Mary Valley war memorial garden lives on

A native garden dedicated to the memory of local soldiers who went to war will be kept alive with the assistance of 10 unemployed young people from the Mary Valley region.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the recently discovered garden in Brooloo will be tidied up and another complementary garden established, as part of a $406,110 project for 90 people funded by the State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

“Through Skilling Queenslanders for Work, NAMTEC has organised for 10 participants to undertake landscaping, maintenance and revegetation at a number of community facilities in the Mary Valley, including Brooloo,” Mr Mickel said.

“Combining practical on-the-job skills and accredited training, these young people will have the knowledge and confidence they need to enter the workforce and build a brighter future for themselves.

“While unemployment is at a low 3.8 per cent in Queensland, it is important to remember there are still people who are having difficulty finding work, including young people.

“With the population ageing we are going to need all the people we can get participating in the workforce and the key to that is to help people build the skills needed by employers and industry.”

NAMTEC Acting General Manager Shirley Russell said the participants will also complete landscaping work and improve community facilities along the Mary Valley Rattler line.

“Landscaping work will occur around Kandanga’s Information Centre and railway line, and Dagun’s railway station and Natural History Walk, both stops on the popular steam-train ride,” she said.

“In Imbil, Mary Valley State College will have landscaping done around new pathways and gardens, and the children’s bike track will be completed with works to improve the safety and aesthetics of the track and grounds, including construction of a new barbeque.”

During 2008/09 the Queensland Government will invest $80 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 15,000 long-term unemployed and underemployed people job related assistance and skills training to maximise labour force participation and increase Queensland's prosperity.

Twelve months after receiving assistance 71 per cent of participants are in employment or further training.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.

For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925

Contact: NAMTEC Acting General Manager Shirley Russell on 5479 8444 or admin@namtec.org.au

Ministerial contact: Nathan Moir on 3235 4060

July 22, 2008