South Burnett’s job-boosting start to 2018

A new $60 million expansion of the Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory and official opening of the restored boning, chilling and export facilities ravaged by fire in late 2016 have marked a promising start to the year for the South Burnett region.

Turning first sod on the factory’s expansion, Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the project would create up to 66 new long-term jobs and up to 100 construction jobs over the next 14 months at the Sun Pork processing plant.

“The Palaszczuk Government is extremely proud to have worked with Swickers to assist in the rebuild since the devastating fire in late 2016, and to today continue our strong record of support for this iconic Kingaroy business by contributing funding to its expansion through the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund,” he said.

“Swickers is the largest pork-processing plant in the Southern Hemisphere, the only export pork facility in Queensland, and one of the South Burnett Region’s biggest employers, so it was crucial for local jobs, the economy and the community that this business was back up and running as quickly as possible.

“The speed and strength of recovery has exceeded expectations and today, thanks to the support of the Palaszczuk Government, we begin the expansion of Queensland’s only export-accredited pork abattoir to increase its capacity, meaning more long-term jobs on the way for the South Burnett region.”

Mr Dick said the rebuild was already benefiting the community and the expansion to Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory complete with a new abattoir will more than double processing capacity.

“The expansion alone will create 66 new long-term jobs to support the region’s future generations,” he said.

“Swickers currently processes over 90 per cent of the pigs processed in Queensland, and this expansion will allow the broader pig industry in our state to grow with the increased processing capacity. 

“This will support regional growth in piggeries, transport providers and all other participants in the regional supply chain.”

Following the fire in late 2016 about 120 Kingaroy staff members were moved to the Wulkaraka premises in Ipswich to work at a new boning site, until the new boning facility was built in Kingaroy.

The Palaszczuk Government and Ipswich City Council partnered to establish a temporary local planning instrument, necessary for relocating the Kingaroy workers.

Dr Robert van Barneveld, Group CEO and Managing Director of the SunPork Group said they’re extremely proud of what has been achieved since the fire and the work that has been done to restore processing capacity.

“This could not have been accomplished without the support of our staff, customers, suppliers, the local community and government,” he said.

“We look forward to now expanding the business with installation of a world-class, state-of-the-art abattoir.”

The Palaszczuk Government’s Jobs and Regional Growth Fund has also offered financial assistance to SunPork Commercial Piggeries to support a two-stage expansion of their Tong Park Piggery, north-west of Dalby, worth up to $50 million. The piggery expansion is currently under consideration by the company.

Mr Dick said more than 143,900 jobs have been created in Queensland since January 2015.

“This expansion is just another fine example of the Palaszczuk Government continuing to support economic opportunity and jobs growth,” he said.

The $130 million Jobs and Regional Growth Fund is part of the government’s broader $200 million Jobs and Regional Growth Package, targeted at growing regional economies and jobs for Queenslanders.

The fund provides one-off financial assistance ranging from $100,000 to more than $10 million in either direct grants or relief of state charges (such as payroll tax and stamp duty).

More information on the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund can be viewed at https://statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/industry/industry-support/jobs-and-regional-growth-fund.html

Media contact: Anika Hume 0447 320 039