2014–15 Activity Statement

Education

Access to quality education and training is fundamental to Queensland’s future success. Queenslanders’ vision for education includes that all Queenslanders will engage in, and value, education. Education and training will allow us to gain practical skills, enrich our lives, find secure jobs and improve the competitiveness of the economy. If we are to keep pace with the world, our schools, training places and universities need to adapt and evolve further.  We need a practical, future-focused curriculum, support for teachers and a focus on lifelong learning. We also need to use partnerships and local expertise to build our skills for emerging industries.

The Queensland Government believes that early childhood and school-based education and training are critical to the future success of all Queenslanders. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• revised the method of allocating resourcing in state schools to lower class sizes in primary schools, provided specialist teachers in secondary schools and relieved pressure on teachers and principals over the next three years
• established a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) team within the Department of Education and Training
• created the Collaboration and Innovation Fund for Queensland high schools to support innovative education programs
• moved Year 7 into high schools across state and non-state schooling sectors for the beginning of the 2015 school year
• continued to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes with NAPLAN performance lifting again, and increased the numbers of students successfully completing Year 12
• promoted early childhood education, with increased numbers of children participating in kindergarten, and provided five extra kindergartens in areas of need and the Kindy Counts campaign
• supported high-quality arts education programs through the Artist in Residence program with 12 preschool, primary and secondary schools
• entered into a three-year partnership with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to allow teachers to develop design-led learning projects
• developed a framework to allocate 45 full-time equivalent guidance officers in schools
• promoted the Youth Employment Program to provide a range of services to assist and support young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• re-established the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program
• supported Queensland’s VET sector through the 2014–15 Annual VET Investment Plan, which detailed the planned investment in vocational education and training for the financial year
• expanded the Queensland Government Building and Construction Training Policy to include projects procured by eligible Government Owned Corporations and Public Private Partnerships from 1 July 2015.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for education.

Community

Queenslanders want to reduce disadvantage, create opportunity, embrace diversity and work together so no one is left behind. We want our communities to be vibrant places where the contribution of everyone is valued and we all have opportunities to enrich the lives of others.

Queenslanders seek a united, harmonious and inclusive community that is free from discrimination, violence, poverty and prejudice. Our communities are our heartland – places where the Queensland spirit shines through.

Building safe, caring and connected communities is one of the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• advanced negotiations for an early launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Townsville, Charters Towers and Palm Island
• commissioned services to support people with high and complex disability support needs
• provided more than 1600 people with a disability with an increased choice of services through targeted support programs
• established the Multicultural Community Reference Group
• supported National Volunteering Week, Seniors Week, Disability Awareness Week, National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month
• launched the Deadly Sistas program in partnership with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and Wirrpanda Foundation to empower young Indigenous women
• worked to make communities safer by tackling alcohol-fuelled violence around key entertainment precincts, launching the Polair 2 police helicopter and rolling out the Policelink Smartphone App to offer real-time safety alerts and online services to the community
• committed, at the Safer Roads, Safer Queensland forum, to eliminate the human road toll of death and debilitating injury on our road network
• promoted a range of preparedness and resilience initiatives including the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan, the RACQ Get Ready Queensland campaign and local government activities
• continued the roll-out of the popular Get in the Game suite of programs designed to help more Queenslanders participate in sporting activities
• helped fund community sport and recreation infrastructure developments
• re-established the Queensland Literary Awards
• invested in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture through the Backing Indigenous Arts program
• assisted pensioners, seniors and veterans with cost-of-living expenses through a range of concession schemes.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for community.

Regions

Our regions are one of Queensland’s greatest strategic assets to position the state for growth in a new century. Queenslanders’ vision for our regions is that they will have strong and diverse economies with sustainable economic growth and reliable, accessible infrastructure.  Our regions are key population centres and transport, communication and service hubs, critical to Queensland’s economy and future. However, our regions also face challenges in maintaining a critical mass of population as more people move to cities.

