We are generally pleased with the success of our long-standing community support programs. We look forward, however, to the stakeholder perception surveys identifying further opportunities for us to contribute to community sustainability.

We believe that we need to better understand our economic contributions to local and regional economies. We aim to improve our data collection and analysis on this in 2005.

We also believe that we can do more to support local and regional business when tendering for goods and services.

Incident at Leinster Downs training facility, 12 September 2004

Two trainees from our Leinster Indigenous job-readiness training program in September were injured during a domestic dispute at a private party following the graduation ceremony.

One trainee suffered a gunshot wound and another was struck by a vehicle. WMC emergency staff responded to the emergency and administered first aid prior to the trainees being flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Perth for treatment. Western Australian Police attended the scene and detained two WMC employees.

Counseling and support was provided all those involved including the trainees, their families and friends and WMC staff. Two WMC employees involved in the incident have been dismissed and face prosecution.

WMC undertook an internal investigation which found that the incidents arose when a private party got out of control. Regrettably though, the lives of the two injured trainees, and the WMC employees involved, have been irrevocably changed.

While greatly disappointing, this incident has strengthened our commitment to the communities in which we operate and, in particular, to our job readiness training programs. Building capacity for local employment in the mining industry and increasing indigenous participation at WMC operations remains a key focus for the company.