As Queensland gears up for a state election in October, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has released a list of priorities for an incoming government to help ensure the resources sector remains “strong”.
The QRC’s priority policy areas are: competitiveness and stability to protect and grow jobs; fair return for the regions; skills for the future; and energy security, diversity, and transition.
CEO Janette Hewson says these priorities focus on four key themes that will support investment, jobs, regional communities, a sustainable energy transition, and boosting skilled workers.
“Queensland’s resources sector must be competitive with the right taxes, the right policies, and the right regulations to attract global investment that will secure jobs and economic prosperity for all Queenslanders,” Hewson says.
Hewson adds that the state needs a coal royalty system that provides returns to Queensland, as well as investors to encourage new investments for projects across all commodities produced in the state.
“Our message to all sides of politics is that the best way to secure a long-term stream of royalties is to encourage a pipeline of new projects and with that will come the jobs and economic benefits,” she says.
“An incoming government must transparently invest more resources royalties into improving the sustainability and liveability of our regions. This means better roads, more teachers, nurses, doctors, as well as hospital upgrades.”
QRC President Adam Lancey says the QRC is also calling on the incoming state government to work with industry and regional communities to support more skilled employment opportunities.
Lancey hopes to work with the government to build the future workforce needed to sustain the pipeline of resources and decarbonisation projects.
“As an industry, the resources sector is making major investments to attract and retain skilled workers and encourage young people to consider one of the many careers available in the resources sector,” Lancey says.
“Regional Skills Hubs could be based in one of our major resources cities from Townsville, MacKay, Rockhampton, or Mount Isa to help provide a pipeline of skilled workers that would benefit several industries including agriculture and construction.”
The QRC says it is critical that the incoming government takes a long-term policy approach to the resources industry.
Hewson says new projects require hundreds of millions of dollars of investment and can take up to 16 years to get from discovery to production.
”Investors need stable, long-term policies and proper consultation with industry to have the confidence to make the investments that will drive new projects and jobs in Queensland’s most important industry,” she says.
The Queensland Resources Council is the state’s peak body for coal, metals, and gas explorers, producers, and suppliers. The resources sector contributes one in every four dollars to the state economy, supports one in six Queensland jobs, supports 16,000 businesses and contributes to more than 1,400 community organisations.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Queensland Resources Council
