PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the appointment of Mike Kaiser as a new director-general to the Department of Resources
QRC CEO Ian Macfarlane said that the newly minted Department of Resources, and its predecessor the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, had worked closely with the QRC over many years to promote the sustainable and successful exploration and development of the state’s coal, metal and gas reserves.
“The QRC secured a commitment to work with the re-elected government to prepare and implement a Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan to ensure the contribution of the mining and gas industries to Queensland’s Covid-19 recovery and its economic growth beyond the pandemic is maximised,” he said.
“The QRC looks forward to working with the new director-general and his department to ensure this plan becomes a blueprint for the sector’s growth and Queensland’s recovery.
“The plan should be a blueprint for how Queensland strengthens its role in the global energy mix and contributes to the development of advanced manufacturing.”
Macfarlane also paid tribute to the department’s outgoing director-general James Purtill.
“The QRC has worked closely with James and his team on a range of issues impacting the resources sector.
“At no time has the strength of this partnership been closer and stronger than in the response to Covid-19, when the resources sector and the department worked tirelessly together to keep the men and women in our industry safe, and their families and communities safe.
“We did that while ensuring operations could continue to keep Queenslanders working and earning for Queensland.”