New AMEC report calls for national coexistence policy to unlock productivity

A new national report released today is urging the Australian government to end the policy gridlock paralysing land use and productivity across the country, warning that ongoing conflict between mining, agriculture, and the rapidly growing renewables sector is stalling billions in investment and threatening Australia’s economic backbone.

Commissioned by the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) and authored by consultancy Modifying Factors, the report, Congested & Contested – Coexistence the Key to Unlocking Productivity, paints a stark picture of Australia’s overcrowded development landscape. Despite being the world’s sixth-largest country by landmass, the report finds that overlapping project footprints, siloed approval systems, and an inconsistent regulatory environment are causing resource-rich regions to become “paralysed” by indecision and policy inertia.

“This is an emerging issue being replicated across Australia. It simply isn’t going away, and change is needed,” said AMEC CEO Warren Pearce. “Right now, we have many more competing uses for the land, no consistent rules, and established industries that provide the foundational base of our economy forced to play second fiddle to rapid renewables expansion.”

According to the report, major land-based industries including mining, agriculture and energy contributed $493 billion to the national economy last year. But that figure is now at risk, with more projects stalling due to uncertainty and conflict over land access.

Pearce said the lack of policy coordination is leading to duplication of approvals, delays in decision-making, and the sterilisation of valuable resources. “It’s not about stopping renewables. It’s about making sure all projects, across all sectors, follow the same fair process so we can get on with building a productive future,” he said.

The report highlights that renewable energy developers are increasingly “banking” large tracts of land without necessarily delivering on development promises. In contrast, exploration and mining companies must demonstrate active progress or risk losing tenure.

“Our exploration and mining companies don’t have that luxury. If you’re not making progress, you lose your ground,” Pearce said. “It’s time to level the playing field.”

While recognising the essential role of renewables in the clean energy transition, the report argues that accelerated deployment cannot come at the expense of existing land users or community trust. Pearce warned that the renewables rollout is causing social backlash in regional areas and placing undue pressure on communities already managing change.

“By bringing consultation requirements for renewables into line with the established mining and agricultural sector, we can build community support and learn to coexist,” he said.

Modifying Factors director and report author Geoff Deans added that productivity gains depend on reframing the land-use challenge not as a battle for exclusivity, but as a question of coexistence and coordination.

“Complex problems need to be defined and framed,” said Deans. “Our research demonstrates there is a real opportunity to transition from the mindset of exclusivity to productivity.

“Coexistence frames the opportunity and threats facing Australia’s development landscape. The trajectory is clear – keeping doing what we are doing is a risk to productivity, social acceptance and realising our sovereign capability.”

The report calls for a national policy reset focused on cross-sectoral coordination, clear land-use frameworks, and the removal of duplicated approvals. It argues that getting the policy settings right could unlock billions in stalled investment, restore certainty for regional communities, and dramatically boost Australia’s economic output.

“Governments need to work together to implement a process that avoids sterilising valuable resources or locking out high-value land use prematurely,” said Pearce.

“With the right approach, Australia can deliver a clean energy transition while also protecting our agricultural heartlands and continuing to power the economy with world-leading resources – all on the same land.”

The full report is available via AMEC.