Premier Coal has operated in the Collie region for over 50 years as an essential part of the local community. Collie people enjoy a country and bush lifestyle in a town well resourced with hospitals, schools, shopping and sporting facilities - equivalent to some of the best in regional Western Australia. Collie is about two hours drive from Perth and 45 minutes from the coastal city of Bunbury. Collie is truly a great place to “Live, Visit and Invest”. Premier Coal is a major sponsor of activities within the local region and a strong supporter of research and education for all WA.

The town of Collie has a population of nearly 9,000 and is only is 65km from the City of Bunbury which has a population of 30,800.
See www.collie.wa.gov.au and www.collierivervalley.org.au

Collie is accessible within a day to half the State’s population of 1.93 million. The nearby population is 50,000 with 200,000 people within two hours of Collie. Collie has over 20,000 tourists per year and offers a wide variety of interests including bush lands, waterways and cultural and industrial heritage features. Development of the rehabilitation to lakes at Western 5, and the recycled surface mine site at Western 2 into a motorsports and training complex, is expected to double this visitation level.

Having operated in the area for over 50 years, Premier Coal is a major part of the community by providing several generations of “miners” with employment and by supporting businesses in the area through a “buy-local” policy.

Community Contributions

Premier Coal is strongly committed to supporting the community in which it operates. Sponsorships, contributions and participation in community activities are part of a comprehensive partnership with the people of Collie and surrounding regions. Essentially, the priorities for Premier’s support programs are voluntary organisations that contribute to the quality of life for a significant number of people.

For those considering seeking Premier Coal’s assistance, providing evidence on some or all of the following will help in assessment of your case for contributions:

• broad community support for the activity;


• standing of your organisation or group in the community;
  
• extent of benefit to your group and community versus individuals;
  
• extent of self-help undertaken and other funding initiatives;
  
• potential for matching money, for example from your group, the community, government or Lotteries Commission;
  
• amateur status;
  
• junior or disadvantaged status;
  
• benefits to the people involved;
  
• evidence of lasting or significant benefits to your organisation;
  
• potential benefit to Premier Coal’s employees (in a community context);
  
• potential involvement of Premier Coal’s employees on a voluntary basis;
  
• a favourable association with Company activities (for example – rehabilitation work);
  
• involvement of volunteers from a broad cross section of the community; and
  
• positive recognition that Premier Coal is likely to receive (for example naming rights, short-term or long term signage, media coverage, potential for ongoing involvement, publications or other sustained promotions.

Please note that Premier Coal will not support any activity that is unsafe, environmentally unsound or unethical.

Total general contributions have varied up to $100,000 annually in recent years. More major community projects have included funding for the Roche Park Recreation Complex, the Collie TAFE building, and building of the Astroturf hockey pitches in Collie.

Premier Coal is the principal sponsor of the Collie Agricultural Show, a highly successful voluntary initiative with broad community appeal.

As well, Premier Coal has contributed more than $500,000 in kind to the Collie Motorsports Complex and will continue to assist in its development into WA’s pre-eminent driver training and motorsports venue.

Support of youth education and development is a key theme for company support. This is done through a range of funding for:

• school and tertiary scholarships;
  
• a Schools interactive CD package for years 6-10;
  
• waste management and environmental training and management in schools;
  
  
  
• provision of vacation employment for tertiary students;
  
• provision of work experience for high school students; and
  
• school and university tours.

Consultation and Leadership Involvement

Public consultation includes two regular forums; a Stakeholder Consultation Group and a Resident’s biannual meeting with nearby neighbours at Buckingham.

The Stakeholder Consultation Group consists of representatives from local progress associations, the Shire of Collie, the Collie Tourist Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Schools, the Aboriginal Ngalang Boodja Council, Media, Retired Mine Workers Workers Association and the local Conservation Group.

Premier Coal is a firm believer in showing community and business leadership. To this end employees are active members of various committees and working groups. Examples include:

• Board of SW Development Committee
  
• Bunbury & Regional Economic Alliance
  
• Chamber of Minerals and Energy Executive Committee
  
• Conservation and Land Management Committee
  
• WA Natural Resource Management Committee
  
• Collie Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  
• Board of Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development
  
• Board of Collie Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mine Lakes
  
• Management Committee and Scientific Committee of Collie Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mine Lakes
  
• South West Development Committee Western 5 Working Group
  
• Board of Motoring Southwest
  
• South West Development Committee Working Group for Motoring Southwest
  
• Collie Host Town Committee for WA Royal Show
  
• Chair of Collie Tidy Towns Committee
  
• Department of Environment Salinity Recovery Committee
  
• Local Emergency Management Action Committee
  
• Collie Western Entrance Tourism Precinct Committee.

Premier Coal has also made available a working group for a Schools education compact for all schools in the Collie precinct.