Published Monday, 04 December, 2006 at 08:00 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
TOOWOOMBA IS THE LOCATION FOR FIRST ENTERPRISE WORKSHOP
Business and industry leaders in Toowoomba have been involved in the State’s first Centre of Enterprise workshop.
At the workshop the Toowoomba business community provided the State Government with advice on how to drive and promote the region’s key industries.
Minister for State Development John Mickel today announced that the Darling Downs and South-West would be the first of six Queensland regions to use the Government’s Centre of Enterprise initiative.
The other regions are Cairns and Far North Queensland, Mackay and the Whitsundays, Fitzroy and Central West, and Wide Bay Burnett.
Mr Mickel also announced he would make up to $5M available over three years to support investment attraction activities as part of the Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme for the Darling Downs and South West region.
“Today’s workshop was a very important lead-up to the Darling Downs and South-West regional forum which will be held in Toowoomba in February next year,” Mr Mickel said.
“It provided regional business and community leaders with an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the development and implementation of Regional Enterprise Action Plans for key industries.
“Today’s workshop recognised the importance to the region of a range of industries including energy resources and production, transport and logistics, metal and machinery manufacturing, fibre composites, agribusiness and food processing, education and tourism.”
Mr Mickel described the Darling Downs and South-West region as an economic powerhouse for Queensland.
“Toowoomba is one of Queensland’s largest regional centres with a business and service hub covering the entire South-West region,” he said.
“The rapidly expanding resources sector in the Surat Basin has been responsible for driving regional unemployment in the Darling Downs area to record lows – below State and National levels, and increasing the demand for skilled professional and trades people.
“The Maranoa is also demonstrating its ability to adapt to changing times with new farming practices being developed to better respond to climatic and market cycles.
“And while the South-West may be sparsely populated, this region is enthusiastically pursuing education tourism opportunities based on its natural and cultural landscapes. It also has significant reserves of oil and gas and vast geothermal reserves which remain untapped at this point in time.”
Mr Mickel said the State Government’s Centres of Enterprise initiative would make businesses in the Darling Downs and South-West region even more competitive.
“It’s about driving those industries that are going to set you apart from your competitors whether in other parts of Australia or indeed the world, ” he said.
He said the regional leadership model used in the Darling Downs and South-West region would provide a template for future economic development activities across regional Queensland.
The key principles contained in the model will include:
• Building on the great regional partnerships already in place.
• Working on the region’s strengths, targeting specific industry sectors and seizing opportunities for economic development.
• Focussing on a small number of initiatives that have the potential to deliver the biggest economic returns for the region.
• Getting results.
“By focussing attention on the key industries of the region, we will help attract new businesses and create the critical mass necessary for accelerated industry growth,” Mr Mickel said.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
4 December, 2006
At the workshop the Toowoomba business community provided the State Government with advice on how to drive and promote the region’s key industries.
Minister for State Development John Mickel today announced that the Darling Downs and South-West would be the first of six Queensland regions to use the Government’s Centre of Enterprise initiative.
The other regions are Cairns and Far North Queensland, Mackay and the Whitsundays, Fitzroy and Central West, and Wide Bay Burnett.
Mr Mickel also announced he would make up to $5M available over three years to support investment attraction activities as part of the Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme for the Darling Downs and South West region.
“Today’s workshop was a very important lead-up to the Darling Downs and South-West regional forum which will be held in Toowoomba in February next year,” Mr Mickel said.
“It provided regional business and community leaders with an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the development and implementation of Regional Enterprise Action Plans for key industries.
“Today’s workshop recognised the importance to the region of a range of industries including energy resources and production, transport and logistics, metal and machinery manufacturing, fibre composites, agribusiness and food processing, education and tourism.”
Mr Mickel described the Darling Downs and South-West region as an economic powerhouse for Queensland.
“Toowoomba is one of Queensland’s largest regional centres with a business and service hub covering the entire South-West region,” he said.
“The rapidly expanding resources sector in the Surat Basin has been responsible for driving regional unemployment in the Darling Downs area to record lows – below State and National levels, and increasing the demand for skilled professional and trades people.
“The Maranoa is also demonstrating its ability to adapt to changing times with new farming practices being developed to better respond to climatic and market cycles.
“And while the South-West may be sparsely populated, this region is enthusiastically pursuing education tourism opportunities based on its natural and cultural landscapes. It also has significant reserves of oil and gas and vast geothermal reserves which remain untapped at this point in time.”
Mr Mickel said the State Government’s Centres of Enterprise initiative would make businesses in the Darling Downs and South-West region even more competitive.
“It’s about driving those industries that are going to set you apart from your competitors whether in other parts of Australia or indeed the world, ” he said.
He said the regional leadership model used in the Darling Downs and South-West region would provide a template for future economic development activities across regional Queensland.
The key principles contained in the model will include:
• Building on the great regional partnerships already in place.
• Working on the region’s strengths, targeting specific industry sectors and seizing opportunities for economic development.
• Focussing on a small number of initiatives that have the potential to deliver the biggest economic returns for the region.
• Getting results.
“By focussing attention on the key industries of the region, we will help attract new businesses and create the critical mass necessary for accelerated industry growth,” Mr Mickel said.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
4 December, 2006