2016–17 Activity Statement—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 2016–17, the Queensland Government:

Creating jobs and a diverse economy

• announced the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund (JRGF), a $130 million initiative to help drive economic growth in regional Queensland, supporting two projects including Cape York Timber in Far North Queensland and Bio Processing Australia’s biorefinery in Mackay, and 50 new jobs—JRGF is part of the $200 million Jobs and Regional Growth Package
• implemented the Back to Work Regional Employment Package to give businesses the confidence to employ regional job seekers, while providing an economic boost to the regions in challenging times, including a range of Employer Support initiatives, including the Youth Boost payment for young unemployed jobseekers (15 to 24 years) with 5,275 jobseekers supported overall
• invested in innovative, high growth businesses through the $40 million Business Development Fund with funding matched from private sector co-investors—investments have been made across industry sectors ranging from payment and procurement platforms to environmental and sustainability outcomes initiated the Advance Queensland Advancing Regional Innovation Program, supporting local economies to coordinate their efforts to spur innovation in regional economies, with local partnerships across 12 Queensland regions, including:
• Ignite FNQ, a special purpose company formed with the support of partners across Far North Queensland to roll out an innovation action plan targeting youth, startups, small businesses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and smaller communities across the region
• the Sunshine Coast Regional Innovation Pipeline Team, a consortium of 26 partners working together to appoint a Regional Innovation Coordinator, build online platforms, and deliver activities and events that showcase the region and support greater connections and collaboration
• worked with the Federal Government to finalise the establishment of its Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, headquartered in Cairns, which will see  the Queensland and Federal governments working together to invest in economic infrastructure that benefits Northern Australia
• commenced implementing the Advancing Our Cities and Regions Strategy, an innovative 10 year strategic approach to renewing and repurposing surplus and underutilised state property to deliver a range of economic, community and financial outcomes for Queenslanders
• continued work with stakeholders on North Stradbroke Island, including the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, Straddie Chamber of Commerce, Redland City Council and the University of Queensland, to deliver North Stradbroke Island Economic Transition Strategy initiatives, focussed onincreasing economic, cultural, tourism and residential opportunities
• released Advancing Tourism in North Queensland, part of Advancing Tourism Strategy, the Queensland Government’s plan to grow tourism and jobs to increase market share and boost tourism jobs
• promoted expansion of tourism in the regions by hosting overseas investment delegations, such as a Chinese investment mission which inspected a range of tourism and ecotourism investment opportunities in Cairns, the Whitsundays and the Gold Coast in June 2016
• delivered a Business Capability Development Program, open to all businesses, providing 85 workshops for 879 businesses and 1,053 participants
• delivered workshops to 307 businesses supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business development and growth to 447 owners and staff
• held an Indigenous Women in Business Conference in Cairns, focussing on business development and the role of leadership in corporations, attended by 40 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
• declared a 6,076 hectare Bundaberg State Development —a defined area of land established by the Coordinator-General to promote economic development in Queensland—responding to growing demand for land for port-related and industrial activities around the Port of Bundaberg
• introduced the Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Bill 2016, proposing a prohibition on 100% fly-in, fly-out workforce arrangements, social impact assessment requirements for future resource projects and a draft amended social impact assessment guideline
• fast tracked seven private sector construction projects in North Queensland, resulting in 1,100 construction jobs and a $3.1 billion capital expenditure commitment
• leveraged $413.37 million of private sector capital investment through project facilitation support
• signed the Townsville City Deal, Australia’s first City Deal, on 9 December 2016, in partnership with the Federal Government and the Townsville City Council, including 16 commitments and 9 future opportunities to deliver job creation, economic growth, investment in local infrastructure and a more vibrant and liveable city
• commenced development of a City Deal Strategy for South East Queensland in collaboration with the South East Queensland Council of Mayors and the Federal Government
• established the Works for Queensland program with an initial $200 million funded out of the State Infrastructure Fund, supporting job-creating maintenance and minor works projects in 65 rural and regional local governments across the state
• promoted Queensland agriculture by supporting trade missions to key markets (including Indonesia and China), and by hosting international delegations and exchanges focused on investment attraction in Queensland agriculture
• supported industry in promoting the forest and timber industry to job-seekers and the broader community as a long term career by funding the Timber and Building Materials Association Queensland Forest and Timber Workforce Development Plan
• committed $120 million over four years to implement the Indigenous Councils Critical Infrastructure program, addressing water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure in remote and discrete communities, and providing economic and employment opportunities and capacity building within the communities of the 16 Indigenous local governments
• granted a total of 100,000 megalitres of water from the Flinders, Leichhardt and Gregory rivers catchments in the Gulf to successful tenderers to support economic development in the region.

