Off the Record: militant unionism returns to the red dirt battleground

Queensland to keep running on coal into 2050 The Queensland Government will build a new gas-fired power plant and continue operating coal-fired power plants into 2050, outlined in the state's energy roadmap released today. The roadmap outlines that coal will continue to underpin affordable and reliable energy supply to the state for as long as needed with gas emerging as a critical technology for system reliability. According to the roadmap, in 2025, there is about 8GW of coal-fired generation capacity owned and operated by...

Funding secures next generation resource workers The Queensland Government is investing $2m to expand its Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) education arm. The funding will establish a jobs pipeline for resource workers in regional hubs across central and north Queensland by increasing awareness and interest in energy and minerals career pathways. The expansion will take place over three years, with the first regional hub based in Mackay at the Resources Centre of Excellence. Rockhampton will follow in 2026 and Townsville in 2027. Queensland Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates says...

Fortescue backed pilot plant makes debut Sparc Hydrogen has launched a pilot plant using first of its kind green hydrogen reactor technology at the University of Adelaide in South Australia. The company is a joint venture between Fortescue (ASX: FMG), Sparc Technologies and the University of Adelaide founded to translate research conducted at the university. The Sparc Hydrogen Advanced Research Pilot (SHARP) is a test bed for photocatalytic water splitting (PWS), a process which harnesses solar to extract green hydrogen from water. The method, unlike traditional processes, does...

Gold Fields to acquire Gold Road for $3.7b South African gold giant Gold Fields is set to acquire one of Australia’s largest gold miners, Gold Road (ASX: GOR), in a takeover scheme valuing the company at $3.7b. Gold Road has convinced its Gruyere gold mine joint venture partner to increase its takeover bid, proposed in March for $3.3b, by nearly $400m. Gold Road has entered a scheme implementation deed that will allow Gold Fields to acquire 100% of shares in Gold Road by way of a scheme arrangement. Under the terms of the scheme Gold Road shareholders will receive a fixed cash...