Proudly Resourcing Queensland

Janette Hewson, Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Resources Council

The need for a shared and long-term vision for our future has driven many of the changes we’ve seen in Queensland this year.

It culminated in the election of a new LNP Government when Queenslanders, particularly those in the regions, voted to take our state on a new course. Change has also come to our sector, with new policies and regulations at both State and Federal levels that will have ripple effects for many years to come.

I’m very proud to now be representing an industry that, while navigating these changes, is still supporting the jobs of hundreds of thousands of people and is home to so many good, hard-working people.

Queensland’s resources sector is built on our partnerships with regional communities and organisations whose support ensures the continued success of our industry and its ability to provide benefits for all Queenslanders.

Queensland Resources Council and our members are grateful for the support from the Bowen Basin Mining Club, and I congratulate you on another successful year.

Economic contribution

Through all the changes, one thing has remained constant.

The resources sector has continued to underpin Queensland’s economy, providing prosperity, jobs and services to everyday Queenslanders.

Just how much our industry means to the state was again confirmed by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) in our 15th Annual Economic Contribution Report. For the fifth consecutive year, the resources sector delivered a record contribution to Queensland and in 2023-24 this was set at $120.2 billion.

The big numbers unearthed in recent years have historically grabbed headlines for all the right reasons, especially when the economy gets a boost and records are made.

The figures will have a ripple effect of pride and satisfaction across our industry, especially among the 62,000 Queenslanders currently working in resources jobs.

Whether it’s from the government services and infrastructure supported by the $12.8 billion in resources royalties or one of the 17,000 local businesses, sports clubs and charities benefiting from the nearly $36 billion spent by resources companies, collectively, our resources sector accounts for one of every four dollars spent in Queensland and supports one in every six jobs.

QRC and the industry are committed to working collaboratively with the incoming government and ensuring resources are central to a shared long-term vision for our state.

Of course, much of the wealth generated by the resources sector comes from the world-famous Bowen Basin. Our Economic Contribution Report again confirmed the importance of the resources sector in the Mackay region to Queensland, which includes the Isaac, Whitsunday and Mackay local government areas.

The $16.1 billion generated by the resources sector is 63% of the local gross regional product in the Mackay region which is also home to the 75,936 jobs our industry supports. It’s why QRC advocates so strongly for our sector to protect, grow and diversify jobs in regions like Mackay and many others throughout Queensland.

Of the total $120.2 billion statewide contribution, 71% was generated by our coal industry, 14% from oil and gas, 11% from metals, and the remaining 4% from other commodities and energy. The report reinforced just how important the coal sector is to Queensland and sustained global demand suggests it will remain so for many years to come.

Advocacy in Queensland

The prosperity that our sector brings to Queensland reinforced the key election priorities the QRC took to all political parties and candidates ahead of the October election. Our priority issues are important to ensuring sustained growth of the resources sector so that all Queenslanders can share equally in the social and economic benefits our industry generates.

QRC’s priorities remain as we engage an incoming government:

• Competitiveness and stability for our sector

• Fair return for the regions

• Skills for the future

• Energy security, diversity and transition.

QRC and the industry are committed to working collaboratively with the incoming government and ensuring resources are central to a shared long-term vision for our state.

There are signals that our sector will once again be consulted and acknowledged for the important role we play in Queensland’s future. The LNP's commitment to a Resources Cabinet Subcommittee is an important step in improving the complicated and lengthy approval process for new projects. With input from our members, QRC has developed a Streamlining Report to engage with the government to remove duplication and excessive regulation across departments and jurisdictions.

For our sector to continue proudly resourcing the regions, we need decisions and policy settings that

encourage investors to do business in a competitive and healthy Queensland market, creating a sorely needed pipeline of projects. The approvals process can be streamlined and still give confidence to Queenslanders that the world’s highest environmental standards are being maintained. It’s often forgotten that the record economic benefits we’re seeing today are the result of investment decisions made 10 and 20 years ago.

Over the last two years, QRC’s Keep Queensland Competitive Campaign has highlighted the threat to investment and jobs from the decision to introduce the world’s highest coal royalty tax rates. Our communities understand the concerns of industry and the importance of ensuring responsible mining continues in Queensland, now and into the future. Our research revealed that more than half of the Queenslanders we surveyed believe that change is necessary when it comes to the current royalty regime, and we are at an all-time high of support for the sector, with almost two-thirds of regional Queenslanders favourable to the sector.

Looking Ahead

There are many reasons to be positive about the long-term future for Queensland’s resources sector, particularly for the Bowen Basin.

Our State of the Sector surveys of our member company CEOs consistently show that there is confidence in continued global demand for all Queensland commodities including coal, gas, metals and critical minerals. The premium coal produced in Queensland will be essential for our trading partners to build the infrastructure they need over coming decades, and to provide energy security.

If governments at all levels can get the policy settings right to provide confidence to investors that Queensland is open for business, we are well-positioned to underpin our state’s prosperity and create more jobs for generations to come. Beyond the economic prosperity, we will also continue to drive better outcomes for the environment whether it be minesite rehabilitation, emissions reductions or environmental stewardship.

The QRC was awarded $500,000 in 2024 under the Regional Economic Futures Fund to deliver alternatives for post-mined land through renewable energy.

Over the course of 2024, I have enjoyed travelling to regional centres where we’ve held some of our signature Resources Roundups events. Mackay, Rocky, Emerald, Townsville, and Roma are just a few regional centres visited this year. The QRC was welcomed by our many regional partners and the hard-working people in our sector who make up these regional communities. On behalf of our members, thank you for your continued support in making the Queensland resources industry successful.

I look forward to visiting more of our state’s great resource regions in 2025 and sharing in our sector's successes. 