BRISBANE, Queensland, Sept. 23 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Veterans

The Honourable David Crisafulli

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Regional and Rural Development

The Honourable Dale Last

* Crisafulli Government has awarded petroleum and gas tenders for four highly prospective areas in the Taroom Trough to secure future domestic oil and gas supply. * Tenders awarded for two minerals exploration areas earmarked for vanadium production in the North West Minerals Province. * Coal exploration tender awarded in the heart of the Bowen Basin. * TheCrisafulli Government is open for business, and this land release initiative is giving the resources industry the certainty it needs to invest and unlock new supply in Queensland after Labor's decade of decline.

The Crisafulli Government is backing Queensland's resource industry, awarding tenders for four new petroleum and gas exploration areas in the highly prospective Taroom Trough, alongside new exploration acreage for vanadium and coal across regional Queensland.

The successful tenderers in the Taroom Trough include:

* Denison Gas (Queensland) Pty Ltd, and OGT Energy Pty Ltd (PLR2026-1-8, approx. 1069 km2); * ShellQGC Pty Limited (PLR2026-1-9, approx. 411 km2) and; * Omega TN Pty Ltd,Tri-Star Stonecroft Pty Ltd and Beach Energy Queensland Pty Ltd (PLR2026-1-10, approx. 1138 km2).

The latest land release is also unlocking new opportunities across Queensland's broader resources sector, from critical minerals to coal.

The Crisafulli Government continues to supercharge Queensland's critical minerals industry with Idemitsu Australia appointed the preferred tenderer for two vanadium blocks totalling 269 km2, about 25 kilometres north east of Julia Creek.

New coal exploration acreage has been awarded with the CAML Resources, Nippon Steel Australia and Foxleigh Coal consortium appointed the preferred tenderer for a 54 km2 area about 50 kilometres north of Blackwater.

The consortium is the joint venture operator of the nearby Foxleigh coal mine with a 700-person workforce.

It's just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering better services through a stronger economy, after Labor's anti-mining and anti-resources policies sent investor confidence to rock bottom.

Premier and Minister for Veterans David Crisafulli said it was only the beginning.

"These are the catalytic moments in our history that will propel Queensland into a new era of opportunity.

"For too long, Governments celebrated cutting access to our resources and found ourselves dangling at the end of global supply chains.

"The best role we can play as a government is delivering a stable regulatory environment that companies can confidently invest in.

"With 51 of the world's critical minerals, more than $1 trillion in resource potential, strong environmental protections, thousands of highly skilled workers and a government that genuinely wants to see resources projects get off the ground, Queensland is quickly emerging as a global competitor."

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the successful tenders demonstrated growing confidence in Queensland's resources sector.

"Queensland is a resources powerhouse, and these tenders show there is a real appetite to invest, explore and develop the next generation of projects," Minister Last said.

"Whether it is oil, gas, critical minerals or coal, exploration is where every new resource project starts, and opening new acreage is about building that pipeline for the future.

"After a decade of inaction under Labor, the Crisafulli Government is open for business, and these tenders are another vote of confidence in Queensland's resources sector."

Head of Shell QGC Krishna Venkatesan welcomed the new exploration acreage.

"We look forward to expanding our industry-leading exploration and appraisal activities in the Taroom Trough, which we view as an exciting new domestic market and backfill opportunity," Mr Venkatesan said.

"We're grateful for the ongoing support of the Queensland Government as they partner with industry to unlock this critical resource for the benefit of all Queenslanders."

Highly prospective land in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin was also opened for petroleum and gas exploration tender, with successful tenders expected to be announced in the coming weeks, along with the remaining successful tenderer for the acreage in the Taroom Trough.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Daunt, 0487 151 453

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.