The Queensland resources sector is eyeing streamlined approval processes after a new resources cabinet committee (RCC) was announced.
The establishment of the RCC is part of the new Queensland Government’s 100-day plan.
Queensland Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dale Last, who chairs the RCC, said it’s considering policies and initiatives to maintain and improve the competitiveness of Queensland’s resources sector and the value of its supply chain.
“The committee ensures a coordinated approach and open lines of communication going forward, giving resources companies certainty around their investment decisions,” Last said.
The RCC’s immediate priority is to streamline approval processes and reduce delays across the sector.
“The first task of the committee is to bring forward solutions that will reduce delays and improve approval time frames, including actions that will reduce process duplication, simplify and align notification processes, and improve consistency in assessment and administration of applications,” Last said.
The RCC will provide an update on its progress in February 2025.
“No longer will projects and opportunities languish for years without a decision. Industry, investors, and communities will be given certainty one way or another,” Last said.
“Under this government, Queensland is open for business, and we will lay out an ambitious long-term agenda which will see new and expanded mining opportunities across the state.
“We will never take for granted the abundance of our resources and the value the sector delivers to the Queensland economy, nor will we take for granted the more than 60,000 people who are directly employed in the sector.”
The RCC is composed of key Queensland Government Ministers, including Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, Treasurer David Janetzki, and Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell.
In the 2023–24 financial year, the resources sector contributed nearly 13 per cent to Queensland’s economy, further highlighting its importance.
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