AUSTRALIA’S minerals industry associations have gone on the offensive, with the 2007 Federal election drawing near.
The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) have recently released policy recommendations, calling for economic reform, infrastructure capacity building, and investment in the minerals industry.
“A new wave of economic reform, social and physical infrastructure capacity building, and renewed commitment to sustainable development is essential if Australians are to benefit from the best opportunities in the minerals industry in a generation,” Minerals Council chief executive Mitch Hooke told the MCA’s 2007 Sustainable Development Conference.
QRC chief executive Michael Roche announced the QRC Federal election agenda at the recent North Queensland Economic Development Conference.
Roche called on the next Federal Government to make policy changes to realise the full potential of North West Queensland as a minerals and energy powerhouse, and invest in much needed infrastructure for the industry.
“While strong commodity prices and exploration to identify additional mineable resources are seeing mines lives extended, the problem for Australia — and particularly the North West- is that we are living off mineral discoveries made 15 or more years ago,” Roche said.
Click here to view QRC chief executive Michael Roche’s Federal election agenda.
Click here to view the Minerals Council of Australia sustainable development and economic reform announcement.
Key contacts:
Minerals Council of Australia
info@minerals.org.au
www.minerals.org.au
Queensland Resources Council
staff@qrc.org.au
www.qrc.org.au