Foreword
Foreword by Martin Ferguson, Federal Minister for Resources and Energy & Minister for Tourism
Pipelines are essential to our standard of living. They have a wide range of critical roles in the delivery of energy and water, providing the arteries for industrial processes, and transporting products and wastes. However, few sectors in Australia have prospects as exciting as the gas industry. We are in a golden age of gas, and those in the pipeline industry can look forward to much opportunity and a dynamic future.
Even though approximately $4 billion has been invested in, or committed to, new transmission pipelines over the past decade, investment is increasing which will drive the industry’s continued growth. Within 20 years, one third of Australia’s electricity may come from gas-fired generation. The demand from overseas will be bigger still, as Australia works towards being the world’s second largest exporter of LNG. Our pipeline industry will be front and centre in facilitating this development.
The growth of the gas industry will create thousands of jobs for Australians. Queensland’s coal seam gas industry alone may call for as many as 18,000 jobs.
It’s job creation on a massive scale. Indeed, a future challenge for the pipeline industry is meeting workforce needs – investment in training and skills is essential. New apprenticeships and other training measures from the Australian Government will assist the industry in addressing this demand.
The Federal Government is working to help Australian businesses access opportunities through the $34 million Buy Australian at Home and Abroad initiative. This aims to encourage better links between the resources sector and capable Australian firms, by adding greater transparency on the opportunities on offer in major projects.
At the same time, it is important to continue to unlock the benefits of streamlined regulation, competition and transparency within our energy markets. The National Gas Law and other reform initiatives have provided a step towards greater levels of market efficiency to enable better informed investment and risk management decisions. It’s still early days, but these reforms are important in preparing the industry for the times ahead.
As we look to new opportunities and challenges, it’s important that public policy settings remain relevant. As the Australian Government develops its Energy White Paper, I encourage your continued input to our thinking about the forward policy agenda.
Overall, the Australian pipeline industry is well placed to maintain the important role it plays in our economy, and can look forward to a bright future.
Martin Ferguson AM MP
Federal Minister for Resources and Energy
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