Membership renewals open for 2024 - Click here

National plan for Australia's resources sector

National plan for Australia's resources sector

Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan today welcomed a report aimed at making Australia the best resources nation in the world.

The report is the first long-term plan for Australia's resources sector for 20 years.

The report was authored by the Resources 2030 Taskforce, chaired by Andrew Cripps, a former Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines. The taskforce panel comprised representatives from business, academia, government and the community.

  • Andrew Cripps, former Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines (Chair)
  • Mike Henry, President Operations, Minerals Australia, BHP
  • Cr Joyce McCulloch, Mayor, Mount Isa City Council
  • Dr Chris Pigram, former CEO of Geoscience Australia
  • Will Robinson, Managing Director, Encounter Resources Limited
  • Erica Smyth AC, Chair, Advisory Board, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority
  • Paul Flynn, CEO and Managing Director, Whitehaven Coal
  • Professor Marcia Langton, Foundation Chair, Australian Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Adrienne Rourke, General Manager, Resource Industry Network
  • Professor Stephen Smith, Professor of International Law, University of Western Australia.

Minister Canavan said the report highlighted the mining sector’s importance to the national economy and its contribution to Australia’s high living standards.

“The mining sector is more important to the livelihoods of Australians than it has ever been,” Minister Canavan said.

“Our resources sector accounts for more than half our exports, resources employment is more than double what it was before the mining boom and, most importantly, the share of indigenous employment in resources is higher than in any other industry.

“More than one million Australians owe their jobs to the strength of our resources sector and more than half of these jobs are outside our capital cities.

“The future opportunities for Australian resource jobs remain bright. There is significant growth projected for all of our resource commodity exports, like coal, iron ore and gas. And, demand for the minerals that drive modern technologies, like lithium, rare earths, nickel and cobalt, is surging. Australia produces 10 of the 16 minerals that are needed to make a solar panel.

“The mining boom is not over,” Minister Canavan said. “However, the taskforce's report shows that future opportunities will not fall into our lap. We cannot let complacency turn into missed opportunity. I welcome the report's recommendations to re-invest in Australia's reputation as a stable investment destination.

More information about the Resources 2030 Taskforce, including its report, is at https://industry.gov.au/resources2030taskforce