The Queensland Government is committed to tackling infrastructure constraints and delivering projects that will be catalysts for economic growth and jobs in our regions. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• re-established a North Queensland office for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet as a ‘bricks and mortar’ commitment to a greater policy focus on regions
• refreshed Arts Queensland’s regional arts touring programs and the Regional Arts Development Fund to support locally-determined arts and cultural priorities
• collaborated with Indigenous councils to finalise the first ever planning schemes for six Indigenous Councils on Cape York Peninsula
• delivered actions from the Regional and Resources Towns Action Plan in the Isaac, Central Highlands and Maranoa regions
• declared, in conjunction with local government, two new Priority Development Areas in Townsville and Toowoomba to support economic development and attract investment
• finalised the Mackay Airport Land Use Plan, setting out the long-term land use planning framework for the airport as a major transport and employment hub for the region
• identified Priority Development Infrastructure projects including a town bypass for Beaudesert, a new signalised intersection in Rockhampton, and sewer and water infrastructure at Mount Peter in Cairns
• secured funding for improvements to the New England, Flinders, Landsborough and Cunningham highways
• commenced construction on the final section of the Townsville Ring Road, delivering improved safety and traffic efficiency
• undertook geophysical, geochemical and geological projects to define new mineral and energy resource targets in north, south and western Queensland regions, reducing exploration risk and creating new opportunities for resource investment
• streamlined accreditation processes and maintained certifications for agricultural produce, native forest timbers and fisheries to enable access to interstate and international markets
• promoted Queensland agriculture by supporting trade missions throughout Asian growth markets, and by hosting delegations and events such as BeefWeek, which involved approximately 1000 international delegates visiting from more than 55 countries
• continued to provide specialist financial counselling services to drought-hit farmers, and increased the funding the hardest-hit landowners can claim under the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme
• enhanced services by implementing six new service outlet pilots (customer centres, self-service kiosks and customer referral networks) in the Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for regions.

Economy

Queenslanders want to have a strong performing and diverse economy with the best jobs on offer. We want to focus on industry development and diversification, with centres of excellence that drive innovation.

Success will come from building on our strengths and turning our ideas into commercial enterprises. Queenslanders recognise our proximity to Asia provides key opportunities for growth. Our skilled workforce and reputation as a reliable and competitive supplier of resources demonstrate our state is a dynamic place to invest.

Creating jobs and a diverse economy is one of the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government: 

• committed to implementing the Working Queensland Jobs Plan, including a Business Development Fund to invest in joint ventures with start-up firms wanting to turn their bright ideas into new products and create jobs 
• passed legislation to provide a 25 per cent payroll tax rebate for apprentices and trainees
• re-established Skilling Queenslanders for Work in order to ensure more Queenslanders have the skills and training opportunities to maximise their job prospects and contribute to growing our economy
• established the independent Queensland Productivity Commission to ensure that economic growth is driven by productivity improvements across key sectors of government and industry
• laid the foundations for Advance Queensland to position the state as an attractive investment destination with a strong innovation and entrepreneurial culture, helping Queenslanders to commercialise great ideas and create jobs
• supported the G20 Summit in Brisbane, which was attended by world leaders, thousands of officials, and local and international journalists presenting Queensland as the nation’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific region
• supported the B20 in Cairns, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting
• led recovery efforts in response to a number of extreme weather events, including Tropical Cyclone Marcia and Tropical Cyclone Nathan, ensuring people affected were safely housed, and getting state-owned assets and infrastructure back up and running as soon as possible
• supported the construction of the Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine in Townsville
• delivered the Queensland BIO 2015 mission to Philadelphia, resulting in major new partnerships with Johnson & Johnson, Siemens and Emory University
• delivered the DestinationQ forum 2014 to support the Queensland tourism industry to position itself in national and international markets 
• continued to deliver the Mentoring for Growth program, bringing small business operators into contact with experienced business mentors
• supported the 2014 Queensland Small Business Week, attracting more than 10,000 participants to activities and events across the state
• implemented Arts Acumen to develop the arts and cultural sector’s business skills and knowledge, and the Arts Leverage Fund to incentivise private sector giving
• delivered the ConstructionQ 2014 forum to develop a 20-year blueprint for the future of Queensland’s building construction industry
• delivered workshops that provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses with practical advice on how to tender for government business and develop capability statements
• secured funding for new road upgrades across Queensland for six new heavy vehicle projects
• approved the development application for the Pacific View Estate project, which has the potential to create up to 3500 new homes, 2700 jobs and contribute $3.2 billion to the state’s economy
• announced the preferred development partner for the Toondah Harbour redevelopment at Cleveland which is expected to generate over 1000 jobs
• approved the development application for the Mount Emerald Wind Farm, which has the potential to power around 75,000 homes for 20 years, and create 200 construction jobs and 15 operational jobs
• established an online Innovation Case Study Library to showcase business innovation and entrepreneurship to inform and inspire businesses.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for economy.

