AMPLA Needs You

From the Chair and Executive Director

AMPLA needs your support. Despite numerous efforts to arrest the decline in growth over the past few years, AMPLA continues to experience difficulty in its ability to generate revenue. Our membership revenue and conference attendance have not met our business plan for the last two years. COVID has certainly impacted our ability to host face to face events and resulted in the cancellation of the flagship annual conference. However, the underlying struggle AMPLA faces is not solely linked to COVID – in other words, unless major changes are made our revenue base will continue to decline. After 40+ years of existence AMPLA must now face the fact that it has to change its approach and the services and value it offers to build its membership numbers and increase its capacity to generate revenue.

The states boost the energy and resources sector

This year will be remembered for the many challenges that it brought to both individuals and industry. As Australia starts to return to some normality, many states are looking to boost industry, increase jobs and innovate for the future. In this article, we look at various state initiatives designed to boost the energy and resources sector.

ARELJ - Case Note - Australian Offshore Petroleum Regulation: Defining and Protecting the National Interest

The low emissions technology investment roadmap

On 22 September, the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction released the first Low Emissions Technology Statement (the Technology Statement). The document clearly shows the Government is moving away from subsidising wind and solar as the technology matures, and looks to support new and emerging technologies that will lower emissions in Australia. According to the Minister, the Technology Statement also focuses on reducing cost and creating jobs. 

Key risks for the industry in 2021

As 2020 draws to a close, industry is looking to the year ahead. EY's 2021 report on the risks in mining and metals reflects the turbulent changes of the past year. Volatility is new to the list, while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to inform the way industry leaders are approaching established risks around climate and license to operate.

Government support for a gas-led COVID-19 recovery

Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced a gas-led recovery to the economic recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. A key part of the government’s JobMaker plan, the government expects the industry to create over 4,000 jobs.

Climate change action is being driven by business and industry

While everyone’s focus in recent months has been on the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change was top of everyone’s mind when the year began with bushfires ravaging Australia. The pandemic has seen individuals and organisations assess their ideologies and perspectives on a range of topics, climate change being one of them. It now seems that climate change is back on everyone’s agenda and none more so than business and industry.

ARELJ - Recent Development - Principles for Exploration and Extraction Rights

ARELJ - Case Note - Financial Consequences of the Dismissal of a Native Title Claim

What is concerning mining and metals industry executives today?

Recent surveys conducted in the mining and metals industry sector indicate that climate change, price volatility and the risk of a global depression are the top concerns for executives.

The KMPG Mining Risk Forecast 2020/21 Report nominates climate change and price risks as top-of-mind for executives while a mid-year survey by White & Case found that the fear of a global recession was the most common concern amongst those surveyed. It’s worth noting that the KMPG survey was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concerns raised have ongoing relevance both now and into the future.