Queensland Renewable Energy Jobs Advocate

To facilitate our state’s transition to renewable energy, the Queensland Renewable Energy Jobs Advocate (the Advocate) will promote and support opportunities for job creation. The renewable energy transition has the potential to create a new economic and employment boom.

Mr Aaron Johnstone has been appointed as the first Queensland Renewable Energy Jobs Advocate. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in public policy, industry engagement and advocacy to the role.

The Advocate role is established under the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024. The specific functions, as set out in s155 of the Act, are to:

• advise the responsible Minister on ways to increase opportunities for employment in the energy industry
• engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and with energy businesses on ways to increase energy employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• help foster relationships and information sharing between regional communities and electricity infrastructure project personnel
• promote community benefits and emerging opportunities for employment arising from optimal infrastructure pathway projects (e.g. projects specified in the Queensland SuperGrid Infrastructure Blueprint (PDF, 3.2MB).

A report on the work of the Advocate will be published each year.