Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McDonald for her question. Like me, she understands the huge importance of the resources sector to her home state of Queensland as well as my home state of South Australia.

We on this side of the chamber are absolutely committed to the stable management of the resources sector, which is booming. It is generating record profits, record exports and record royalties and it is paying record taxes. Most importantly it is generating jobs in rural and regional Australia. The resources sector accounts for about eight per cent of Australia's GDP and 59 per cent of our export earnings—$279 billion in 2018-19, $77 billion in iron ore and $50 billion in LNG exports.

But guess what. There are 245,000 Australians employed in the resources sector. That's two per cent of our workforce—absolutely extraordinary. It's one of the fastest-growing employers in Australia. There are 94,000 more people working in the mining and resources sector today than in 2005. Many of these jobs are highly skilled. They are highly-skilled jobs and they are in rural and regional Australia. It is our resources sector that enables us to sustain this level of workforce outside of our capital cities.

To ensure this is continued, to maintain our resources sector and to maintain something that is the backbone of our regional communities, the Australian government is absolutely committed to further investment in ensuring that our resources sector continues to go from strength to strength. Whether it be removing red tape or supporting our workforce, we are behind our resources sector.