Media Release | 30 July 2025
Shane Love MLA
Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum Shane Love MLA has slammed the Cook Labor Government for Western Australia’s dramatic fall in global mining investment rankings, following the release of the Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2024.
WA has plummeted from 4th to 17th place in the international rankings once again highlighting growing frustration within the resources sector around regulatory delays, land access, and uncertainty in environmental and heritage approvals.
“Western Australia used to lead the world when it came to mining investment attractiveness. Now, under Labor, we’ve seen an embarrassing collapse in confidence,” Mr Love said.
“This is a state that has built its prosperity on the resources sector and the Cook Government is destroying the goose that lays the golden eggs.”
The Fraser Institute’s Policy Perception Index ranked WA even lower at 18th, citing concerns about unclear regulation, disputed land claims, native title issues, and cultural heritage uncertainty.
“There’s now a clear level of sovereign risk that investors are simply no longer prepared to take on in Western Australia,” Mr Love said.
“It seems that Labor’s environmental approval reforms have had absolutely no impact. It’s a disgrace.”
Mr Love said the rankings validated what industry groups have been warning for years — that the WA Government’s handling of Aboriginal heritage, environmental approvals, and native title issues has led to a near-crippling lack of certainty for investors.
“The only thing growing under Labor is red tape and confusion.”
“The Premier talks about economic development but the reality is that this Government is scaring off future investment and putting thousands of jobs at risk,” he said.
“WA should be leading the world, not languishing in 17th place.”
“We need urgent reforms to fast-track approvals, restore investor confidence, and reduce the regulatory chaos facing resource projects across the state.”
ENDS
