Working Queensland Cabinet Committee meeting in Ipswich

Published Sunday, 24 September, 2017 at 05:21 PM

Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment
The Honourable Curtis Pitt

 

A meeting of the Palaszczuk Government's Working Queensland Cabinet Committee will be held in Ipswich tomorrow (Monday 25 September) to discuss opportunities to generate new local employment in the wake of recent industry job losses.

Acting Premier and Treasurer Curtis Pitt — who will chair the meeting — said the Cabinet Committee would be examining upcoming projects in the area that could potentially create jobs for workers displaced as a result of the closures.

“Today we will be taking a look at potential new projects for job-creation in the area as well as assessing whether workers may require additional skills for alternative forms of employment,” Mr Pitt said.

“The Queensland Government is committed to doing everything we can to help connect people with job opportunities in the region.

“We will be listening to locals and hearing their ideas for new job opportunities as well as examining how the government’s range of job-creation programs can assist.

“Our initiatives such as the $240 million Skilling Queenslanders for Work which funds training and support for unemployed people has already seen almost 900 people in the Ipswich region secure jobs.

“In addition, since 1 July this year, our Back to Work Youth Boost program — initially for regional communities — has been widened to be available in South East Queensland.

“Back to Work provides direct support of up to $20,000 to employers hiring unemployed jobseekers.

“The program has already created more than 7,000 jobs across the state since July 2016 and I urge Ipswich region employers to take advantage of the support payments it offers for hiring unemployed jobseekers.

“Through our economic plan we have created 115,400 net new jobs since the January 2015 state election and we remain focussed on job-creation in Ipswich and across the state.”

Mr Pitt said it was encouraging to see that the unemployment rate in Ipswich had fallen since the state election.

“ABS figures show the unemployment rate for the Ipswich region was 8.1% in August compared with 8.6% at the last election,” he said.

“This compares to the track record of the former LNP government which saw the Ipswich region’s unemployment rate rise from 5.3% to 8.6% over its term in office.

“Since the January 2015 election the youth unemployment rate for the Ipswich region has fallen from 17.6% at the last election to 13.0% in August 2017.

“Since the last election a net 9,700 new jobs have been created in the Ipswich region, 7,200 of which were filled by 15-24 year olds.

“But while it is encouraging to see these improvements, we know there is more to do especially in the wake of recent job losses through the recent closure of meatworks,” Mr Pitt said.

 

Media contact: Lindsay Marshall     0447 316 432