Nick Giorgetta: Diggers & Dealers

ONE OFF THE WOOD: Diggers & Dealers kicks off a new era this year with industry luminary Nick Giorgetta taking over the role of chairman, vacated by big, bad Barry Eldridge last year.

Nick has a long history in the industry and in Kalgoorlie where he began his career over 40 years ago, going on to establish his own metallurgy consultancy, which designed and commissioned a number of gold treatment facilities.

He stopped by The Roadhouse to provide some insight into this year’s conference.

Nick, you have taken the Diggers & Dealers reigns from Barry Eldridge, who left some big shoes to fill – how do you feel about stepping into those shoes?

Fine. I’ve been attending Diggers & Dealers for 21 of its 23 years, so it’s not as though I don’t know what I’m getting myself into.

The conference is a good way to keep an eye on the industry and to see what’s happening.

I’m a mining person, so I’m just looking forward to see what I can bring to the conference.

Barry’s done a great job over the past seven years and when they approached me to take his place I thought it sounded like an interesting challenge to get involved with.

So you must be looking forward to your first Diggers sitting in the big chair?

Very much so, absolutely. I’m looking forward to the whole experience. Diggers & Dealers is an important part of the whole mining conference season – it is probably the most important one to be held in Australia.

This will be the 23rd Diggers and Dealers conference and everybody involved – presenters, organisers, and delegates – are all very professional and know what they have to do to make the conference a success.

What highlights can we look forward to this year?

It’s going to be an interesting year – it’s no secret the market has been in the doldrums for the past 12 months and we have seen some stocks and some commodities sold down – but that creates so very good opportunities for those attending to find some serious value.

We have some new companies presenting – we have a very good mix of presenters – we do every year, but given the current state of the industry we are very happy with the response we have received this year.

There has been a lot happening this year – the iron ore price for one has been front and centre – and you have some big players present, in particular Rio Tinto presenting on the first morning?

Not just Rio Tinto, but other majors, such as Newmont are also presenting. It is very good to be having these companies participating this year.

Do you think the fact the majors are having a presence this year is not just to do with the flat iron ore price, but a reflection of the market as a whole, and they’re attending as a show of support for the junior sector?

I think the conference is getting more and more recognition each year and has developed into being a very significant event.

I think people really have to come to understand that the more time that goes by, the more professional the conference has become and it now attracts some serious industry attention.

That’s probably no more personified than your Keynote Speaker this year in Gene Sperling – is that something of a coup getting him to present the opening address?

It is. For that particular spot, we are always looking for somebody with a significant profile in the world of economics.

We did deliberately seek out an American this year, because of the way the US economy has picked up and responded to recent market problems.

He has been an adviser to American President Bill Clinton, so he does have a pretty good idea about what’s going on.

I am really looking forward to hear what he thinks about the state of play and where he thinks we may be heading from here.

The Keynote Speaker always guarantees a full Day One auditorium, followed by some interesting discussion around the coffee machines in the forecourt?

Absolutely. Obviously everybody always wants to hear what people such as Mr Sperling have to say, he has been involved in US economic policy making.

That’s why we endeavour to attract high-calibre speakers for that spot – it is important to be able to hear what these people think and what they have to say.

On a personal note: what are you hoping to take away from Diggers & Dealers this year?

I hope that when everybody leaves they take away with them a renewed insight into the importance of how important the mining industry is to Australia.

We have seen the remarkable effect the fall in the iron ore price has had – this doesn’t just affect one or two sections of the community – it affects the whole country and you can see some of the problems we are facing now with the Federal Budget and the Budget in Western Australia.

Because I am a mining person myself I want to present the position that the mining industry doesn’t get the recognition it should.

A lot of people criticise what we do, but they don’t understand the important role we play.

This is such an important part of our economy and people need to understand that because the consequences of a drop in the industry – as we are currently experiencing – are bad for everybody.

 

Diggers & Dealers will be held from August 3 to 5 at the Goldfields Art Centre, Kalgoorlie.

For more information about the conference CLICK HERE.