It is a great honour to contribute my first article to @ The Coalface as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Resources Council.
I’m a born and bred Queenslander who’s proudly worked in the resources sector for more than 25 years, including with a coal company with mines in our world-famous Bowen Basin.
During this time, I saw first-hand the important role the QRC plays in promoting the resources sector and working with all levels of government to ensure our industry can continue to provide the jobs and economic benefits that underpin Queensland’s prosperity.
This year my focus will be on promoting the importance of the resources sector to the wider Queensland community in terms of its economic contribution and the essential role it will play in supporting the global energy transition over coming decades.
The QRC will continue working to secure the right policies and regulations that will increase the competitiveness of Queensland’s resources sector.
I’m looking forward to travelling to some of our great resources regions over the next few months to meet with members and other stakeholders involved in our industry.
The QRC team will hold Resources Roundup events in Roma, Emerald, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton to create networking opportunities for our members with local business, industry, community and government representatives.
The QRC looks forward to releasing its latest quarterly State of the Sector report this month which gauges industry sentiment by surveying QRC member company CEOs about their outlook for the year ahead.
The survey covers issues important to the sector, including CEOs’ expectations on whether demand for their commodities will increase in coming years. Queensland’s steelmaking and thermal coal will continue to help build the infrastructure and supply the energy needs of our trading partners for many years to come.
On a different note, March is an important month for the QRC and our members when we host one of our signature annual events in conjunction with Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ).
The QRC/WIMARQ Resources Awards for Women is one of Queensland’s biggest International Women’s Day events which celebrates the outstanding contribution and achievements of women working in our sector.
Congratulations to all finalists and thank you to everyone who submitted an application or nomination. Your achievements are helping to inspire more women to consider a career path in the resources sector.
Janette Hewson, CEO, Queensland Resources Council