THE Queensland Resources Council will meet with the Palaszczuk Government next week in a bid to arrest the further decline in the State’s attractiveness for resource investment. 

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the Canadian-based Fraser Institute global survey of mining companies found Queensland’s investment attractiveness fell from 12th to 13th of 83 jurisdictions around the world. 

“It means Queensland is becoming less attractive for mining companies when they decide to invest.  The world is watching,” he said.

“For Queenslanders, the less attractive we are for new investment is the less potential to create jobs, grow exports and earn royalties to pay for services and infrastructure.  A strong resources sector is a strong foundation for the quality of life for Queenslanders.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told the QRC annual lunch in November last year that her government would work with the QRC to promote existing initiatives and explore new opportunities to:

• expand the availability of land for mineral and energy resource exploration and development;

• strengthen our export partnerships, create new resource export markets and increase development of advanced manufacturing and renewable energy in Queensland;

• identify and develop the skills and training needed for our resources industry and opportunities for diversity of employment by increasing the number of women and Indigenous Queenslanders in the industry.

Mr Macfarlane said QRC would meet with the government, including Trade and Investment Queensland, "to ensure we redouble our combined efforts to sell a strong Queensland message". 

“Now is not the time for mixed messages on resources.  We need to speak with one voice — we want the investment to deliver the energy mix, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and expansion of renewable energy, electric vehicles and batteries around the globe,” he said. 

“These survey results are a further warning that a number of projects in an estimated $70 billion of resource projects might not proceed.  These projects take many years to get to a final investment decision.”

Mr Macfarlane said while the Fraser Institute survey found Queensland was 12th for mineral potential, it was marked down for uncertainty for environmental regulation (49th), regulatory duplication and inconsistency (48th), and uncertainty concerning the administration, interpretation and enforcement of existing regulation (39th).

The Queensland resources industry supports more than 316,000 jobs across Queensland or the equivalent of one in eight in the state’s workforce, according to the QRC. 

The sector also contributed more than $62 billion of the State’s gross domestic product or the equivalent of one in every six dollars, as well as more than 80 percent of the state’s exports with overseas sales of Queensland coal, metal and petroleum increasing to more than $60 billion, propelling Queensland exports to a record $81 billion in 2018.

www.qrc.org.au

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AS PART of Valuing Australia’s Teachers, community forums will take place around Australia next week.

A Federal Parliamentary committee has been asking about the status of the teaching profession, and as part of its work, plans to hold meetings in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Rockhampton next week. Details of venues and times are included below.

Chair of the House Education Committee, Andrew Laming MP, explained that the inquiry is about what it takes for Australia to have a world-class education system.

"Australia’s teachers inspire, engage and challenge students to be the best they can. Although there are more teachers in Australia than ever, the attrition rate from the profession is rising," Mr Laming said.

"We are looking at building better career structures and pathways for teachers to ensure that the profession remains fulfilling and rewarding for educators. We are also hoping to hear about ways to support teachers more generally, in and outside the classroom, to reduce the amount of time spent on out-of-hours work," Mr Laming said.

"We also want to overcome constraints such as inflexible curriculum delivery; reporting and assessment practices; lack of evidence-based research and readily available classroom applications; as well as time pressures and a lack of support for principals to develop professional autonomy," Mr Laming said.

"We have had submissions from around Australia, and had to make some early decisions about who we could speak with first. I hope that this important work can be continued regardless of any election result – it’s important public policy for Australia. In announcing these first hearings, we hope to keep the discussion going, and learn from teachers at the coal face, about what they want and how their expertise and their profession can be better valued," Mr Laming said.

All hearings will be streamed live via the Parliament’s website.

4 March Brisbane
8am – 11.15am, Commonwealth Parliament Offices Boardroom
Level 36, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle St, Brisbane

4 March Bokarina (Sunshine Coast)
3pm – 5pm, Lake Kawana Community Centre, Lake View Room
114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina

5 March Sydney
10am – 1.15pm, Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, Meeting Room, Level 21
1 Bligh Street, Sydney

6 March Melbourne
9.30am – 1.15pm, The University of Melbourne, Dean’s Boardroom
Level 12, 198 Berkeley Street (The Spot Building), Carlton

7 March Adelaide
10am – 12pm, Old Parliament House, Watarru Room, 1st Floor
North Terrace, Adelaide

8 March Rockhampton
10am – 12pm, Rockhampton Leagues Club
Cambridge Street Rockhampton

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ENERGY Networks Australia has welcomed progress towards a National Hydrogen Strategy, with the release today of a discussion paper for public comment.

CEO Andrew Dillon said support from both sides of federal politics for hydrogen and its potential as a low or zero-emission energy source to back up renewable power was important to support the transition to a clean energy future.

“Hydrogen can be produced carbon free from excess renewable energy, storing this energy in a clean way for when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind isn’t blowing,” he said.

“As demonstrated in Energy Networks Australia’s Gas Vision 2050 report, hydrogen’s scope is impressive, with potential to widen a customer’s power options, improve and increase renewable generation and even create a new energy export market.

“This technology is already being embraced around the world for domestic and commercial use in gas networks and to fuel passenger and freight trains.”

Mr Dillon said while the potential for export was enormous, one of the most exciting properties of hydrogen was its potential to serve as a large-scale battery, utilising existing gas networks.

“Funding support for research and development, backed by bipartisan national support, will drive the ultimate commercialisation of hydrogen technologies,” he said.

“Energy Networks Australia supported the CSIRO on the National Hydrogen Roadmap and has worked with Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, who is now leading the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy.

“Our gas networks are undertaking significant hydrogen related projects throughout Australia, trialling hydrogen in gas networks and for use in domestic appliances.”

www.energynetworks.com,au

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FIVE regional Queensland women who work in the state’s resources sector have been awarded travel grants to attend one of the biggest International Women’s Day events in the state.

The grants, awarded by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) enable them to attend the QRC/Women in Mining and Resources Queensland International Women’s Day Breakfast and Inspire!Convention on March 8 in Brisbane.

The grants were funded by the Queensland Government’s Advancing Women in Business initiative.

“I congratulate the government on this initiative, which will enable women who otherwise would not have been able to attend the events to take part in valuable professional development and networking,” said QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane.

“The Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Di Farmer will present the awards along with QRC President Rag Udd and WIMARQ Chair Maria Joyce.

“These events are an important part of our sector’s endeavors to improve the gender balance in our workplaces.

“The breakfast also includes the 14th annual Resources Awards for Women, which celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of women in our sector.

“We also welcome to the breakfast about 50 girls from our Queensland Minerals and Energy (QMEA) schools, along with 20 girls who have been selected for the inaugural QRC/WIMARQ Girls Mentoring Program, and three finalists in the QMEA Exceptional Student award.
 
“These girls are part of our future. If we are to attract the technologically skilled people our industry needs, it’s important that we don’t miss out on the talents of half our population.

“It’s good to see we have attracted about 800 people, with about 400 more watching via webcast in Moranbah, Blackwater, Century Mine, Mount Isa and Rockhampton, and at many smaller events.

www.qrc.org.au

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