Queensland's resources sector is driving job growth and investment into the North West, contributing $2 billion (46 percent GRP) to the region's economy in 2018- 19, said the Queensland Resources Council.
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QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the tenth Economic Contribution Report showed the State's resources sector continued to do the heavy lifting when it came to economic growth in regional Queensland.
"Resources support 11,380 full time jobs in the North West region and it's not just diesel fitters and truck drivers but also butchers and chefs," Mr Macfarlane said.
"The sector invested $749 million with 427 local businesses and 58 community organisations throughout the North West and paid $392 million in wages.
"In Mount Isa itself the sector contributed $1.5 billion and supported 7,679 full time jobs."
Across the state the sector added more than a billion dollars in value a week accounting for one in seven jobs and one in five dollars of investment.
The resources sector now supports 372,570 direct and indirect jobs, and in 2018-19 it added $74.3 billion to the Queensland economy. The new figures were released at QRC's annual economic contribution launch, attended by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
"The strength of the sector is driven primarily by coal, which is worth a billion dollars a week to Queensland, or $52.5 billion over the year. The coal industry directly employs 34,667 Queenslanders and supports another 226,887 indirect jobs.
"While the resurgent coal price has delivered a budget benefit for Queenslanders, there is significant growth in the metals category, such as copper, zinc and bauxite, which is up 26 per cent this year and is now worth $11.7 billion to the state's economy. There are strong prospects for even greater returns and more jobs as Queensland's world-class North West Minerals Province is developed.
"This year's figures are up substantially on last year, with both overall jobs and total value- added growing by 18 per cent.
"Over the last ten years the resources sector has added an extraordinary $668 billion to the Queensland economy, reflecting the world-class reputation of our sector and the hard work of Queenslanders.
"The numbers are on a global scale, but the benefits are local.
"With one in seven Queenslanders working in or with the resources sector, just about every Queensland family has a connection to mining and the resources sector.
"The resources sector is diverse and growing for the future."
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