Delivering the event’s keynote speech in Mackay yesterday, Roche noted recent meetings of regional planning committees in Dalby and Emerald as the first steps in a development process, with major implications for Queensland’s minerals and energy industries.

“The QRC and its members take this process very seriously because it is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that our social licence to operate is strong and has the potential to become stronger,” Roche told delegates at the conference.

“I am pleased that the Queensland Resources Council has been appointed to both committees because it is essential that the Darling Downs and Central Queensland communities fully appreciate what is at stake.”

Roche said a proposed Darling Downs regional plan already covers six local government areas currently receiving economic benefits form the resource sector.

While the number of local government areas under such plans is expected to increase over the next decade, Roche said a public relations effort will be necessary to ensure committees acknowledge the social value and importance of the resources sector.

“The resource sector’s direct spending in 2010-11 in the four Central Queensland local government areas of $4.4 billion on wages and salaries and goods and services directly and indirectly delivered over 55,000 jobs, or nearly half the region’s employment,” Roche said.

“However, we have to acknowledge that some activists will seek to use these regional planning processes to undermine our sector’s standing.

“This is where we will have to do the job of communicating our case via clear-cut examples such as the sector’s tiny land use footprint totalling 0.09% of Queensland’s land mass.”

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has aimed to have draft plans out for public consultation in early 2013 and set a target of August 2013 for the completed documents.