Australia's future prosperity depends on our ability to innovate and create the jobs of tomorrow.
In an increasingly uncertain world – marked by trade disputes, political power struggles and rapid technological change – Australia needs an economy that is resilient and secure.
Built to last.
An economy that can absorb the shocks and changes that will inevitably come our way.
No industry is better placed to deliver on that crucial challenge than mining.
Mining is more than rocks dug out of the ground.
It's more than the nation-building export revenue it creates.
It is more than the government budgets it underpins.
It is one of the nation's most powerful engines of innovation.
With its skilled workforce, world-class research institutions, advanced infrastructure, and proven record in adopting new technologies, automation and AI, mining has the scale to turn ideas into reality.
To see solutions where obstacles appear.
But to Australia's enormous advantage, when innovation happens in mining, it doesn't stop
there; it spills into other industries, lifting productivity right across the economy.
The drones, sensors and GPS systems refined in mining are now helping farmers grow more food with less water. The remote-control systems built to keep miners safe underground are being taken up by defence to protect our troops and borders.
Driverless trucks and trains that once hauled ore are setting the standard for the future of freight and logistics.
The same high-tech monitoring and maintenance systems that keep mines running around the clock are cutting downtime and costs in factories.
And the industry's investment in cleaner energy, battery storage and low-emissions technology is showing other sectors how to cut carbon without cutting competitiveness.
It all starts with mining.
This is why the mining industry's labour productivity is three and half times greater than the next most productive industries.
I may be a touch biased in my view, but it is such an exciting time to be in mining.
Yes, there are pressures weighing on the industry and holding back its full potential.
Mining contributes a third of all company taxes in Australia.
To protect that vital contribution, we need policies that enhance mining.
That means lower energy prices, no new taxes on mining and faster approvals.
And yes, the ups and downs of the commodity cycle can shake confidence and test resolve.
We've been through it all.
But we haven't stopped. We haven't settled. We continue to invest and create new jobs.
We continue to innovate and push the limits of what can be achieved.
Because we know mining is not yesterday's story, it's tomorrow's strength.
Mining will continue to drive change and build the prosperous future Australians deserve,
creating the innovative, high-paid, high-tech jobs of the future.
And the benefits don't stop in regional Australia.
What begins in mining towns and regions always flows into our suburbs and cities.
Your local hospital, your kids' school, that life-affirming NDIS facility, the rail line that gets you to work or the tunnel that eases your commute – they might sit far from an open-cut mine, but from raw materials to revenue, mining is so often the source that made them possible.
It's certainly not a case of the regions missing out. Quite the opposite.
Mining has created jobs in the bush, built the roads and rail that connect communities, and funded the projects that bring people together.
But now, as a new era of innovation takes hold, the benefits for regional Australia will only grow stronger.
The building of shared infrastructure – rail, roads, airports, ports, and energy – will attract more investment, more projects, and more opportunities to the bush, while enhancing national security.
Because what mining builds in remote and regional Australia, will be pivotal in reinforcing our national security and extending the capability of our defence.
And of course, mining's role in supplying bulk commodities, critical minerals and advanced technologies to the world will not only secure our nation's future, but ensure regional Australia shares in the jobs, investment, and long-term prosperity that flow from it.
It all starts with mining.
Tania Constable is the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Council of Australia
