Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
The Honourable Andrew Cripps
Mines Minister tours Moranbah and Mackay
Natural Resources and Mines Minister, Andrew Cripps has completed a tour of the mineral-rich Moranbah area, his first with the responsibility for the Mines portfolio.
Mr Cripps visited the coal mining region hosted by industry body, the Queensland Resources Council.
“I was pleased to see the significant efforts by mining companies to give back to the local community in Moranbah,” Mr Cripps said.
“We hear claims about the impact of the mining boom on regional towns, but those concerns need to be balanced against a recognition that there are also many positive aspects that resource projects bring to the regions.”
Mr Cripps visited BMA’s Goonyella-Riverside mining operation outside Moranbah in the Bowen Basin.
“I had the opportunity to see affordable housing projects, new employee accommodation, a new airport, contributions to local road maintenance and even the new state of the art aquatic facility in Moranbah, all built with signifi cant funding from the local mining operator.
“Right across Queensland’s mining communities we see examples of resource companies making similar contributions, which I welcome and applaud.
“The Newman Government has an expectation that mining companies will be good corporate citizens and work hard to meet their social obligations within their local communities. The Newman Government will also play its part by delivering on its commitments through the Royalties for the Regions programs.”
Minister Cripps also visited QR National’s Jilalan rail complex near Sarina and the Hay Point – Dalrymple Bay coal port facilities to complete his first ‘pit to port’ tour of Queensland’s resources sector.
“I thank QR National and the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation for their cooperation in providing me with an opportunity to inspect their operations and assets that deliver a large volume of Queensland resource exports to the world,” he said.
“This supply chain generates a lot of wealth for Queensland, and it is essential that it is efficient and reliable so that it can continue to support the tens of thousands of jobs the resources sector has created across the state.
“The challenge for the State Government and for the resources sector is to continue to increase the capacity of our export ports and maintain a strong supply chain to meet the growing demand of international customers who depend on Queensland as a reliable supplier of coal.”