Health and wellbeing

Queenslanders’ vision for health and wellbeing includes, as well as taking personal responsibility for our health and wellbeing, a healthcare system that provides the best possible care and attention for those in need. The demand for health services will increase as Queensland’s population continues to grow and age.

Queenslanders also highly value a natural environment that inspires an active lifestyle and supports healthy communities.

That is why the Queensland Government’s focus is on providing a comprehensive whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach to ensure that healthy choices are always easy choices and that services are readily accessible and affordable for all sectors of society. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• improved patient care and frontline services with investments in nursing workforce initiatives, such as committing to employ 400 Nurse Navigators across the state and funding 4000 nurse and midwifery graduate places
• commenced developing the Making Tracks Investment Strategy, which aims to prevent ill-health by improving diagnosis and early intervention, and better managing and treating illnesses through culturally and clinically effective healthcare
• provided suicide prevention training for Emergency Department staff to recognise, assess and manage people at risk of suicide
• launched the Queensland Statewide Strategy for End-of-Life Care and the Charter for care of adult patients at the end-of-life to ensure that people confronted with a terminal illness and their families receive a high standard of care
• provided funding to continue the 10,000 Steps program to encourage communities to become more physically active
• established a statewide specialised support service for Queenslanders living without a fully functioning spleen
• worked to reduce waiting lists for outpatient appointments for children and adults suffering from ear, nose and throat complaints
• provided funding for an extra 10,000 specialist outpatient appointments, 5000 additional endoscopies and 2000 additional inpatient procedures to reduce waiting lists
• commenced a tele-chemotherapy service to Thursday Island and the Torres Strait with support by a medical specialist in Cairns
• expanded North Queensland intensive youth mental health services
• committed to establishing a medicinal cannabis trial in Queensland
• commenced developing a statewide sexual health strategy
• promoted the Queensland Healthier. Happier. Workplaces initiative to help employers create work environments that improve the health and wellbeing of employees, business productivity and workplace culture
• implemented the Queensland Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Strategic Plan 2014–19, and began updating the Queensland Suicide Prevention Action Plan
• established new Drug and Alcohol Brief Intervention Teams in the emergency departments at the Logan and Townsville Hospitals
• extended the scope of practice for advanced care paramedics to provide clot busting drugs for patients suffering heart attack
• released the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cardiac health strategy 2014–17 to improve the cardiac health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• provided funding to support the establishment of new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health clinics across the state
• launched the Queensland immunisation strategy 2014–17 to protect Queenslanders from vaccine-preventable diseases
• banned smoking (including e-cigarettes) in all Queensland public and private hospitals and health facilities, and schools, and for five metres beyond their boundaries
• delivered community education and awareness campaigns to increase the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for health and wellbeing.

Environment

Preserving our environment is essential and Queenslanders recognise their role as stewards of our unique natural assets, particularly the Great Barrier Reef. Queenslanders’ vision for the environment includes being world leaders in renewable energy and sustainable business practices. To do this, we need to ensure new urban developments are green and sustainable, harness our natural power, preserve our unique heritage and have the infrastructure to support growing industries.

