2017–18 Activity Statement—Regions

Queensland regions are the backbone of the state, driving growth and providing Queensland with a unique competitive advantage. The Queensland Government is committed to supporting regional communities, delivering projects that will be catalysts for economic growth and jobs, tackling infrastructure constraints and ensuring sustainable resource management for the benefit of generations to come.

In 2017–18, the Queensland Government:

Supporting community and social wellbeing

• supported the Aurukun Restorative Justice Program to increase community’s capacity for local mediation
• provided support for the ongoing implementation of the Aurukun Four Point Plan through the Welfare Reform program to support local leadership to embed sustainable outcomes for the community
• supported the work of the Opportunity Hubs in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge to provide assistance to community members through budgeting, improving financial and computer skills, facilitating saving for children’s education and delivering home improvements, through the Welfare Reform program
• created a safe environment for youth in Cherbourg through the Social Reinvestment program, providing opportunities for young people to be positively involved in their community
• supported the work of the Yarrabah Service Delivery Working Group, a place-based approach providing strategic leadership in the analysis, implementation and sustainability of community-based service delivery models
• empowered the Coen Women’s Alliance and Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation to develop a new community based domestic and family violence and support service
• delivered a new domestic and family violence shelter in Far North Queensland
• coordinated the inaugural NAIDOC Art and Cultural exhibition in celebration of NAIDOC week, which included the sale of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from across Queensland to benefit rural and remote communities
• committed $1.9 million through the Playing Queensland Fund, supporting 31 regional tours, 1024 performances, exhibitions and/or community engagement activities in more than 280 visits to Queensland communities
• partnered with 59 local governments to deliver $2.08 million in arts and cultural experiences through the Regional Arts Development Fund
• commenced the process of establishing a Regional Arts Services Network through a commitment of
• $6.5 million over four years to increase regional and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts initiatives, build the sustainable growth and development of regional arts, and employ dedicated regional arts officers across the state
• delivered a $3.15 million investment in the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative, supporting the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival, 14 Indigenous Art Centres in Far North Queensland and their peak body, the Indigenous Art Centre Alliance
• partnered with 13 Indigenous councils and host organisations as part of Backing Indigenous Arts, to deliver $200,000 in cultural retention and arts development activities through the Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund
• expanded the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative to include Backing Indigenous Arts Performing Arts, a $2.1 million commitment to be distributed over two years across three key streams: Producer Placements, Next Stage and New Commissions
• launched Deadly Digital Communities, delivered by the State Library of Queensland in partnership with Telstra—a digital literacy program providing training in 26 remote and regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities over two years, building and enhancing participants digital literacy skills, helping more remote Queensland communities to interact in the digital world
• expended $24.4 million on Targeted Road Safety Program projects benefiting vulnerable users
• continued to lead the design and support delivery of the community resilience elements of the Strategic Blueprint for Queensland’s North West Minerals Province
• supported Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Courts at Southport, Beenleigh, Townsville, Palm Island and Mt Isa by providing specialist prosecutorial services to vulnerable persons and communities

