QRC shares new Minister’s ambition for regional development and COVID-19 recovery

THE Queensland Resources Council has met with the new Queensland Minister for Regional Development Glenn Butcher and reaffirmed a shared commitment to a strong COVID-19 recovery.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the QRC had called for the establishment of the Regional Development portfolio at the 2017 State Election and welcomed the appointment of Mr Butcher, who is the State Member for Gladstone, to the role.

“The Minister had a long career prior to politics working in the resources and energy sector with QAL in Gladstone. Now as Minister, his clear commitment is working with the resources and energy sector,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“While our meeting was physically distant (due to COVID-19 restrictions), our ambitions for regional Queensland growth are closely aligned.

“QRC is committed to working with the Minister to look at how we – the industry and government – can work together to create jobs and attract investment in new resource projects. By streamlining those processes, we can best ensure assessments are comprehensive and approvals are secured to allow projects to develop and jobs to be created.”

Mr Macfarlane said the minister was also responsible for the GasFields Commission, which QRC works closely with under its chairman Ian Langdon and chief executive officer Colin Cassidy PSM.

www.qrc.org.au

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