Who is he?
Gary Gray was previously Australia’s special minister of state. He was elected to represent Brand in Western Australia in the House of Representatives during 2007 when current Ambassador to the United States Kim Beazley vacated the seat. Before his election, Gray was an executive at the Perth-based oil and gas company Woodside Petroleum.
Mr. Gary Gray is now Australia's minister for resources and energy. Source: Senator Kate Lundy's flickr photostream, used under a creative commons license.
Why is he in the news?
Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed Gary Gray as the minister for resources and energy, minister for tourism and minister for small business on March 25 as part of Gillard’s cabinet reshuffle, a response to a failed leadership challenge within the Labor Party involving former prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Many mining and energy groups praised Gray’s appointment given his experience in the industry. The mining sector has been at odds with Gillard’s Labor Party over a mining tax, making Gray’s appointment a timely and positive turn.
What can we expect?
Gray is already supporting mining projects, which play a crucial role in Australia’s economy despite recent slow downs. BHP Billiton and Exxon Mobil recently announced plans to start the approval process for a $10 billion dollar floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia. Gray supports the technology, angering the Australian Workers Union, which argues that it will lead to reduced jobs.
The federal government on April 2 granted environmental approval for a Toro Energy uranium project valued at $280 million, the sixth such project in Australia, with Gray’s support. Gray said he expects the mine to process over a million tons of ore annually, and serve as a major job creator.