Economic development and employment

• announced a further commitment of $20 million to the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund which has supported around 600 new operational jobs and leveraged more than $150 million in private sector capital expenditure in the regions to help drive economic growth in regional Queensland:
• an investment of $39.345 million pledged to nine projects, including (but not limited to) the Townsville Museum of Underwater Art, the Clermont Saleyards and Showgrounds Revitalisation and the development of a regional Export Distribution Centre in Agriculture
• facilitated several major projects in regional Queensland including (but not limited to) the Townsville Port Expansion, Cairns Shipping Development and the Lindeman Great Barrier Reef Resort
• with a combined capital expenditure of $2.34 billion, these major projects are expected to support up to 669 construction jobs and 2015 operational jobs
• worked with the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to help encourage private investment in infrastructure projects across north Queensland
• provided ongoing support for jobs through the building of the Aurukun Seniors unit and Cape York Timber in Far North Queensland
• continued implementation of a joint state/federal funded $10 million tourism recovery package for the Whitsunday region following ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie, including a $7 million Tourism Recovery Fund to support the rebuilding and recovery of tourism infrastructure and the creation of new tourism experiences for the region
• completed a feasibility assessment for the Great Keppel Island Rejuvenation Project, as part of facilitating power and water to the island to support tourism development on the island and across the Capricorn Region
• identified the Whitsunday Region as a priority tourism region as a pilot for coordinated facilitation and investment under Austrade’s Regional Tourism Infrastructure Investment Attraction Strategy, to stimulate tourism infrastructure investment in the region
• enabled the continued growth of international education and training (IET) in regional Queensland through support of 15 local government agencies to deliver regional IET programs, including the first International Student Welcome in Toowoomba and the launch of Study Rockhampton
• there are now five established and three emerging study clusters and an additional five regional partners working closely with Study Queensland to advance the IET sector in their region
• supported activities in 12 regions in Queensland under the Advancing Regional Innovation Program (ARIP), including business support and advice to regional Queensland Innovation businesses through delivery of Innovate Queensland workshops and events in all 12 Queensland ARIP regions
• provided three regional Innovate Queensland Money Magnet Masterclass workshops to support unsuccessful Advance Queensland regional grant recipients and regional business intending on submitting grants or seeking capital investment
• announced support and $950,000 in funding from the $36 million tourism infrastructure program, for a detailed design and business case for the Wangetti Trail—a proposed 76 kilometre dual use (for walkers and mountain bike riders) track in North Queensland stretching along the coastal plains and mountain hinterland between Palm Cove in the south and Port Douglas in the north
• committed $150,000 for a feasibility study to investigate redeveloping Browne Park stadium in Rockhampton
• implemented the Queensland Government’s $70.4 million four-year commitment, expanding and extending the previous support for country racing across Queensland, including $10 million for race club infrastructure
• allocated $200 million to 65 Councils outside SEQ through the 2017–19 Works for Queensland program to undertake job-creating projects for maintenance and minor infrastructure
• progressed and delivered initiatives under the North Stradbroke Island Economic Transition Strategy, focused on increasing economic, cultural, tourism and residential opportunities
• awarded 49 Advance Queensland Engaging Science Grants of which 79% were delivered in regions
• celebrated National Science Week by delivering a Regional STEM Pop-up in Longreach for more than 500 students from Prep to Year 12
• students from 14 schools participated in coding and robotics, entrepreneurship and drone training as well as a number of the other activities
• expanded Trade and Investment Queensland’s regional presence by creating a dedicated North Queensland office and established a permanent presence in Ipswich
• undertook consultation across Queensland for the development of targeted trade and investment Regional Action Plans
• delivered cross-border e-commerce training to 157 businesses on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Brisbane through a partnership with Alibaba
• hosted the 2017 Queensland International Business Series on 16-27 October 2017, a program of events and activities to promote export and investment across regional Queensland as well as Brisbane
• continued to support tourist travel and regional communities by negotiating a two-year contract for the Savannahlander tourist service in Far North Queensland
• engaged three regional marine officer trainees during 2017–18 providing a pathway for local residents into the maritime sector
• pursued Queensland’s priorities through the Ministerial Forum on Northern Development
• implemented the Back to Work (BTW) SEQ program which ran from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
• as at 30 June 2018, 1916 employers have been supported in SEQ to take on 2831 unemployed people
• continued to deliver the BTW Regional program which commenced on 1 July 2016
• as at 30 June 2018, 11,834 jobseekers were employed through the program by 5418 employers
• implemented the Go Local campaign to highlight the critical role small businesses play in creating jobs, supporting economic growth and investing in their communities
• supported Queensland agriculture by hosting multiple international delegations from key markets (Japan, China and South Africa) to explore collaborative opportunities for market development and investment attraction
• established the Rural Economies Centre of Excellence, providing $3 million in funding over three years, with the aim of identifying policies, strategies and outreach programs to drive innovation in Queensland’s rural and regional economies to optimise economic prosperity for rural Queensland
• passed the new Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act 2017 which is the first legislation in Australia to require social impact assessment and the management of fly-in, fly-out workforce arrangements
• the Act commenced on 30 March 2018 and ensures that residents of communities in the vicinity of large resource projects benefit from the construction and operation of the projects

