THE VALUE of Australia’s resources and energy exports have helped drive a 4.4 percent increase in the price of export for the December quarter, with strong growth in coal and LNG exports said the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the export price index for national coal exports increasing by 3.7 percent while LNG soared by 8.6 percent. 

“This should come as no surprise after Queensland coal and LNG exports broke records in calendar year 2018,” Mr Macfarlane said. 

“Total coal exports reached 223 million tonnes (mt) surpassing the last record by 2mt set in 2016 while Queensland LNG from the Port of Gladstone set a new export record of 20.58mt.

“Every tonne of coal and all resources exported brings in royalty taxes, which help pay for Queenslanders’ roads, schools and hospitals, and pay for the teachers that educate our children, the nurses and doctors who look after our health and the police force that keeps us safe.

“Combined royalty taxes from resources will pour a record $5.2 billion into the Palaszczuk Government’s coffers this financial year.

“It’s more good news for jobs in resources with the latest data showing 10,200 roles were created nationally over the November quarter which is more than a 4 percent increase -  the highest total employment since May 2014.

“The Queensland resources sector has created 10,000 jobs over the past year – that’s a new job every 40 minutes.”

www.qrc.org.au

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STUDENTS from Alexandra Hills State High School will be among the best equipped in Queensland to tap into the careers of the future, with the first sod turned today for the Centre for Excellence in Automation and Robotics.
 
The Centre for Excellence will operate in partnership with the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) to set students on the path to excel in the industries that are at the heart of Queensland’s future – including the resources sector.
 
Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace today performed the honours at the ceremonial sod turning to kick off construction on the $4.77 million facility. 
 
Queensland Resources Council (QRC) director of skills, education and diversity Katrina-Lee Jones welcomed the State Government’s $4.7 million investment in the centre, which would further develop the skills Queensland needs for the future.
 
“Alexandra Hills State High School is one of 60 schools that partners with the QMEA to provide students with experience and insight in the diverse, high-tech and rewarding resources and energy sectors,” Ms Jones said.
 
“The QMEA gives students hands-on experience with projects that rely on the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
 
“QMEA students participate in a range of activities ranging from data-modelling, to using drones and robotics, to using 3D printing to apply to real-life scenarios relating to solar-power generation.
 
“Experience in automation and robotics goes hand-in-hand with the QMEA program, which helps equip Queensland students with the skills they need for a long-term and prosperous career, and at the same time puts our resources sector on an even more stable long-term footing with access to skilled workers for the future.
 
“The Queensland resources sector is continuing to make new investments in technology and innovation.  A recent QRC survey of CEOs found 91 per cent of CEOs are planning further automation activities, just over a third are implementing artificial intelligence and almost 10 per cent are taking the next step to use augmented reality technologies. 
 
“The skills students from Alexandra Hills State High School develop through the QMEA and through this Centre for Excellence in Automation and Robotics will put them in prime position to capitalise on these jobs of the future.
 
“I look forward to the completion of this outstanding facility.”

www.qrc.org.au

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TAE AEROSPACE will develop its Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility (TEMF) in Bundamba, South East Queensland, to support in-country sustainment of Australia’s fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike fighter jets.

The TEMF will enable deeper-level maintenance, where JSF F135 engine modules are disassembled, repaired and reassembled for testing, according to Minister for Defence, Christopher Pyne. 

“TAE Aerospace’s new facility will support maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) activities for not only Australian F135 engines but also engines from around the Asia Pacific region and the world,” Mr Pyne said.

“TAE Aerospace is 100 percent Australian-owned with 237 employees at several sites across Australia, with contracts to support Classic Hornet, Super Hornet, Growler and M1 Abram tank engines. 

“The addition of the F135 engine MRO&U activities will add a minimum of 15 aerospace technician jobs to its workforce and up to 85 additional jobs as part of the future F-35 Global Support Solution.”

The Australian Government has approved the acquisition of 72 F-35A JSF aircraft to replace the current fleet of 71 ageing F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets. 

“The global F-35 Program has had a positive impact on Australia’s growing defence industry, which has collectively been awarded in excess of $1 billion in production contracts and will support up to 5000 Australian jobs by 2023,” Mr Pyne said.

www.defence.gov.au

www.defence.gov.au/casg/AboutCASG/OurStructure/Air/JointStrikeFighterDivision/

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THE NSW Office of Responsible Gambling is looking for the best and brightest minds to help understand gambling-related problems and develop innovative solutions.

