The Queensland Renewable Energy Council (QREC) has urged the Australian Government to treat energy infrastructure in Northern Australia as a matter of national economic security, regional prosperity and industrial competitiveness.
In its submission to the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee inquiry into emerging industries in Northern Australia, QREC said north Queensland sits at the frontline of Australia’s opportunity to build new export industries, strengthen sovereign capability and power the next generation of critical minerals, manufacturing and defence supply chains.
QREC Chief Executive Katie-Anne Mulder said reliable, affordable and sustainable energy was the single biggest enabler of that future.
“If the power is not there, investment will not come,” Ms Mulder said.
“Energy security is economic security. Every decision about mining, processing, manufacturing or new industry starts with whether long-term, firm power can be delivered at a competitive price.”
“Queensland has long been the powerhouse of the National Electricity Market, exporting south more than three-quarters of the time. But ageing assets, rising demand, electrification of industry and rapid population growth mean new generation, storage and transmission must now be delivered at unprecedented speed and scale.”
Ms Mulder said projects such as CopperString transmission network project in north and north-west Queensland would be catalytic – connecting world-class renewable resources to industrial centres, lowering system costs and opening entirely new economic corridors across the north and north-west.
“Energy investment alone will not be enough. Vulnerable roads and bridges, workforce shortages and lack of coordination between levels of government risk slowing projects that are nationally significant.”
“A wind farm, a transmission line or a minerals refinery project cannot be built if heavy equipment cannot cross a bridge. Transport infrastructure is fundamental to it.”
QREC has called for a dedicated Federal–State taskforce focused on enabling infrastructure in Northern Queensland, alongside shared funding arrangements to upgrade priority freight routes tied to energy and resources development.
The Council also wants reforms to ensure first-mover proponents in new industrial zones are not forced to carry disproportionate upfront transmission and substation costs that ultimately benefit multiple future users.
“Workforce development is another urgent priority. Renewable energy, critical minerals and advanced industry require trades, engineers, operators and professionals who can live and work in regional communities over decades.”
“We have the resources, the land and the expertise. With the right policy settings, we can secure decades of prosperity for regional Queensland and for the nation,” she said.