Gray, a prominent figure in the Labor party in Western Australia, needs to ensure that there is still a strong advocate for the resources industry as investment in the sector slows down due to signs that the mining boom has reached its peak. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced that the Climate Change Department, responsible for the controversial carbon tax, will be merged with the Industry Department and overseen by Climate Change Minister Greg Combet. Despite this reshuffle, there have been no changes to the Treasury or Finance Ministry, which are held by Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan and Penny Wong. The reshuffle was prompted by a failed leadership coup by supporters of former leader Kevin Rudd, leading to the resignation of three cabinet ministers and two junior ministers. Gillard has scheduled elections for September 14, which polls suggest she is likely to lose, so the impact of the reshuffle may be limited. Former Resources Minister Martin Ferguson, known for his support of the mining industry, was one of the officials who resigned. Australia has seen significant investments in resources projects, including A$400 billion in the past decade and A$200 billion in liquefied natural gas projects. Despite this, the mining boom is slowing. The Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) believes that Gray, who has ties to the industry, will help attract investment. Gray, who joined the Labor party in 1974, left in 2000 to work for Wesfarmers and later as a public relations adviser for Woodside Petroleum. Shell decided to retract its offer after it was seen as detrimental to the country's interests by Treasurer Peter Costello, partly due to Gray's efforts to rally public opinion against Shell. The exchange rate at that time was $1 equal to 0.9572 Australian dollars.