Prevention, innovation and technology grants are available for projects that develop innovative initiatives to promote responsible gambling and/or reduce gambling harm.

The Office welcomes proposals or projects that will relate to people living in NSW from organisations or individuals across Australia and internationally.

Submissions open from Tuesday 29 January and close on Tuesday 26 February.
 
Find out more about this grants program. 

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THE Australian Parliament’s Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee will be holding public hearings in Sydney on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 and Melbourne on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, as part of its Inquiry into Sleep Health Awareness in Australia.

The Committee chair, Trent Zimmerman MP, said that "sleep is a fundamental biological need, and along with a good diet and physical exercise, sleep is the third pillar of a healthy lifestyle".

"Increasingly, Australians are balancing their work, family, and social commitments by cutting back on sleep," he said. "We know as many as 40 percent of Australian adults are not regularly getting enough sleep. And it is not just adults, for young people spending increased time on the internet, playing digital games, and social networking can come at the expense of sleep.

"In the short-term the consequences of insufficient sleep includes: decreased work or school performance and an increased risk of road accidents. Over the longer term, insufficient sleep has wide ranging health effects including: increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and dementia," Mr Zimmerman said. 

Further information about the inquiry is available on the Committee's website.  

PUBLIC HEARING DETAILS:

SYDNEY: 9am to 2.45pm, Tuesday, 5 February 2019, Macquarie Room, Parliament of NSW

MELBOURNE: 9.30am to 3.15pm, Wednesday, 6 February 2019, Ground Floor, 55 St Andrews Place

The hearings will be broadcast live at www.aph.gov.au/live.

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SMALL BUSINESSES in the building and construction industry will benefit from the Federal Government’s decision to extend the instant asset tax write off scheme, according to Master Builders Australia.

Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said, “Master Builders are strong supporters of this measure because it boosts our member’s business success. There are more than 370,000 small business builders who will be winners from this initiative.

“The increase in the small business tax write off scheme to $25,000 and its extension till 2020 is good news for builders around the country but we continue to call for it to be made a permanent fixture.

“This decision is a sign that the Government is listening to industry on what is needed to support small business,” Ms Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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QUEENSLAND Resources Council CEO Ian Macfarlane has released a supportive statement on high job application numbers to work at the Adani Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin.

"It's not surprising that almost 14,500 people have expressed interest in working on the Adani mining project," Mr Macfarlane said.

"The resources sector is a strong and steady employer of Queenslanders, despite the fact that Queensland's unemployment rate is among the highest in Australia.  

"Over the past 12 months, the resources industry has added more than 10,000 extra jobs. Its continued strength is essential to our state.

"Resources jobs underpin the economy of South East Queensland, but importantly, they also drive the economies of Central and North Queensland too. 

"The resources sector is primed to keep investing and keep employing, especially given the global demand for our commodities including thermal coal, met coal, bauxite and zinc.

"It is essential that we have the right processes in place to ensure the resources sector can continue to support the Queensland economy, and that Queensland maintains its reputation as a stable place to invest.

"All projects should be given a fair go and treated on their merits, with consistent rules and regulations," Mr Macfarlane said.

"The Adani Carmichael project has undergone stringent state and federal assessment processes over the last eight years.

"The QRC urges the Palaszczuk Government to complete the final assessment in a timely and transparent manner.

"There should be no unnecessary hurdles or delays. Queenslanders' jobs are depending on it."

www.qrc.org.au

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THE Joint Intelligence and Security Committee will hold a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow as part of its review of the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Strengthening the Citizenship Loss Provisions) Bill 2018.

The Committee will hear from a range of submitters including the Law Council, Australian Human Rights Commission and the Department of Home Affairs.

Committee chair Andrew Hastie MP said that the Committee looks forward to hearing from the Human Rights Commission and the Law Council.

“Input from these organisations will greatly assist the Committee in preparing its report on the Citizenship Loss Bill before it,” Mr Hastie said.

The Australian Citizenship Amendment (Strengthening the Citizenship Loss Provisions) Bill 2018 was introduced in the House of Representatives in November of 2018. 

Public hearing details: 9am to 2.30pm, Wednesday 30 January, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

More information about the inquiry, including a full list of witnesses and submissions received to date, can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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