Protecting the environment is one of the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community. In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• appointed a Minister for the Great Barrier Reef, and established the Office of the Great Barrier Reef in the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to oversee implementation of the Queensland Government’s reef management strategies and programs
• formed the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce to advise the Queensland Government on how to achieve reef water quality improvement targets
• released the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan to guide the collaborative management of the Great Barrier Reef over the next 35 years
• established the Panama Disease Taskforce in partnership with industry, and local and federal governments
• initiated the Queensland Biosecurity Capability Review to ensure Queensland has the best biosecurity capability in place to deal with the risks it faces
• supported producers to cope with climate variability through streamlined assessments and quicker access to payments under the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme
• increased the focus on renewable energy in Queensland through the release of the discussion paper, Towards a clean energy economy: achieving a biofuel mandate for Queensland
• transferred 775,000 hectares of state-owned land and national parks to formal Aboriginal ownership, providing opportunities to carry out land management and new tourism ventures
• committed funding to jointly manage, in conjunction with traditional owners, approximately 2.6 million hectares of park estate on Cape York Peninsula
• declared 26 new or amended nature refuges protecting an additional 107,736 hectares of high conservation value land
• protected the Caley Valley Wetlands from the dumping of dredge spoil from the Abbot Point coal terminal expansion
• purchased 31,500 hectares of land to protect and restore koala habitat in areas where the animals are under threat
• purchased 84,349 hectares of land for new protected areas
• protected the Mooloolah Logging Area in the Beerwah State Forest in recognition of its significant natural resource values
• progressed planning reform with the release of the directions paper, Better Planning for Queensland – Next Steps in Planning Reform, in May 2015 aimed at facilitating Queensland’s prosperity, including through ecologically sustainable development that balances economic growth, environmental protection and community wellbeing
• provided access to the state’s data archive of 86,000 soil descriptions and land resource reports through the Soils Globe.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for the environment.

People

People are Queensland’s greatest asset. Queenslanders envision a society where everyone has access to everything needed to make the most of educational, health and job opportunities, and where the brightest minds thrive in an environment which values innovation and excellence. They also value a society where those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds find dignity and respect through education and work, and the cycle of disadvantage is broken.

In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• appointed a Minister for Seniors to ensure that Queensland’s seniors receive the attention and respect they deserve, and the state is equipped to manage the unique challenges and opportunities of an ageing population
• invested in seniors’ participation and support services including an Elder Abuse Prevention Unit and hotline, an Older People’s Action Program to help seniors at risk of social isolation, and the 60 and Better Program which supported older people to develop and manage healthy ageing programs in their own communities
• implemented child protection system reforms in response to the recommendations of the Carmody Inquiry
• supported young people in their transition from care through services such as the Next Step After Care and the mobile app Sortli
• implemented the Strengthening Families Protecting Children Framework for Practice and delivered training to child protection staff
• established Family and Child Connect services to support families who are at risk of entering or re-entering the child protection system
• provided opportunities for young people’s engagement and leadership through the YMCA Youth Parliament and the Indigenous Youth Leadership Strategy
• invested in Youth Support Services for vulnerable young people
• supported the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland to undertake a review, which culminated in the release of the comprehensive report, Not Now, Not Ever – Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland
• delivered the Get in the Game suite of programs, which included funding to improve facilities at 141 local sport and recreation clubs, and to support increased participation in local sport
• provided support to over 72,000 low income households in social housing, and assisted a further 97,839 households to access or remain in the private housing market
• increased the supply of social and affordable housing through the delivery of 2570 new dwellings, with upgrades to a further 11,529 dwellings
• increased the supply of housing for disadvantaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with 101 new dwellings constructed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and 202 construction commencements
• increased accommodation options and support for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness through initiatives such as Street to Home, HomeStay Support and the Youth Housing and Reintegration Service
• trialled new service delivery channels such as social media and click to chat, and seamless options such as Tell Us Once for customers to update their address once and have it changed across a number of agencies
• convened the Queensland Carers Advisory Council to provide advice on improving recognition and support for carers.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for people.

Infrastructure

Queensland’s infrastructure includes our energy, transport, communications and water assets, as well as our schools, hospitals and healthcare facilities. Queenslanders’ vision for infrastructure is that all Queenslanders will have access to the services they need through world-class infrastructure. Our infrastructure will drive economic growth and be a key enabler in the digital economy.

