Peter Ker

Peter Ker traces how mining and energy companies sit at the centre of economic, political and environmental debates in the resources sector. He is a resources reporter for The Australian Financial Review, covering resource companies and the capital, policy and community pressures that shape their decisions. His reporting combines company-level scoops with clear explanations of complex issues such as critical minerals, hydrogen, tax changes and Indigenous agreements.

Mining companies and capital

Ker focuses closely on the corporate strategies of major and mid-tier miners and the investors who back them. He reports on balance-sheet stress and solvency concerns in emerging producers, such as coverage of Forrest’s Wyloo raising alarms over the financial position of Hastings Technology Metals in the rare earths sector. He follows the appetite of global capital for mining deals, profiling figures like BlackRock’s “rising star” who sees merit in increased mining M&A and what that means for consolidation across the sector.

He also covers how policy settings intersect with funding for exploration and development, including the fears of junior miners that new capital gains tax rules could trigger a collapse in the flow of risk capital into the industry. In his work, tax and regulatory changes are treated as practical questions about whether projects can be financed, rather than abstract policy debates. Company stories routinely sit alongside detail on share prices, debt loads, acquisition strategies and investor sentiment, giving his coverage a capital-markets frame even when it leads on operational news.

Ker’s business reporting extends beyond equity markets to the broader ecosystem of insurers, financiers and advisers that support mining projects. He brings these perspectives into pieces on cost pressures and risk management, showing how lenders and insurers respond to commodity cycles and regulatory shifts. That emphasis on capital and risk makes his coverage useful for anyone trying to understand how boardroom decisions in mining translate into funding outcomes and market reactions.

Critical minerals and the energy transition

Ker is a key explainer of critical minerals and their role in the energy transition. He has written a plain-language guide to Australia’s critical minerals, outlining which commodities fall into this category, why they matter for clean energy technologies and how they underpin discussions at the Financial Review Mining Summit. His pieces link specific metals and projects to themes such as supply chain security, industrial policy and the positioning of producers in global technology and defence value chains.

He follows shifts in the commodity mix for major miners, including BHP’s pivot toward copper and away from a heavy reliance on iron ore, and what that means for export revenue and trade relationships. In these articles, market dynamics, geopolitical tensions and long-term demand for electrification metals are integrated into clear narratives about corporate strategy. Ker also covers hydrogen as a potential pillar of the energy transition, reporting on Fortescue’s view that large-scale hydrogen production depends on a halving of power prices and on Alan Finkel’s critique of simplistic “binary truth” arguments in the hydrogen debate. Together, these pieces show him testing the commercial realities of new technologies against the ambitions of companies and policymakers.

Ker occasionally steps back from daily news to consider national balance-sheet questions tied to resources, such as whether it would be prudent for taxpayers to sell part of the country’s substantial gold reserves to help manage budget deficits. These analytical articles sit alongside his summit coverage and industry guides, giving his portfolio a mix of straight reporting and agenda-setting commentary on how resources shape fiscal and economic policy.

Indigenous agreements and community impact

A distinctive strand of Ker’s work examines how mining companies engage with Indigenous communities and land rights. He has reported on Fortescue facing scrutiny over a native title dispute that has stretched for two decades, detailing the concerns of the Yindjibarndi people and the company’s approach to engagement. His coverage brings out the legal, cultural and corporate governance dimensions of such conflicts, treating them as central to the social licence of miners rather than side issues.

Ker also writes about Indigenous procurement and participation in the resources industry, noting that mining has become the largest single deployer of Indigenous procurement spending and exploring how corporate Australia manages and reports this activity. In summit-related pieces, he links procurement programs to broader discussions about closing economic gaps and ensuring that resource projects deliver long-term benefits for traditional owners and local communities. This focus on agreements, spending and accountability distinguishes his beat from purely financial reporting and gives depth to his coverage of major mining houses and contractors.

Industry forums and commentary

Ker’s reporting is closely tied to industry forums such as the Financial Review Mining Summit, where he prepares guides and opinion pieces to frame the key issues for attendees. He uses these events to draw together threads from his coverage of critical minerals, Indigenous engagement, capital markets and policy, presenting them in accessible formats that help readers navigate complex agendas. His work around summits often includes broader reflections on the state of the sector, from investment flows to procurement practices.

Beyond print, Ker is a regular commentator on mining trends in broadcast and podcast formats. He has joined year-in-review discussions on major shows alongside other Financial Review journalists, analysing geopolitics, mining booms and deal-making across the sector. He has been featured in conversations on the “biggest mining stories” of the year, underlining his role as a go-to voice on resources for audiences beyond traditional business pages. His investigative and enterprise reporting has been recognised through finalist nods in business journalism awards, particularly for scoops in the mining and resources space. Together, this mix of summit coverage, explanatory pieces, corporate scoops and public commentary marks Ker out as a specialist whose work connects the operational realities of miners with the broader forces reshaping the resources economy.