AREEA calls for regulatory red-tape cutting

A new forecast has warned of future growth risks in Australia’s mining and energy workforce, underpinned by weakening project pipelines and global competition for investment.

Resources and Energy Workforce Forecast: 2025–2030, released today by the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA), shows 96 major projects are expected to commence production between late 2025 and 2030 — valued at $129.5b.

These projects are forecast to create demand for 22,279 new operating phase jobs, lifting the national resources and energy workforce by just 7.1% by 2030 — the lowest five-year outlook in more than half a decade.

In May 2025, the Australian resources and energy industry directly employed 317,400 people, a solid rebound of 10.4% or nearly 30,000 employees from the dip in May 2024, which saw direct employment drop to 287,600 according to the report.

The report also shows Australia’s project pipeline continues to diversify beyond traditional strengths, with 21 other commodities projects, including alumina, graphite, phosphate and mineral sands, requiring about 3000 workers, alongside strong contributions from gold, copper and critical minerals.

Iron ore and coal both remain dependable growth drivers with eight projects requiring 3400 workers and seven projects requiring 3100 workers respectively.

AREEA chief executive Steve Knott says the forecast again underlines the sector’s critical contribution to the national economy but cautioned against poor policy choices.

“Iron ore, coal and gas remain the bedrock of our export earnings, taxes and royalties — without this sector, there would be no federal surpluses and no reliable funding for hospitals, schools, Medicare or aged care,” he said.

“Yet governments seem intent on burying the golden goose in regulatory red tape, lawfare and workplace relations experiments that make investors think twice about putting their money into Australian projects.

“Heightened climate activism, shifting policy settings, extended approval timelines and mounting red tape are all adding uncertainty to long-term planning and risk delaying critical developments.”

According to the report, energy sector investment remains healthy with 16 planned major projects valued at $78.6b and forecast to require 2854 new production related employees by 2030.