Delivering quality frontline services

• held Local Jobs First roundtable discussions with industry and employers in Bundaberg and Townsville, generating ideas and actions for providing better employment opportunities for local young people
• worked to improve Queensland Government service availability and quality for 31 rural, regional, and remote communities through the Regional Services Outlet project
• completed the replacement fire and rescue station at Petrie, replacement auxiliary station at Cunnamulla, and auxiliary station extensions at Port Douglas, Dimbulah and Thursday Island
• delivered replacement police stations at Nanango, Maleny and Kingaroy and upgraded facilities to support public safety at Yarrabah and Kingaroy watchhouses
• provided 9 regional communities with a wider range of services in a single location at Childers, Chinchilla, Clermont, Cunnamulla, Moranbah, Oakey, Springsure, Toogoolawah and Tully
• managed 7 biosecurity eradication programs and over 95 biosecurity incidents triggered by exotic and established animal and plant pest and diseases
• continued assisting rural producers and communities across the State affected by unprecedented drought conditions and high debt
• worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other stakeholders to promote and develop business opportunities, and increase support options for Indigenous clients through the rollout of NDIS in Townsville, Charters Towers and Palm Island.

Protecting the environment

• delivered more than $24.2 million in infrastructure and plant and equipment, supporting improved parks and forests conservation and visitor experiences, including at Blackdown Tablelands, Capricorn Coast, Conondale and Girramay national parks, and visitor facility and amenity upgrades in a range of camping, day use areas and national parks
• dedicated 104,983 hectares as national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land), bringing the total to 2,068,252 hectares (as at 30 June 2017)
• secured re-certification of our native forest timber production practices under the Australian Standard for Sustainable Forest Management AS4708-2013, ensuring state-owned forests deliver community benefits
• continued to implement QCoast2100, assisting local governments with the development of coastal hazard adaption strategies and projects
• established the Queensland Climate Resilient Council program in partnership with the LGAQ, supporting local governments to develop their own climate change responses.

Building safe, caring and connected communities

• increased engagement in the blue card system by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote community applicants by working with nine identified communities, including Mornington Island and Doomadgee
• conducted round one of the community conversations program for preparing the draft North Queensland Regional Plan, involving 712 people attending 20 community engagement events, and round two of the community conversations program about the draft South East Queensland Regional Plan involving 22 ‘talk to a planner’ sessions, three Indigenous and Traditional Owner workshops and one youth summit
• assisted 62 local governments activated for Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements to respond and recover following seven significant weather events—including Tropical Cyclone Debbie
• completed the Palm Island town square rejuvenation, providing new landscaping, improved shade shelters, pavement resurfacing and streetscaping, and creating a great place for locals and visitors to meet
• continued to roll out the TransLink brand to regions, with increased investment in public transport services in Mackay and Toowoomba providing better access for local communities
• committed an additional $30 million in 2020–21 for the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) as part of the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP), extending the ongoing base investment to $70 million per annum
• delivered over $500 million in road safety related initiatives over the life of the 2015–17 Road Safety Action Plan through the Targeted Road Safety Program
• completed four Regional Water Supply Security Assessments in collaboration with local governments to assist in planning for long term water supply needs—a further nine assessments are now underway
• committed $2.76 million through the Playing Queensland Fund, supporting 33 regional tours, 1,633 performances, exhibitions and/or community engagement activities in 411 visits to regional Queensland communities
• partnered with 59 local governments to deliver $2.08 million in arts and cultural experiences through the Regional Arts Development Fund
• continued $3.15 million investment in the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative, supporting the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival, Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival, 14 Indigenous Art Centres in Far North Queensland and their peak body, the Indigenous Art Centre Alliance, and the Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund launched the Queensland Drought Mitigation Centre —central to the Drought and Climate Adaptation Program—funding research, development and extension services to promote drought preparedness and climate risk mitigation
• collaborated with Indigenous local governments to finalise the first ever planning schemes for 14 Indigenous local governments in Cape York and the Torres Strait, with the remaining two planning schemes for Yarrabah and Northern Peninsula Area to be completed by the end of 2017.

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