News

From Global Headlines to Local Conversations | Dean’s Desk 6

1. A Big Week of Events

Last week was one of our busiest on the events calendar, and it’s great to see the level of engagement across the board.

We kicked things off with our Economic Outlook Breakfast, delivered in partnership with NAB and Mackay Regional Council. The session unpacked the theme Global Headlines, Local Impact and gave a clear picture of how global economic shifts are filtering through to our region. A big thank you to Tony Kelly from NAB for sharing his insights and helping put some of those headlines into context.

Midweek we headed to Moranbah for the Renewable Energy Supply Chain Forum, where the focus was on what’s ahead for the Isaac region and how local businesses can position themselves within emerging opportunities.

We wrapped up the week with our March Industry Briefing Breakfast, where Qantas and Mackay Airport led a valuable discussion on regional connectivity and the importance of maintaining strong links for our workforce and industry.

Across all three events, the common theme was clear: strong engagement, great conversations and a real appetite to stay informed and connected.

2. Regions Before Royalties – Education Focus

Behind the scenes, we’ve been continuing work on the Regions Before Royalties (RBR) campaign.

We’re currently developing a new FAQ section on the RBR website, aimed at addressing common misconceptions and providing clearer, fact-based information about the impacts being felt across regional Queensland.

If there’s something you think needs to be addressed, or questions you’re hearing from your networks, we’d encourage you to share them with us. This is an ongoing piece of work and we want to make sure it reflects what’s actually being asked and discussed on the ground.

3. Mentoring Kicks Off

We’ve also recently kicked off our mentoring program for the year in partnership with Mackay Regional Council.

This program is all about connecting experienced leaders with emerging professionals across our region, supporting capability development and creating valuable knowledge-sharing opportunities.

We’ll officially launch the program next week:

📅 31 March | 5:30pm – 6:30pm
📍 Resources Centre of Excellence

Looking forward to seeing this year’s cohort get underway.

4. Looking Ahead

There’s plenty coming up over the next few weeks.

Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition (QME) is just around the corner, and we still have a limited number of member opportunities available within the RIN tent. It’s a great-value way to be part of one of the region’s biggest industry events, and we’re also working with Tropical Exposure and Bishopp Advertising on additional exposure packages to help members maximise their presence.

Closer to home, we’ll be hosting our April Twilight Networking Drinks next Thursday, sponsored by Gardian and held at their brand new office. It’s a great opportunity to connect with peers, relax and stay informed in a more informal setting.

📅 Thursday, 2 April 2026
📍 11–13 Gordon Street, Mackay
👉 Book here: https://rin.org.au/book

As always, there’s plenty happening behind the scenes, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events.