Alcoa has announced the closure of its Kwinana Alumina Refinery, marking a significant shift for Western Australia’s industrial landscape.
The refinery, located south of Perth, is a cornerstone of the region’s alumina production and has been operational since the 1960s.
As Western Australia’s only independent alumina refinery, Kwinana has played a vital role in the local economy, providing hundreds of jobs and supporting a broad network of associated industries.
The refinery processes bauxite into alumina, a key raw material for aluminium production, and has historically been one of the major employers in the Kwinana area and southern suburbs.
This closure not only halts alumina production at the site but is expected to have wide-reaching impacts on the local community and supply chains tied to the alumina industry.
Alcoa’s decision to cease operations at Kwinana reflects broader shifts in the alumina market and underscores challenges facing resource processing industries in maintaining competitiveness and sustainability.
Western Australia’s independent senator, Fatima Payman, expressed her deep concern over the decision.
“The Kwinana Alumina refinery has been a big part of WA’s economy and the culture of the southern suburbs since the 1960’s and its permanent loss will be felt heavily by the community,” Senator Payman said.
“My thoughts today are with the hundreds of people who will lose their jobs, as well as their families.”
Senator Payman also criticised the broader trend of foreign companies extracting Western Australian resources without sufficient value-adding to the local economy, stating: “Foreign companies like Alcoa dig out the resources that belong to West Aussies and as part of this social compact they should be looking at ways to value-add rather than cost-cut, otherwise state and federal governments should reconsider giving access to these minerals at all.”
She plans to raise these concerns at the upcoming Senate Budget Estimates in Canberra, highlighting the urgent need for value-adding initiatives and manufacturing diversification within the resource sector.
