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Australia has long been a nation of primary producers, of farmers and miners who go out into regional and outback areas and contend with whatever nature may throw at them to provide the food, fibre and raw materials that we need to survive and thrive. We have cultivated agriculture that feeds and clothes Australians and tens of millions of people around the world. And we have taken risks and developed the minerals that have enabled higher living standards across Australia and the world. Thanks to our primary industries and the many businesses they support, we live in one of the wealthiest countries that has ever existed, and Australians today have among the highest standards of living ever experienced by human beings.

16 November 2023.

In the absence of any further improvements in the regulatory framework of our resources sector, and in particular with regard to critical minerals, Australia will cede its competitive advantage to other nations with less stringent approval processes and environmental standards. Our leaders seem to have forgotten the crucial role that the mining and resources sector has played and will continue in play in the development of our great nation.

Deteriorating energy infrastructure, lacklustre entrepreneurship and poor competition rules are holding back the Australian economy, with a new report suggesting a drop in competitiveness is putting at risk future prosperity. In a ranking of the most resilient economies, Australia fell to 20th place from first place in 2004, analysis by Institute of Public Affairs senior fellow Kevin You found.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies chief executive Warren Pearce told The West Australian response times for Section 10 applications had been increasing over recent years. “Industry understands there are a variety of aspects that governments need to consider,” Mr Pearce said. “However, a time deadline would assist companies in their planning and investment strategies, and hold (government) departments more accountable.
“Given the renewed importance of the energy transition globally, the role of critical minerals has never been more apparent.

The beautiful but economically stagnant south of Italy has started to show early signs of a long-overdue renaissance. Since opening their doors a year ago, the country’s eight special economic zones (SEZs) — stretching from ​​Abruzzo in the centre, to Calabria in the south, and across to Sicily and Sardinia — have each built project pipelines of up to €1bn and instigated ambitious plans to modernise local infrastructure. On the face of it, this is attributed to their tax and regulatory benefits, plus a generous helping of EU recovery funds. But their early success is in large part down to the local SEZ commissioners and their teams, which have been passionately promoting their regions, building relationships and stoking some friendly competition among themselves.