The Western Australian Government has appointed Daniel Pastorelli as its new Minister for Mines, Petroleum, and Exploration.
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) welcomes the appointment, which follows a Cabinet reshuffle triggered by Paul Papalia announcing his retirement.
AMEC CEO Warren Pearce says the association congratulates Daniel Pastorelli on the appointment.
“The resources sector is central to our state’s economy, and we look forward to working constructively with Minister Pastorelli to ensure Western Australia remains the world’s leading destination for mineral exploration and mining,” Pearce says.
Pearce also offers his thanks to Minister David Michael, who previously held the role. Michael now serves as the Minister for State Development.
“David understood the importance of a strong exploration and mining sector, and has done an excellent job working with industry to address our issues,” Pearce adds.
“His elevation to the state development portfolio is a natural next step, enabling him to advance the development opportunities across all of the state’s industries.”
Immediate priorities for the new minister include progressing the Mining Amendment Bill 2025, advancing the outcomes of Resources Online, and implementing the recommendations of the Glen Kelly Review.
“There are significant opportunities ahead to strengthen WA’s resources sector, in particular is the need to act on the review into Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and find new ways to reduce delays in the approvals framework,” Pearce says.
“Minister Pastorelli brings extensive experience working at the highest levels of Government, and we look forward to bringing him up to speed on the key priorities for the remainder of this parliamentary term.”
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Western Australian Government
