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Joint Media Release with:

The Hon Martin Ferguson MP
Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Tourism

The Hon Gary Gray AO MP
Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia

The Rudd Government’s National Resource Sector Employment taskforce will meet for the first time in Canberra today to set the framework for how it will help secure skilled workers for about 80 major job-generating projects during the next decade.

The Taskforce, which will help to secure up to 70,000 skilled workers nationally, will be chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia, Gary Gray, and will report to Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson and Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib.

The Taskforce is charged with developing a comprehensive workforce plan to assess skill needs and deliver the large number of skilled workers required in the resources sector over the next decade.

The Taskforce will examine:

• projects coming on line over the next 5 years, including the location, type and number of jobs;
• the skills needed, building on industry skills surveys already undertaken and state skill plans;
• existing education and training programs; and
• current industry initiatives to address labour and skill requirements.

One of the first projects the Taskforce will consider is the Gorgon LNG Project in Western Australia, which at its peak will create about 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The Gorgon Project is just one of about 80 planned or approved projects nationally which could see demand for skilled labour in the resource sector increase by up to 70 per cent.

“If all of the proposed projects proceed there could be as many as 70,000 construction jobs and 16,000 ongoing positions generated by 2020,” Mr Ferguson said.

“We want to maximise participation on these projects and avoid the skills shortages of the past.

“So the Taskforce will work with the resources industry, state and territory governments and education and training providers to develop a workforce plan that delivers skilled labour to meet project construction and timetables.”

Senator Arbib said with so many significant projects a broad strategy was essential.

“By taking a national approach we will look to get training underway as early as possible so that the skills required by the Gorgon Project and other major resource projects are available when and where they are needed,” Senator Arbib said.

“We know that as the economy begins to recover after the global recession that skills may become an issue, particularly in areas where a number of major projects will be under construction at the same time.” 

Mr Gray said the mining and resources industry was a key part of Australia’s economy.

“The taskforce will work on an employment plan to ensure the sector remains strong as it grows over the next decade,” Mr Gray said.

Taskforce members are:

Industry Reference Group members:

Skills Reference Group members:

Media Contact:

media@deewr.gov.au

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