Callout to regional business

Submission deadline has been extended for business input on mining and business sector relations.

Generic photo of Macarthur Coal's Coppabella Mine southwest of Mackay. Source: Macarthur Coal Ltd. via Bloomberg News EDITOR'S NOTE: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO SALES. NO ARCHIVING. Picture: Supplied

THE Federal Government's standing committee on Innovation, Industry, Science and Resources has put out a call for submissions, as part of its inquiry into how the mining sector can support businesses in regional economies.

It is asking businesses, organisations and individuals to contribute to the discussion on the inquiry's terms of reference, which include barriers to the greater use of regional business, best practices for interaction between the mining sector and business, and how royalties are split between landholders on gas fields and governments.

The chair of the committee, Barnaby Joyce, said the committee is interested in the views of regional businesses and organisations as to whether they are benefiting from resource extraction in their region.

"We need to make sure that the wealth that is earned in the local area is spent in the local area.”

Submissions to the inquiry can be made confidentially, and testimonies can be made 'in camera' for those wishing to provide oral evidence on the terms of reference while maintaining their privacy.

The initial deadline of early August has since been extended, and no new date has been confirmed.

However, there will not be an indefinite deadline, and it is expected the new set date will be in one month's time.

Submissions can be made to the Standing Committee on Innovation, Industry, Science, and Resources via its section on Parliament's website www.aph.gov.au.

Its next hearing is on Wednesday, August 22.

Originally published as Callout to regional business