THE QUEENSLAND resources industry has created more than 8400 extra jobs over the last 12 months – the equivalent of one new job every hour.

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) labour force data reaffirmed the resources sector was a key Queensland employer with new jobs in mining regions and Australia's biggest mining town – Brisbane.

“This is good news for people working in the resources sector and more importantly people looking for work.  The resources sector has hundreds of vacancies looking for men and women to fill,” he said.

ABS labour force data shows:

• resource sector jobs increased from 56,705 in May 2017 quarter to 65,180 over 12 months to the May 2018 quarter, an increase by 15 percent or an extra 8,474 jobs;
• jobs in non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying increased by 53 percent to 4,094 over the last 12 months;
• jobs in coal mining increased by 34 percent to 28,945 over the last 12 months;
• jobs in oil and gas increased by 25 percent to 8,069 over the last 12 months;
• jobs in exploration and mining support services increased by 7 percent to 15,765 over the last 12 months.

Mr Macfarlane said the outlook for jobs in the coal, minerals, petroleum and gas industries was very strong with a survey of chief executive officers (CEOs) of QRC member companies that 52 percent would increase their Queensland workforce over the next 12 months, with 13 percent looking to increase employment ‘substantially'.  Only 9 percent of CEOs surveyed said they planned to reduce staff over the next 12 months, with none of the CEOs expecting a substantial decrease.

“Jobs in the resources sector are good jobs," Mr Macfarlane said. "Resource jobs are well-paid jobs.

"The mining industry has by far the highest average weekly full-time adult earnings of any industry at $2659 – or over $138,000 per annum,” he said.

The Queensland resources sector supports more than 280,000 full-time jobs and last financial year contributed over $55 billion to the State’s economy.

www.qrc.org.au

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EIGHTEEN mayors from Aboriginal communities in Queensland are braving Canberra’s cold weather to lobby for the continuation of the National Partnership on Remote Housing (NPRH).

The NPRH was negotiated in 2016 to replace the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing. It aims to address the housing crisis facing remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

The NPRH is due to conclude on June 30, 2018. While replacement funds have been allocated to the Northern Territory, the Federal Government is yet to come to an agreement with Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

Community groups warn that the discontinuation of funding in these three states will lead to a loss of jobs and exacerbate overcrowding.

The mayors are meeting with Nigel Scullion, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, to discuss the standstill.

National Congress is calling for housing to be a Closing the Gap target. About 39 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households in very remote areas are overcrowded, while 20 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households in remote areas are overcrowded.

A lack of adequate housing is one of the social determinants leading a number of negative social and health outcomes including poverty, criminality, incarceration, educational attainment, disease and substance abuse.

 “Investment equals prevention,” National Congress co-chair, Jackie Huggins, said. “By investing in adequate housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the government will save money in the long-run through decreased expenditure on welfare, incarceration and social programs.”

Rod Little, National Congress co-chair said, “Housing is key. Without adequate housing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples cannot break the cycle of poverty.

"National Congress looks forward to hosting the World Indigenous Housing Conference in 2019 and to working with governments to improve the current housing crisis facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities."

www.nationalcongress.com.au

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TIME IS UP for Aurizon to stop playing games with Queensland exports and revert back to normal maintenance while the independent regulator, the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA), makes its final decision said Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane.

“Industry’s position hasn’t changed. Aurizon is a monopoly and it’s the role of the independent regulator to set the price they can charge customers. It’s a pricing system Aurizon agreed to when the company was floated and one which guarantees their revenue, which is a luxury Aurizon was happy to bank during the downturn,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Without explanation Aurizon has decided to unilaterally change its maintenance and undermine the performance of rail systems. Aurizon is damaging the reputation of Queensland’s largest export industry and short changing all Queenslanders with the loss of royalties from lost exports.

“The regulatory system is not broken. It’s supported by both the State Government and the Federal Government. Premier Palaszczuk backs the independent regulatory process and the Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan this week called out Aurizon saying the company was trying to force through an 'old-style industrial relations bargaining system.' 

“Queensland’s coal industry has promised to support the regulator’s final decision on the Aurizon rail maintenance budget. If the QCA, as the independent umpire, finds Aurizon should be paid more for maintenance, the industry will pay.

“Queensland needs to reliably transport coal to port if we are to take advantage of the strengthening outlook for coal across our existing and emerging Asian markets. If we don’t our customers will shop elsewhere and jobs in regional Queensland will be put at risk."

