Australia’s resources industries are the bedrock of our economy and touch just about every part of daily life.

But many people in our major cities, particularly on the East Coast, are unaware of how our resources industries support their jobs and their way of life.

Young people don’t automatically think of the resources sector when they are thinking of their future careers.

Since becoming Minister Resources in May 2022, I have been working with the sector to do more to promote the wider benefits and opportunities of our resources industries.

Of course this is much less of a problem here in Perth and across WA, where the scale and impact of our resources industries is more apparent.

But attracting the skills and talent to the industry remains a shared challenge for government and for industry.

Events such as the Resources Technology Showcase go a long way to help.

As Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to host the Government’s economic reform roundtable in Canberra, it will be here in WA — the engine room of our economy — that those discussions take practical effect right now, and into the future.

Our resources industries deserve praise for being one of the most productive parts of our economy, and for adopting world-class innovation that has helped the industry prosper while preserving jobs and strengthening workplace safety.

At roundtables I hosted in Perth in the lead-up to the economic reform roundtable in Canberra, one of the pressing issues for both employers and worker representatives in the resources industry was on workforce and skills planning.

Our industries need more workers, particularly skilled electricians and engineers. We need to do more to encourage new people into these vital industries. And we need to provide the conditions to keep those highly skilled workers in the industry.

One solution is to encourage more women into resources careers.

I’m encouraged by ongoing work to make the sector more attractive to female workers. But more needs to be done to ensure they remain safe and free of all forms of harassment and discrimination.

The Albanese Government has been responding to these challenges.

In our first term, we have introduced a National Skills Plan and National Skills Agreement, which is a $12.6 billion investment in making sure training systems are more responsive and accessible.

We have also introduced fee-free TAFE courses, that have supported more than 568,000 enrolments and which aims to fund 100,000 free TAFE and vocational education and training places each year from 2027.

The programs are supporting apprenticeships. Mining sector apprenticeships have increased significantly since pre-COVID levels, with overall apprenticeships in mining up by more than 20 per cent and trade apprenticeships in mining up by 70 per cent from June 2019 to June 2024.

For young people thinking about a career, just about every job imaginable can be found in the resources sector. Our resources industries directly employ more than 300,000 Australian men and women, and many times more than that indirectly through industries that supporting the sector.

Apart from engineers and geologists, the industry needs doctors, nurses, mechanics, drivers, pilots, chefs, accountants and even lawyers.

And increasingly, the industry needs computer programmers and novel thinkers.

Artificial intelligence and automation are also playing an increasingly larger role in Australia’s resources sector, which has embraced new technology to increase both productivity and safety.

Minerals are needed not just for buildings, cars, trucks and ships. They are also crucial for medical equipment and mobile phones, as well as electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels — all helping us to meet our net zero commitments.

Critical minerals and rare earths are also crucial for defence and security, and our sovereign capabilities. They will be essential for the development of AUKUS technology, which will happen right here in WA, in Rockingham and in Henderson.

The Resources Technology Showcase is an initiative that will help drive interest in the sector and ensure we can attract the next generation of skilled workers.

I can’t wait to take part. Checking out the displays at the RTS is one of the most important — and fun — parts of my jobs as the Resources Minister for Australia. I hope families take up the chance to go and see the amazing world of Australian resources technology, in the heart of Perth.

Published in The West Australian, 18 August 2025.