Recent employment figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show an increase in employment in Australia’s oil and gas industry, fuelled by renewed growth in the sector.
The ABS employment figures for the oil and gas extraction industry showed 3,800 new jobs were created since February 2019, equating to about a 17 per cent increase.
APPEA Chief Executive, Andrew McConville, said the figures were a result of renewed confidence across the sector and continued growth of natural gas projects for the domestic and export markets.
“These employment figures reinforce the importance of the oil and gas sector as a key driver for the national economy and are a result of many large-scale natural gas projects coming onstream.
“This sector underpins around 80,000 direct and indirect jobs – and hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs rely on the reliable, affordable and sustainable supply of oil and gas.
“Importantly, this growth is the result of investments made over the last decade. Future production and jobs growth will depend on investment decisions to be made now and in coming years.
“Confidence in the policy and regulatory framework facing Australia’s oil and gas industry will be vital to securing future investments.”
The ABS figures also showed total female employment in the industry has reached its highest level.
“The industry remains committed to increasing the roles for women and these new figures are very encouraging for this key focus,” Mr McConville said.
“Many oil and gas jobs are based in rural and regional towns, which provides a range of benefits including upskilling and educational opportunities as well as creating stronger, more resilient local communities.
“We must continue to champion the critical role natural resources play in underpinning Australia’s economic well-being and future growth.”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data can be found here.
