Minister reveals economic plan for local jobs

Traditional industry; some job-generating projects, and future-focussed growth industries: that’s the key to the Fraser Coast’s future, according to State Development Minister Dr Anthony Lynham.

Speaking at the official opening of the Fraser Coast Airport terminal upgrade in Hervey Bay today, Dr Lynham said the government was working to diversify regional economies to protect communities against commodity price cycles and extreme weather.

He nominated biofutures and advanced manufacturing as the growth sectors for the Fraser Coast.

“With your agricultural strengths, and your manufacturing heritage, these two growth sectors are where the jobs and business opportunities of the future lie,” he said.

“Our government is focussed on nurturing new and emerging industries with global market potential, and where Queensland holds natural advantages.

“We’ve put nearly $20 million in the Budget into putting our biofutures plan into action and just last week we had the US Navy in Brisbane talking about buying biofuels.

“The economic recipe is: a solid base of the traditional industries of agriculture and mining; a good slice of good old-fashioned projects, and a thick icing on top of future-focussed growth industries.”

Dr Lynham said regional infrastructure projects were an important part of keeping regional economics ticking over while the growth sectors developed.

“Regional infrastructure programs like $375 Building our Regions are pumping funds into regional communities across the state, co-funding critical infrastructure like water and sewerage with local governments,” he said.

“Under Round 1 Building our Regions has allocated $70.8 million funding across 42 projects, supporting almost 700 jobs.

“The Fraser Coast Regional Council has three short-listed projects in the second round of applications and the successful projects will be announced before the end of the year.”

Dr Lynham also urged locals businesses to attend an upcoming information session on the $3 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane project.

“This project may be happening in the Brisbane CBD, but its impact will be widespread and ongoing,” he said.

“This project is going to create decades of supplier opportunities—whether it’s raw products, trades, or services.

“Wouldn’t we love to see all those tourists in those new cafes and restaurants eating Hervey Bay scallops, Tin Can Bay prawns and Tiaro beef?”

The information session will be in Maryborough in October.

ENDS                                                  24 August 2016

Media contact:             Jan Martin       0439 341 314