Billion-dollar plans to grow Keppel’s resources sector
Posted on November 10th, 2020
The Queensland Government is driving growth in the Central Queensland resources sector through its partnership with the Queensland Resources Council in the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan.
The plan aims to increase the sector’s economic contribution across the state, including in the electorate of Keppel.
In 2015-16, Brittany Lauga’s first year as Member for Keppel, the sector contributed $543 million and sustained 4057 full-time equivalent jobs.
This increased to $821 million and 4814 full time equivalent jobs in 2018-19.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane, who met with Ms Lauga in Brisbane last week, said resources now contributed $973 million to the Keppel electorate in economic activity, sustained 5660 direct and indirect jobs, and supported 216 local businesses and 14 community organisations.
“The Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan that Treasurer Cameron Dick and I announced before the election has comprehensive terms of reference, including targets for growth,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“A good target for Keppel would be to increase the contribution of the resources sector to more than $1 billion in that region next financial year.”
Mr Macfarlane said the resources sector’s economic contribution had increased significantly in Keppel over the past five years.
Ms Lauga said Queensland’s explorers were given another five months rent-free by the Queensland Government to keep them in the hunt for the next round of resources projects and jobs.
“Queensland’s economic strategy for recovery is built on our traditional strengths like resources,” she said.
“Supporting exploration now is fundamental to the survival, and revival, of our explorers, and maintaining ongoing investment and jobs into the future.”
Ms Lauga said the rent relief, along with an extra $10 million over four years in exploration grants, would feed Queensland’s strong pipeline of exploration projects.
“This support is to help explorers discover new economy minerals and support future jobs in Queensland’s resources sector,” she said.
“Exploration is essential for the post-COVID recovery for Queensland and to help us to keep up with the soaring global demand for critical minerals.” Overall, the Queensland Government has committed $8 billion towards Queensland’s economic recovery plan.
Link to QRC Media Release: QRC ready to work with Government, new Minister, to help Qld recover from COVID
