About the plan
Queensland’s resources industry has underpinned our state’s economic development and prosperity for more than a century. Our metals, minerals, coal and gas industries have helped define our state and are part of Queensland’s identity at home and abroad.
Every Queenslander benefits from our resources industry. Mining supports around 77,000 jobs, mainly in regional Queensland, and royalties from mining companies help pay for services like schools, hospitals and roads throughout the state.
We want these benefits to continue. But the world is changing; global economies are rapidly decarbonising their energy industries and investments, and they increasingly need minerals and metals to develop low-emission technologies.
Queensland’s resources industry must also respond to a number of other emerging trends, such as growing investor and customer expectations regarding the industry’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, and the disruption caused by increased automation.
These trends create great challenges for the resources industry, but they present even greater opportunities for transformation. For example, Queensland is well placed to provide the critical minerals the world needs to meet global emissions reduction targets.
Developed together with industry and communities across our state, the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan is our shared response to these challenges and opportunities.
Our vision
The plan sets out a clear 30-year vision for Queensland's resources industry: to be a resilient, responsible and sustainable resources industry that grows as it transforms.
Government and industry will need to work cooperatively so that, by 2050, Queensland’s resources industry will be recognised globally as an ESG leader, a global supplier of critical minerals, and a creator of high-quality, high-wage jobs and careers.
The plan outlines global challenges and changes facing the resources industry, opportunities for industry growth and diversification, and the collaboration and commitments required by government and industry in order to achieve this vision.
Our focus
The plan identifies 6 key focus areas where government and industry need to take action.
- Grow and diversify the industry.
- Strengthen our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credentials and protect the environment.
- Foster coexistence and sustainable communities.
- Ensure strong and genuine First Nations partnerships.
- Build a safe and resilient future workforce.
- Improve regulatory efficiency.
How we developed the plan
To ensure we got the plan right, we undertook extensive consultation with our stakeholders.
We travelled across the state and spoke with Queenslanders who will be directly affected by the plan. Throughout May and June 2021 we held in-person workshops in resource communities including Mount Isa, Chinchilla, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Moranbah, and an online workshop.
In November 2021, we released the draft Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan (PDF, 11.0MB) for public consultation. Between November 2021 and February 2022, further in-person and online workshops were held in Townsville, Cloncurry, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Gladstone, Bundaberg and Emerald.
These workshops provided an opportunity for the resources industry, First Nations people, community members and landholders to share their thoughts on topics such as the resources supply chain, coexistence, automation, and skills needed for the future.
Alongside the workshops we also encouraged people to submit their thoughts and ideas online, by joining online discussions, voting in a poll, completing a survey, uploading submissions or providing feedback through our social media channels.
We gathered highly valuable insights and feedback through this consultation process, and this has helped inform the content and actions in the final plan.
How we will track our progress
The actions in the plan will be reviewed regularly so we can respond to emerging industry and community needs. View the status of each action.
A Ministerial Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan Advisory Group has been established to ensure progress is shared and so emerging policy and reforms continue to be developed in collaboration with industry and community.