Regional services and infrastructure

• provided more than $36 million through the Indigenous Councils Critical Infrastructure Program to projects addressing water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure within Queensland’s 16 Indigenous local governments, providing economic, employment and capacity-building opportunities
• approved an extension of time for the $120 million Indigenous Councils Critical Infrastructure Program, to 2020–21
• continued work on a 10-year action plan for major flood mitigation works in the Bundaberg region, committing $4 million to further develop the engineering concepts, costings and planning for four proposed flood mitigation options
• approved $50.607 million for 61 Councils outside SEQ through the 2017–19 Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program to support local governments to meet the needs of their community through the delivery of priority capital infrastructure projects
• allocated $34 million to 16 Indigenous Councils under the 2017–18 State Government Financial Aid program to assist in the delivery of essential local government services
• allocated $1.44 million to 16 Indigenous Councils under the 2017–18 Indigenous Economic Development Grant program to contribute funding towards service positions within Councils, to support permanent jobs that deliver local government services
• allocated $3.525 million to nine Indigenous Councils under the Revenue Replacement Program to provide funding to assist Indigenous Councils that have divested or surrendered profitable general liquor licenses
• continued rollout of the Building our Regions regional infrastructure program which has:
• invested $225 million across 174 projects from 62 Councils
• leveraged a further $353.5 million from other sources, yielding a total investment in regional infrastructure of $580.5 million
• supported 1762 regional Queensland jobs
• continued delivery of the $180 million Significant Regional Infrastructure Projects Program, consisting of 25 significant infrastructure projects located in key regional centres
• this program responds to community needs, provides increased economic opportunities, and supports nearly 600 jobs across regional and remote Queensland
• delivered the replacement permanent fire and rescue station, rural fire and State Emergency Service (SES) facility at Bundaberg, replacement Bundamba permanent fire and rescue station, replacement auxiliary stations at Charleville, Goombungee and Oakey, and replacement auxiliary station, rural fire and SES facility at Roma
• delivered the replacement auxiliary stations at Gordonvale and Thursday Island as part of the Accelerated Works Program
• delivered the replacement auxiliary stations at Herberton and Proserpine and replacement permanent fire and rescue station and BA Hazmat facility at Mackay and replacement permanent fire and rescue station at Smithfield as part of the Significant Regional Infrastructure Projects Program
• completed the QPS headquarters Level 3 (Stage 1) renewal project, the refurbishment of the Technical Surveillance Unit facility at Wacol, and Stage 1 and 2 works for the Bowen replacement station and watch-house
• initiated the Communications Capability Development Program to enhance the communications network, using technology and innovation to improve responses to calls for service while enhancing police officer safety, including:
• the advancement of a statewide digital network virtualised through the Queensland Computer Aided Dispatch system
• modernisation and upgrades to Police Communications Centre facilities, with upgrades at Ipswich, Gladstone, Mackay and Cairns completed
• development of a major regional facility in Townsville, planned for completion in 2018–19 financial year
• secured access for regional urban public transport users to the same equipment, technology and convenience as SEQ customers through the finalised procurement for Queensland’s new public transport ticketing solution
• innovations such as real-time network information, integrated ticketing and modern payment methods will improve transport access in urban regional bus networks and simplify customer’s experience
• opened the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2 extension, linking to the heavy rail system at the upgraded Helensvale interchange, including further investment into the Gold Coast bus network increasing to 9 all-day Turn-up and Go high frequency routes
• in the first 6 months of operation patronage on Gold Coast light rail is around 33.6% higher than the same 6 months last year as a result of the opening of the Stage 2 extension
• launched the Logan Demand Responsive Transit trial, bringing together new trip booking technology and flexible fleet to enable transport access to community centres and existing public transport routes, with bookings now over 600 per week and rising
• completed the $163 million Coomera to Helensvale Rail Upgrade, involving the duplication of 8.2 kilometres of track between Coomera and Helensvale stations
• constructed new stabling facilities for New Generation Rollingstock at Banyo, Elimbah, and Woombye and expanded the existing facility at Robina as part of the $116 million Rail Stabling program
• continued to deliver Community Service Obligation arrangements supporting regional Queensland communities through 325 livestock services and approximately 2400 regional freight services annually, under the livestock and regional freight transport services contracts
• increased rail freight capacity in the central west region, with an additional weekly rail service introduced in January 2018
• extended the Local Fare Scheme, an airfare subsidy aiming to improve the standard of living of residents in regional and remote Queensland, for a further two years until 30 June 2019 to include the communities of Doomadgee, Mornington Island and Weipa Town Authority for a 12-month trial
• released the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday Regional Transport Plan in June 2018
• finalised the new Transport Coordination Plan to guide planning, managing and investing in the transport system in order to improve regional development and the quality of life of Queenslanders

Natural resource management

• released the Lower Burdekin Groundwater Strategy project—Discussion paper in September 2017 to develop a strategic approach to addressing the impacts of rising groundwater and salinization on the sugarcane industry and receiving environments such as wetlands and the Great Barrier Reef
• development of the strategy in partnership with the community and industry will address these critical groundwater issues to sustain the jobs and production value of the lower Burdekin region, ensure new opportunities for growth are not constrained and reduce impacts to the Great Barrier Reef
• released a draft water plan for the Cape York Peninsula region on 4 June 2018 for consultation, including:
• new management strategies for water users accessing surface water, overland flow and underground water
• protecting the rights of existing entitlement holders and ensure that a balance can be achieved between emerging development pressures, Great Barrier Reef outcomes, and supporting Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve economic, social and cultural outcomes
• launched the Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers Water Plan 2017 on 2 September 2017, establishing a framework for the ongoing sustainable management of underground water resources across 70% of Queensland
• released the Draft Water Amendment Plan (Burdekin Basin) 2018 and associated documents for public comment on 27 April 2018
• the plan provides for more flexible water management, and paves the way for water trading in these catchments
• released draft water plans for the Condamine and Balonne catchment and the Border Rivers and Moonie catchments in April 2018, meeting a key milestone in Queensland’s obligation to implement the Murray Darling Basin Plan, with the plans on track to be accredited by June 2019
• continued the Queensland Regional Water Alliance Program (QWRAP), an industry led initiative funded by Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, administered by Local Government Association Queensland and Qldwater that supports collaboration among local governments to improve delivery of water and sewerage services across the five QWRAP regions
• assembled the Biosecurity Emergency Response Group—there are now over 60 personnel across Biosecurity Queensland and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) available at short notice to provide surge capacity in support of biosecurity emergency responses
• continued assisting rural producers and communities across the State that are affected by unprecedented drought conditions and high debt
• led the delivery of the 2017–18 drought assistance package
• as at 15 June 2018, $9.41 million had been spent on Drought Relief Assistance Scheme funding, with DAF processing 2551 claims for assistance
• oversaw the initiation and implementation of nine Research Development and Extension projects in the Drought and Climate Adaptation Program including collaboration with partners from other agencies to leverage additional program funding of $16.6 million, as well as in-kind support of $24.5 million over the next four years.