New growth centre fires up mining technology sector

A new $20 million growth centre in Brisbane will help Queensland’s mining equipment, technology and services sector commercialise and export its bright ideas to the world.

State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham today welcomed the news that the Commonwealth Government had chosen Queensland as the location for the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) Industry Growth Centre.

“This is great news for our METS sector and our mining industry, and why the Palaszczuk Government committed $6 million over four years to attract the centre to Queensland,” he said.

“Having the centre here gives us access to millions of dollars of research and development funding to develop and commercialise ideas from our METS sector and in our universities.

“This is about creating new business and export opportunities and jobs in an area where we already have a global reputation and international markets.

“The growth centre dovetails with our $180 million Advance Queensland strategy designed to create the knowledge-based jobs of the future, drive productivity improvements and build on our natural advantages.”

The METS Industry Growth Centre will be one of five centres established as part of the Commonwealth Government’s Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.

The Commonwealth will provide $3.5 million per year over four years to support the operation of the METS Industry Growth Centre in Queensland.

The State Government will provide $6 million plus staffing support to the centre, based at the QUT’s Gardens Point campus.

Queensland has more than 400 operating METS companies, more than any other state, employing about 60,000 people. Over half of these companies already export and the sector’s gross revenue is worth more than $21 billion.

Dr Lynham said the centre would fuel collaboration already underway within the state’s existing mining clusters.

“We already have CRC Mining, CRC ORE, and CSIRO Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies, more than 200 mining companies and more than a dozen industry associations and universities collaborating to develop better mining technology,” he said.

“The new growth centre will work with researchers and industry to find solutions to the mining industry’s challenges, including reducing production costs and innovative approaches to mine site rehabilitation.

“Those solutions represent potential new export products and services to expand Queensland’s already substantial METS product range.”

The METS Industry Growth Centre will focus on four key areas:

• reducing regulatory burden
• increasing collaboration and commercialisation
• improving international engagement capabilities and
• enhancing management and workforce skills.

ENDS                         28 October, 2015

Media inquiries:        Jan Martin     0439 341 314