Sign up for news, policies, updates and new publications.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • MCA
    02 6233 0600 info@minerals.org.au
  • MCA NT
    08 8981 4486 info.nt@minerals.org.au
  • MCA Victoria
    03 8614 1851 info.vic@minerals.org.au
  • Media
    0439 300 335 simon.troeth@minerals.org.au
  • About
  • Our Members
  • Policy & Advocacy
  • Latest News
  • Career
  • Contact us
Keep in touch

© 2026 Minerals Council of Australia

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Sitemap