Government investment and support

The Queensland Government is committed to investing and supporting the critical minerals industry by providing the investment needed to propel our economy, infrastructure and people into the future.

Stable government and economy

Australia’s federal and state governments are stable and reliable, and encourage foreign investment.

In 2022, Australia had the 12th-largest economy in the world, and despite global economic uncertainty, is still predicted to experience economic growth this year.

Over the past 2 decades, Queensland’s economic growth has generally exceeded the national average. Meaning investors can benefit from being part of a strong economy with growing employment and strong business conditions.

Queensland’s governments also have a long record of infrastructure investment, resulting in a strong network of well developed infrastructure. From major ports and airports to highways and rail networks, Queensland has the infrastructure in place to support future investment.

To accelerate the momentum building in our economy, the Queensland Government partners with the private sector on significant projects. By facilitating new investment, the government is creating a new generation of highly skilled jobs, supporting industry development and driving the clean energy transformation.

The Queensland Government’s suite of investment programs includes the $520 million Invested in Queensland programs and $100 million Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund that are available to investor across a range of priority industry sectors.

Industry facilitation offices

We have teams that are dedicated to expanding Queensland's business and investment opportunities around the world.

Critical Minerals Queensland (CMQ) facilitates progress and unlocks potential to accelerate the critical minerals industry in Queensland. Based in Townsville, it is a central point for industry, investors and the community to engage with the Queensland Government about critical minerals.
Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) is the Queensland Government’s dedicated global business agency, with representatives in 21 locations across the world. TIQ provides a range of business and investment services including sharing detailed industry knowledge, preparing business cases, arranging site visits, facilitating introductions to industry and service providers, liaising with government, and providing market intelligence. TIQ can also support you in identifying projects ready for investment.

Plans to secure the future

We want to ensure our resources industry continues to thrive over the coming decades, as demonstrated by our investment in jobs and infrastructure.

The Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan is a 30-year plan to grow and diversify the resources industry, with over 40 actions and $68.5 million of committed funding.
The Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy builds on the QRIDP, bringing clear focus to the development of a critical minerals sector. The Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy will oversee $315 million of investment into growing Queensland’s critical mineral sector.
The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is a $62 billion commitment that will transform Queensland’s energy system to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy.
The Queensland Battery Industry Strategy outlines actions that will target $570 million in investment to advance Queensland’s capabilities in the mining and refining of battery minerals and the production of advanced battery materials.
North Queensland's common user facility is a $75 million facility to help explorers and miners get their products into the market faster.

Skilled and growing workforce

Queensland’s resources industry already employs around 77,000 people, and will continue to be a profession of choice for decades to come.

Queensland’s unrivalled culture and lifestyle will ensure that access to skilled workers will continue to grow in line with population growth predictions. In 2023, Queensland’s population was estimated at almost 5.5 million people. By 2030, the population is forecast to grow to more than 6 million people.

We are capitalising on the increasing population by growing the size, skills and adaptability of the state’s workforce. The Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032 will deliver innovative and practical solutions to ensure Queensland has a ready workforce to support growth, which is also supported by $1.2 billion in training, development and growth initiatives.

The large, skilled workforce is complemented by an advanced onshore mining equipment, technology and services industry, and an established services hub with professional and technical services spread right across the state.

Protected workforce

Worker safety and health must underpin all resource operations in Queensland, and the protection of workers must come before profit and productivity considerations.

The Queensland Government will continue to enforce its strong resources safety and health legislation to ensure the safety and health of all workers in the sector. The sector is regulated by Resources Safety and Health Queensland, an independent body that administers safety and health legislation for our resources industries.

Last updated: 20 June 2024
Last reviewed: 20 June 2024