QRC estimates the cost of Aurizon’s new maintenance plan, which they say will choke off as much as 20 million tonnes of exports a year, would cost up to $4 billion per annum in lost Queensland exports and up to $500 million in lost royalties which pay for the wages of teachers, nurses and police. Queensland simply can’t afford to keep paying the price of Aurizon’s intransigence.

The QRC has responded to the QCA’s request for comments on maintenance and a final decision on UT5 is expected in September.

www.qrc.org.au

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AUSTRALIAN businesses and organisations will be given the opportunity to have their say about the workforce challenges and skills-related barriers affecting their contribution to the modernisation of Australian Defence Force capabilities.

In another initiative to assist the Australian defence industry in having the workforce with the right skills to meet future capability requirements, the Federal Government has appointed Stephen Hayes MBE, an international management expert, as the National Defence Industry workforce and skills facilitator.

Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne said that the survey was important and the Defence industry sector was not well identified in broader workforce data and many defence firms work across other multiple sectors.

By participating in the Defence Industry Skilling Survey, businesses and other interested parties will help inform the development of the Defence Industry Skilling, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strategy to be launched this year, Minister Pyne said.

“The survey will help us build a better picture of defence sector skills and identify trends that may impact capacity to meet Defence’s current and future capability needs," Mr Pyne said.

“The survey will also help identify priorities to be addressed through the strategy.

“The strategy will help ensure that the defence industry workforce and skills base is in place when required to support Defence’s capability needs over the next decade, and to maximise the opportunities for supporting Australian industry workforce capability, innovation, and capacity.

“It is important that we highlight what our defence industry is and does, promote awareness and practical career paths in defence industry for Australian workers at all stages of their careers, and ensure that we can retain and upskill our defence industry to build greater capability today and for the future”, Mr Pyne said. 

The strategy is an important component in the implementation of the government’s 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan released on 23 April 2018.

Mr Pyne said the appointment of Mr Hayes, former CEO of the International Centre for Complex Project Management, will assist Defence in identifying and assessing defence industry skills issues across government, industry and the education sector to achieve stronger collaboration and to support defence industry workforce needs. 

“Mr Hayes brings an international reputation and expertise in the coordination of complex projects and will provide strategic advice to Defence, support and consultation with a range of stakeholders on Australia’s defence industry skilling and STEM challenges and gaps,” Mr Pyne said.

“Mr Hayes will also examine international defence industry skills approaches to draw together best practice and suggest options to Defence to address the long term need for a skilled defence industry workforce.” 

The Defence Industry Skilling Survey is anonymous and will be open until 20 July 2018.  The survey is available at: https://defencesurveys.com.au/anon/2440.aspx

Further information on defence industry careers can be found at: http://www.defenceindustry.gov.au

About Stephen Hayes 

Stephen Hayes is the executive director of the Gravity Group, a global innovation company focussed on the future of work and leadership. He was the founding managing director and former chief executive of the International Centre for Complex Project Management and the founding chair of the International Complex Project Management Research Council.

In 2010 Mr Hayes chaired an International Task Force which developed the report ‘Complex Project Management – Global Perspectives and the Strategic Agenda to 2025’. Building on this extensive government and industry expertise, Stephen supports government and industry in the successful delivery of complex endeavours including the transformation of strategy execution and business performance.

Mr Hayes has a Masters of Management and is a graduate of Australian Defence Command and Staff Course. He served in the Royal Australian Air Force for 29 years and has held a military command and led the RAAF School of Technical Training (RAAFSTT), a tri-Service training organisation providing VET training for Navy, Army and Air Force personnel in support of ADF aviation.

Mr Hayes has held posts in program management, systems engineering and human resource management. He had six appointments within the then Defence Materiel Organisation including as Director Maritime Aircraft Project and Director Emerging Aerospace Projects, in addition to a project management exchange with the Royal Air Force. Stephen Hayes' project management work in the United Kingdom was recognised with the honour of being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1996. He also received the United States Defence Acquisition University President’s Medal for international leadership in the field of complex project management.

Mr Hayes was responsible for the development and delivery of the Australian Department of Defence’s Complex Project Management initiatives. These included the competency standard for complex project managers, the Executive Masters in Complex Project Management and formation of the International Centre for Complex Project Management.

Stephen Hayes was the chair of the Global Access Partners (GAP) Taskforce on Leadership in Education and a member of GAP Australian National Task Force on Cyber Security. He is currently a member of the GAP National Standing Committee on Digital Trade. SMr Hayes also provides strategic advice as a member of a number of corporate boards that have included the Corporate Advisory Group of Victoria Police and Queensland University of Technology’s Graduate School of Business.

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