Mining contributed a record $455 billion in export revenue for Australia in the 2022-23 financial year, highlighting, once again the importance of the industry to the nation’s economy, government revenues and regional jobs.
Released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the figure represents two-thirds (66 per cent) of all export revenue for the nation and is a 10.5 per cent increase on 2021-22, which was the previous record year. The ABS figures also showed that coal (thermal and metallurgical) export revenue totalled $128 billion with a continued growth in coal exports of 11 per cent.
The industry’s significant contribution to the nation’s export earnings cannot be taken for granted.
The country can’t afford to miss the opportunity to attract a share of the US$180 billion per year in global mining investment over the next two decades needed to meet the world’s colossal energy transition.
The federal government’s Same Job, Same Pay proposed legislation would severely impact the Australian mining industry’s global competitiveness to attract this investment. This would be a major blow to our nation’s economy and future export revenue.
Instead of making the industry more competitive and attractive for investment, the federal government’s proposed legislation would be a handbrake on mining wages, investment and jobs growth.
Australia risks dealing itself out of trillion-dollar critical minerals markets unless it gets serious about addressing rising costs, declining productivity and increased policy risks.
Mining apprentices and trainees up 19 per cent.
Meanwhile, apprentices and trainees in the mining industry increased 19 percent in 2022, according to the latest data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). Overall, 7,689 apprentices and trainees joined the mining workforce in 2022.
Commencements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander apprentices and trainees in the industry also increased by 14 per cent, but the greatest increase was in the number of women commencing – a 26 per cent increase compared to 2021.
Apprenticeships and traineeships are an important pathway into the minerals industry, with high demand for qualified tradespeople in highly paid and secure jobs.
The mining industry has for decades invested in collaborative partnerships such as developing tailored work readiness, apprenticeship and traineeship, cadetship and recruitment pathways.
The growth in female apprentices and trainees reflects the industry’s commitment to increasing the representation of women across the workforce, a trend that must continue.
Apprentices gain skills for life and the demand for skilled workers is forecast to increase, with Australian mining investing billions in adopting the latest technology to improve safety, productivity and decarbonise.
While these figures are very encouraging, there is no guarantee that the industry will continue to employ more Australians, including new apprentices and trainees, if policy settings discourage new employment.
The federal government’s ‘Same Job, Same Pay’ proposed legislation would severely impact the Australian mining industry’s ability to employ more apprentices, due to the requirement to pay them the same as more experienced workers who are directly employed.
Instead of making the industry more competitive and attractive for investment, the federal government’s proposed legislation would be a handbrake on mining wages, investment and jobs growth.
Tania Constable
CEO, Minerals Council of Australia
