Former NT chief to lead FFI northern team

Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner will join Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) to lead the company’s new northern Australia team.

In another important step in the delivery of FFI’s global green energy vision, he will bring a wealth of experience and credibility to FFI as the company explores job-creating project opportunities in the Northern Territory and WA’s North West.

Gunner will start as FFI Head of Northern Australia in November after his period of work restriction under the NT’s Ministerial Code of Conduct has expired. He will lead a new FFI team based in Darwin.

Gunner has had a highly successful political career, serving as the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2016 until he stepped down in May. He resigned from politics in July.

Fortescue chair and founder Andrew Forrest said bringing in a person with Gunner’s leadership qualities and his experience working hand-in-hand with the people of northern Australia would make him a valuable asset to FFI.

“We see enormous potential in the Northern Territory, with abundant wind and solar energy, and a community enthusiastic to embrace renewable energy and the employment intensive industries that come with it,” he said.

“The industry leading decarbonisation strategy we unveiled in New York in September provided clear evidence that Fortescue is leading the world in its transition to a global, green renewable and resources company.”

Gunner said he was passionate about ending the climate wars, creating local jobs and playing his part in FFI’s pursuit of a better world free of fossil fuels.

“Territorians are keen for the renewable energy sector to take off and the employment intensive industries that renewables need,” he said.

“We must bring the same urgency to the climate change race to real zero that we did with the global COVID pandemic.

“FFI will do it by backing in Territorians – local jobs and local businesses – to work with us to fight the fossil fuel led climate disaster.

“Leading the FFI Northern Australia team means delivering world changing, economy building projects, acting with the pace an emergency demands to create local jobs, build partnerships with First Nations people, and make the green energy that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.

“My message is clear: FFI is committed to aggressively reducing emissions, and FFI is here now. I’ll be leading our local race to real zero from Darwin, the capital of northern Australia.”

Australian Mining.

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