Infrastructure and services need to encompass the significant distances that separate our regional communities. Our seasonal weather sees flooding isolate entire communities, cause extreme heat damage to our roads and increase demand on our power generators. Population growth and lifestyle changes will continue to increase demand for infrastructure and services.

In 2014–15, the Queensland Government:

• released the Delivering an infrastructure plan for Queensland – Directions Paper, to inform the development of the Draft State Infrastructure Plan to manage Queensland’s future growth
• established Building Queensland to provide independent expert advice to the Queensland Government on infrastructure priorities
• commenced construction at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Carrara Sports Precinct and other GC2018 facilities, including the Queensland State Velodrome
• continued construction of the new Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital
• commenced expansion of the Barcaldine Dental Hub
• provided school facilities, including starting the redevelopment of Brisbane State High School, completing the new secondary school at Highfields and Stage 2 of Pimpama State Secondary School, and continuing development of the new Mackay Northern Beaches State High School
• supported the construction of new non-state schools, including St Brendan’s Primary School, Mackay, and new school facilities at Kings Christian College, Pimpama, Springfield Anglican College, St James College, Brisbane and Cairns Adventist College
• progressed roads and transport projects including:
• the Bruce Highway upgrade
• the five-year Warrego Highway upgrade
• the five-year Cape York Region Package
• the four-year Bridges Renewal Program
• completed the Transport Network Reconstruction Program
• completed the Local Government Floods Response Subsidy to support local governments implement recommendations of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry
• established the Priority Development Infrastructure co-investment program to unlock land for development, and identified co-investment projects in Rockhampton, Cairns and Beaudesert
• upgraded water and wastewater infrastructure in Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, Aurukun Shire Council and Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council through the Indigenous State Infrastructure Program
• provided access to 138 new online services at www.qld.gov.au so that Queenslanders can access more services whenever and wherever they want
• contributed funding to Round 1 of the Commonwealth’s Mobile Black Spot Program, leveraging funding for 68 new or upgraded mobile towers over the next three years
• commenced the roll-out of the Government Wireless Network across South East Queensland to maximise emergency response capabilities and improve radio communications for police, fire and ambulances services.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for infrastructure.

Governance

A robust governance system provides the mechanisms by which Queenslanders can shape and nurture their communities. It means that Queensland’s diverse population is engaged and empowered to be involved in decision-making, unnecessary barriers to productivity are removed, and governments function in an environment of transparency and accountability.

The Queensland Government is committed to consultation, integrity and accountability. In 2014–2015, the Queensland Government:

• held Community Cabinet meetings as a way for the Queensland Government to engage better with local communities
• represented Queensland’s interests at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meetings, including federation and tax reform
• reviewed the Partners in Government Agreement to cement the strong relationship that exists with the Local Government Association of Queensland
• reviewed the Local Government and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2015 to ensure local government elections are run in accordance with high standards of independence and efficiency
• established the Queensland Productivity Commission with the aim to drive economic growth, lift productivity and improve living standards
• convened the Premier’s Business Advisory Council to provide policy advice and ideas to the Queensland Government about jobs and the economy
• commenced establishing a more stable and welcoming regulatory environment in the renewable energy sector
• established the Arts Business Innovation Fund as a new philanthropic arts funding partnership between the Queensland Government and the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation
• refreshed the Arts and Cultural Investment Framework to grow the economic, social, cultural and artistic returns on investment
• commenced development of Jobs Queensland to provide advice to the Queensland Government on skills demand and future workforce development and planning
• undertook a customer-centric approach to service design to connect services, reduce duplication, and provide seamless and easy access to government services.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for governance.

Monitoring and reporting

The Plan includes a suite of measures by which progress towards the Plan’s goals and targets can be monitored.

The implementation of the Plan is to be achieved over a 30-year period with incremental progress expected.

The first year of structured implementation was focused on introducing the Act, ratifying the Plan, and establishing the Ambassadors Council.

The second year of implementation will focus on establishing a reporting framework to report on progress towards the vision and goals of the Plan.