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May 9, 2006
New Community Funding Around Wagerup
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Alcoa and the Waroona and Harvey Shires have joined in a new partnership to help build a more prosperous and sustainable future for the towns around the Wagerup alumina refinery.
Alcoa and the Waroona and Harvey Shires have joined in a new partnership to help build a more prosperous and sustainable future for the towns around the Wagerup alumina refinery.
The two shires have worked with Alcoa to agree on a new Wagerup community funding package worth more than $20 million over the next 20 years.
The package includes:
- The Wagerup Sustainability Fund, a 20-year program of Alcoa funding
- A new scheme of Alcoa ex gratia payments to the shires
- Additional Alcoa funding for town rejuvenation schemes in Waroona and Yarloop
The package was developed through an extensive consultation and research process with local communities. It included shire representatives, Alcoa employees, community representatives, and local and State government representatives. The aim was to determine projects and initiatives to deliver direct long-term benefits to the local community.
This partnership supports the commitment Alcoa and the local shires share for the future of communities in the shires of Harvey and Waroona.
“The most pleasing aspect of this package is that it responds directly to what the community has said are their priorities,” Wagerup Refinery Manager Simon Butterworth said.
“We believe our contributions will be a catalyst for building partnerships and programs with other organisations that are essential for the vibrancy and sustainability of these towns.”
“Alcoa is the biggest industry within the Shire of Waroona and this package allows the Shire and its communities to share in Alcoa’s growth in the Waroona Shire,” Mr Ian Curley, Waroona Shire CEO, said.
“Alcoa’s operations are significant in the Harvey Shire and both Alcoa and the Shire share a keen interest in the future prosperity and sustainability of the local area,” Mr Michael Parker, Harvey Shire CEO said. “This package is aimed at achieving those goals.”
The package includes a fund intended to support social, economic and environmental projects to promote the growth of the region surrounding the Wagerup refinery.
Alcoa and the shires also agreed to additional annual ex gratia payments to assist the Councils in providing general community infrastructure and services throughout their shires. These payments supplement Alcoa’s rates payments and provide an additional $200,000 each year to the Shire of Waroona and $100,000 each year to the Shire of Harvey for the next 10 years.
Alcoa had also agreed to double its current $300,000 commitment to help establish a town square in Waroona (Drakesbrook Place) to $600,000 over a period of four years and will fund $600,000 towards the Yarloop Heritage Town scheme.
Mr Butterworth said Wagerup Unit Three would further increase Alcoa’s capacity to contribute to local community sustainability because funding for the new 20-year sustainability fund had been linked to production levels to ensure the community shared the benefits of any regional growth.
This meant the planned funding for the sustainability fund of around $400,000 a year at today’s production levels would rise as production increased.
“Already about 36 percent our Wagerup employees come from the Waroona and Harvey shires and Wagerup spends about $44 million a year with local businesses in these shires. These benefits are on top of this, so it really is a win-win opportunity for local communities.”
Media contacts:
Ian Curley, Waroona Shire CEO – mobile 0409 117517; phone (08) 97337800
Michael Parker, Harvey Shire CEO – mobile 0407 772671; phone (08) 97290320
Amanda O’Brien, Alcoa – mobile 0400 127427; phone (08) 9316 5427
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