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COVER

Reducing red tape that “bedevils”
new projects from getting off
the ground and a productivity
commission review into
regulations specifically for the
resource sector are among high
priorities for Federal Minister for
Resources and Northern Australia
Hon Matt Canavan in 2020.

“Also, a review of the Environmental
Law and Act at the federal level is also
planned, while it is really important that
we maintain our strength as an investment
destination,” Canavan told Paydirt in mid-
January.

“There has been a bit of hit to that
reputation in the last few years and we
have to make sure we get back onto
making sure we have robust environmental
laws and ones that don’t necessarily hold
up the beginning of major projects that can
create thousands of jobs for Australians.”

Also among the Government’s priorities;
opening up new resource basins for the
wider benefits of larger economic activity.
“A focus of mine is the Adani coal mine,
which opens up a new coal basin in central
Queensland for the first time in 50 years,”
Canavan said.
“There are couple of others that are
important to the west also like Browse
Basin; it is coming to crunch time for
decisions, and we are pushing the JV there
to proceed with that $30 billion project in
Western Australia.”

Canavan added that he was also excited
about the prospects for developing
Beetaloo Basin – potentially Australia’s
first ever shale gas basin – which could
demonstrate how crucial the shale gas
basin is to the renaissance of the factories.
“There’s no reason why we can’t tap that
here to support jobs not only in the mining
sector but also in factories and small
businesses right across Australia,” he
said.
The US has identified 35 critical minerals it needs reliable sources for uses
in new technology and defence, many of which Australia has in abundance

Page 26 FeBRUaRY 2020 aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT