Mount Isa Mayor Joyce McCulloch has welcomed the Resources 2030 Taskforce report saying it would pave the way for more positive focus on the mining industry in North West Queensland.
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The report called “Australian resources— providing prosperity for future generations” released last week has 29 recommendations for Northern Australia minister Matt Canavan calling on Australia to “capture more investment, create more jobs, improve environmental management and community engagement, and ultimately generate more prosperity.”
Cr McCulloch was on the taskforce, chaired by former Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps and she said the report showed Australia’s world-class mining industry was a huge contributor to the Australian economy which boosts the living standards of all Australians, particularly in regional areas.
“It’s now time for Australia to do more to support regional communities and jobs by backing its world-class minerals industry,” Cr McCulloch said.
“Regional cities rich in resources and mining opportunities such as Mount Isa must be given more consideration and support from State and Federal levels of government.
She called on governments to implement the report recommendations such as investigating tax incentives to encourage individuals and businesses to live and work in mining areas, establishing a holistic approach to basin planning and approval processes, and promoting careers in the resources sector.”
“This report creates an opportunity for levels of government to help support and grow some of the most important regional mining centres such as Mount Isa and realise the potential that these areas have to create wealth for the nation.”
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan today welcomed a report aimed at making Australia the best resources nation in the world.
The report is the first long-term plan for Australia's resources sector for 20 years.
The report was authored by the Resources 2030 Taskforce, chaired by Andrew Cripps, a former Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines. The taskforce panel comprised representatives from business, academia, government and the community.
Minister Canavan said the report highlighted the mining sector’s importance to the national economy.
“Our resources sector accounts for more than half our exports, resources employment is more than double what it was before the mining boom and, most importantly, the share of indigenous employment in resources is higher than in any other industry,” he said.
“More than one million Australians owe their jobs to the strength of our resources sector and more than half of these jobs are outside our capital cities.”
Minister Canavan said there was significant growth projected for coal, iron ore and gas while demand for the minerals that drive modern technologies, like lithium, rare earths, nickel and cobalt, was surging.
“Australia produces 10 of the 16 minerals that are needed to make a solar panel,” he said.
Taskforce Recommendations include:
- showcasing Australia’s attractiveness as an investment destination
- benchmarking policies to identify areas for improvement
- developing downstream industries, including batteries
- expanding the Exploring for the Future program to cover all of Australia and investing in modern exploration techniques
- investigating tax incentives to encourage individuals to live and work in mining areas
- improving environmental performance by establishing consistent approaches to life-of-mine rehabilitation and establish a national repository of environmental data
- establishing a holistic approach to basin planning and approval processes
- promoting the opportunities of a career in the resources sector
Taskforce members:
Andrew Cripps, former Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines (Chair)
Mike Henry, President Operations, Minerals Australia, BHP
Cr Joyce McCulloch, Mayor, Mount Isa City Council
Dr Chris Pigram, former CEO of Geoscience Australia
Will Robinson, Managing Director, Encounter Resources Limited
Erica Smyth AC, Chair, Advisory Board, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority
Paul Flynn, CEO and Managing Director, Whitehaven Coal
Professor Marcia Langton, Foundation Chair, Australian Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
Adrienne Rourke, General Manager, Resource Industry Network
Professor Stephen Smith, Professor of International Law, University of Western Australia.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
