Published Wednesday, 29 October, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Bligh Govt gives $10m boost to attract big firms to Mackay Whitsunday
The State Government will boost incentives to attract major players in the manufacturing, mining, marine and industrial biotechnology industries to the Mackay Whitsunday region.
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle today announced the incentives as part of a host of new measures to boost one of Queensland’s high growth regions.
The new Regional Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme will offer up to 100% payroll tax rebates and potential cash grants to firms relocating from outside the State.
“This is further evidence that the Bligh Government is looking after regional Queensland,” Ms Boyle said.
“The focus of RQIIS will be on targeting those firms who will build on and not detract from our existing industry capacity – firms with the expertise, the contracts and contacts to help take our local industries global.
“As well as attracting the big names we want our home-grown firms to be world-class.”
Ms Boyle said local firms would be encouraged to undertake R&D, adopt new high tech systems and improve productivity through the Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI) funding program.
“There is also potential for the region to secure domestic and international work in the design, construction and maintenance of major mining equipment – if we can get smaller firms to work together and bid as consortiums,” she said.
Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt said the State Government would also step up its efforts to build the region’s international profile as a world-class supplier of mining engineering services and as a potential industrial biotech hub – taking full advantage of the region’s sugar mills, horticultural produce and bulk terminal ports.
“These measures are all about ensuring the sustainability of the Mackay Whitsunday region’s economy – strengthening the industries we’ve identified through processes such as Centres of Enterprise and Smart Industry Policy that are going to give us the critical mass and competitive advantage in a challenging global economy,” she said.
Ms Jarratt said the Mackay Whitsunday region had been identified as one of the State’s high growth regions along with Cairns and Tropical North Queensland, Wide Bay Burnett, Townsville and North West Queensland, Darling Downs and South West Queensland and Fitzroy and Central West Queensland.
Ms Boyle said the region offered enormous opportunities for investors based on its:
• Major coal deposits
• World class manufacturing and engineering capabilities
• Well developed transport and distribution logistics
• High quality tourism products
• High speed broadband access
• Well established higher-education infrastructure
• Growing marina berth facilities supported by extensive marine services and infrastructure.
The Mackay Whitsunday region, with an estimated population of 163,000, has a faster growth rate than the Queensland average with a strong pool of current and future workers.
“In terms of climate and lifestyle, the Mackay Whitsundays is proving to be a popular destination with workers looking for a sea change,” Ms Jarratt said.
“Major national and international firms looking for their own sea change will be hard pressed to go past this region.”
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
29 October 2008
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle today announced the incentives as part of a host of new measures to boost one of Queensland’s high growth regions.
The new Regional Queensland Investment Incentives Scheme will offer up to 100% payroll tax rebates and potential cash grants to firms relocating from outside the State.
“This is further evidence that the Bligh Government is looking after regional Queensland,” Ms Boyle said.
“The focus of RQIIS will be on targeting those firms who will build on and not detract from our existing industry capacity – firms with the expertise, the contracts and contacts to help take our local industries global.
“As well as attracting the big names we want our home-grown firms to be world-class.”
Ms Boyle said local firms would be encouraged to undertake R&D, adopt new high tech systems and improve productivity through the Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI) funding program.
“There is also potential for the region to secure domestic and international work in the design, construction and maintenance of major mining equipment – if we can get smaller firms to work together and bid as consortiums,” she said.
Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt said the State Government would also step up its efforts to build the region’s international profile as a world-class supplier of mining engineering services and as a potential industrial biotech hub – taking full advantage of the region’s sugar mills, horticultural produce and bulk terminal ports.
“These measures are all about ensuring the sustainability of the Mackay Whitsunday region’s economy – strengthening the industries we’ve identified through processes such as Centres of Enterprise and Smart Industry Policy that are going to give us the critical mass and competitive advantage in a challenging global economy,” she said.
Ms Jarratt said the Mackay Whitsunday region had been identified as one of the State’s high growth regions along with Cairns and Tropical North Queensland, Wide Bay Burnett, Townsville and North West Queensland, Darling Downs and South West Queensland and Fitzroy and Central West Queensland.
Ms Boyle said the region offered enormous opportunities for investors based on its:
• Major coal deposits
• World class manufacturing and engineering capabilities
• Well developed transport and distribution logistics
• High quality tourism products
• High speed broadband access
• Well established higher-education infrastructure
• Growing marina berth facilities supported by extensive marine services and infrastructure.
The Mackay Whitsunday region, with an estimated population of 163,000, has a faster growth rate than the Queensland average with a strong pool of current and future workers.
“In terms of climate and lifestyle, the Mackay Whitsundays is proving to be a popular destination with workers looking for a sea change,” Ms Jarratt said.
“Major national and international firms looking for their own sea change will be hard pressed to go past this region.”
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
29 October 2008