APPEA CEO delivers speech at Regions Rising National Summit

APPEA chief executive Andrew McConville delivered a speech at the 2021 Regions Rising National Summit in Canberra today to discuss the important relationship between regional communities and the oil and gas industry.

The summit, organised by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) and sponsored by APPEA, is the flagship event of RAI’s Regions Rising event series, providing ample discussion opportunities between community members, government, and industry representatives.

In a 15-minute speech, Mr McConville discussed ways in which the industry can work to future-proof the many regional employment opportunities provided by Australia’s oil and gas sector, providing key statistics such as the industry’s $679 million contribution in 2019-20 to Western Australian state royalties; $3.8 billion on Queensland goods and services in the same period; and more than 1,000 contracts and purchase orders with Northern Territory businesses.

He also discussed the importance of the Australian Government’s plans for a gas-fired recovery as an important first step in kickstarting the necessary investment required for new projects, including the development of gas basins in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia that could boost regional communities.

Mr McConville then expanded on this point with the identification of four key policy actions to fact-track recovery and stimulate regional growth, including fiscal settings; streamlining red and green regulation; encouraging exploration; and allowing markets to work.

Other points raised by Mr McConville included the importance of increased support for responsible onshore development, and the role technology can play in ensuring oil and gas remains a key part of a cleaner energy future, such as the continued commercialisation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen systems.

The Australian oil and gas industry couldn’t function as effectively as it does without the support of regional Australians. The regional communities in which most of the nation’s companies operate are what enables the nation’s oil and gas industry to thrive. Likewise, many of the 80,000 workers who find themselves employed by the industry both directly and indirectly today call the regions home.

APPEA is proud to support regional Australians through events such as Regions Rising. For more information about the event, click here.