Premier answers QRC call for greater resource role in COVID-19 recovery

THE Queensland Resources Council has welcomed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s  commitment to strengthen the resources sector’s role in Queensland’s COVID-19 response and recovery.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the Premier’s announcement of $5 million for a feasibility study into a gas pipeline from the Bowen Basin was a request in the QRC and AMEC’s Resource Industry Recovery Agenda.

“QRC believes the new gas pipeline can aggregate gas collection to increase the supply of gas across the region and lower the cost of delivering it to customers,” Mr Macfarlane said. "It will also maintain downward pressure on the delivered price of domestic gas.  There is also a role for the Australian Government’s Northern Australian Investment Facility to consider how it can support pipeline proposals."

Mr Macfarlane said more broadly, the Premier had identified the resources sector as “one of Queensland’s great strengths” and she has also recognised the work of the coal, metals and gas industries to protect workers and keep critical supply chains open.

“For the 372,000 Queensland men and women who rely on the resources sector for their employment, QRC thanks the Premier for her recognition of the sector’s role in the COVID-19 recovery and response,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“As an industry, we have worked extremely hard to protect our workers, their families, the communities we work in and the businesses we support.  We have done this and maintained as much of the $74 billion economic contribution to the Queensland economy as possible despite upheaval in global markets and movement restrictions.

"What does that mean for every Queenslander? Just over $40 every day for every Queensland man, woman and child.

“Right now, Queenslanders need that economic contribution more than ever," he said.

“I had the opportunity to meet the Premier last week, and her comments today reinforce her support for the sector’s role in the COVID-19 response.”  

Mr Macfarlane said QRC would continue to work with the government to secure bipartisan support for a resources industry development plan, stable rates and thresholds on the royalty taxes paid by all resource commodities for the next decade, and a streamlined assessment and approval process for new projects.

QRC Resource Industry Recovery Agenda: https://www.qrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Resource-Industry-Recovery-Agenda.pdf

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