Australia must stop viewing the Pilbara solely as a resource basin and start treating it as a national security asset. That’s the message that emerged at the Pilbara Major Projects Summit in late June, attended by more than 600 stakeholders. The Pilbara’s role in the global energy transition, critical minerals supply, and defence preparedness is now too important to leave to outdated assumptions or policy neglect.
The Pilbara generates 75 percent of Western Australia’s exports, pays $100 million in royalties a week and underpins a third of the state’s revenue. It also accounts for 40 percent of Western Australia’s emissions, which shows its industrial power and its pivotal role in decarbonisation efforts.
But its value goes beyond economics. Its geography, capabilities and infrastructure make it central to Australian national resilience. As WA Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation Amber-Jade Sanderson observed at the summit, the Pilbara is not just doing the same things with fewer emissions; it is starting to do things differently.
Companies including BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside are leading efforts in decarbonisation, clean fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS). These aren’t just climate goals; they’re commercial imperatives as global markets shift to low-emissions supply chains. However, regulatory complexity, fragmented funding and policy uncertainty are slowing momentum. Industry leaders warned that without clear and consistent settings, Australia risks falling behind more agile regional competitors, such as Indonesia and Vietnam.
To maintain strategic advantage, governments must align funding programs such as the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, accelerate CCS approvals and support the transition from pilot projects to scalable solutions. The private sector is ready, but long-term certainty is essential to unlock investment in clean energy, critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing.
The Pilbara’s future as a hub of self-reliant capability rests on more than production. It must also be liveable and resilient. At present, infrastructure shortfalls threaten to stall progress. Karratha is short of 2,000 homes, renting a one-bedroom apartment costs more than $1,000 per week on average, and construction costs are 60 percent higher than Perth. Local leaders called for targeted investment in accommodation, childcare, health services and training precincts to support a permanent workforce and move beyond the fly-in-fly-out model.
Climate risk adds another layer of urgency. Experts from professional services firm GHD warned that existing infrastructure planning—based on outdated one-in-100-year models—are no longer suitable. Storms are forecast to be 88 percent more intense by the end of the century. Rising insurance costs are already affecting regional development. A failure to plan now will lead to mounting risks across communities, projects and national logistics.
Major General Jason Walk, head of national support in the Defence Department, reinforced the Pilbara’s importance as a national resilience and logistics hub. Defence is working with civil authorities and industry to strengthen emergency response planning, supply chain security, and dual-use infrastructure. The region’s remoteness, reliance on freight and workforce shortages were identified as critical vulnerabilities in any future crisis. Strengthening resilience, Walk argued, requires co-designed investments that serve both military and civilian needs. This means shifting from reactive engagement to integrated national planning.
Logistics upgrades are already underway. The resources export operations at Dampier and Port Hedland are undergoing their largest expansions, supported by federal and state co-investment in Strategic Industrial Areas and clean fuel hubs. Sam McSkimming, chief executive of Pilbara Ports, outlined a bold infrastructure agenda: bulk ammonia tankers, clean fuel bunkering and handling facilities for 120-metre turbine blades. These projects are in motion and will be essential to sustaining Australia’s future trade competitiveness.
But ports alone won’t secure the region’s future. Clare Pope of law firm Gilbert + Tobin warned that greenfield capital is declining, and exploration was slowing. Without a national CCS policy, streamlined investment pathways and improved engagement with Traditional Owners, Australia risks ceding ground in the global clean energy race. The window for securing long-term competitiveness is closing fast.
A personal tour of the Yara Pilbara facility on the Burrup Peninsula brought these issues into sharp focus. As one of the world’s largest ammonia production sites, Yara exports 5 percent of global supply from Dampier, supporting local agriculture and mining. It is also leading the Pilbara’s clean energy transformation, integrating solar hydrogen into its operations. With access to integrated rail, port infrastructure and the gas pipeline between Dampier to Bunbury, Yara exemplifies the Pilbara’s potential as a future-focused industrial powerhouse.
Yet people remain the region’s greatest asset and greatest risk if not supported. As one speaker put it, ‘people power the Pilbara’. Real resilience depends on shared benefits and long-term partnerships, especially with traditional owners. Co-designed development models that clearly distinguish between rights-holders and stakeholders are crucial to building enduring trust and legitimacy.
As Australia looks to strengthen its sovereign capabilities in the face of intensifying geopolitical, climate and supply chain pressures, the Pilbara must be front and centre. It is not just an economic contributor; it is a cornerstone of national resilience.
Canberra must move beyond short-term, transactional thinking and support the Pilbara as a permanent strategic asset. What’s needed now is policy certainty, infrastructure investment and a whole-of-nation commitment to shared resilience.
This article has been corrected to state that Yara’s exports are 5 percent of global ammonia supply.