$75M boost to chicken production, technology and jobs in Queensland

Published Tuesday, 06 February, 2018 at 10:40 AM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Cameron Dick

A $75 million investment in the chicken industry, including in state of the art technology through the supply chain, has laid the foundations for sustained growth and the generation of skilled job opportunities.

Visiting Ingham’s new logistics and laboratory facilities at Lytton today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Ingham’s investment underpins 2000 full time jobs in Queensland including 1300 at Murarrie and 160 at its Cleveland processing facilities.

Ingham’s operations in Queensland also support an estimated 10,000 indirect jobs.

“The Ingham’s strategy is to become a world-class food company by adopting new technology and building a skilled workforce and it is happening here is Brisbane.”

"Ingham’s investment is vote of confidence in Queensland and our agriculture and food manufacturing sector," she said.

"Inghams is laying the foundation in Queensland to build on current processing rates of around 1.3 million chickens each week."

"It means future job opportunities through the supply chain including the new facilities at Lytton, the processing facilities at Cleveland and Murarrie, at its hatcheries, farms and feed mills."

The Premier said the Ingham’s investment was the example the Palaszczuk Government was seeking to promote through a renewed focus on manufacturing.

“Manufacturing is the fifth biggest contributor to the State’s economy and employs almost 170,000 Queenslanders.

“In our first term, we supported this growing sector with initiatives such as the Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap and the $20 million Made in Queensland grant program.  I have committed a further $20 million to support local manufacturing businesses.”

“We are delivering a $7.6 million 10-year Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap as one of the six roadmaps being prepared under the Advance Queensland program.”

“Manufacturing is one of Queensland’s traditional strengths that we want to expand to create new jobs and new products that can be sold into local and export markets.”

Minister for Manufacturing Cameron Dick said manufacturing was already generating $19.2 billion in added value to the state’s economy, and it isn’t slowing down.

“Over the next decade, Queensland’s manufacturing sector is predicted to grow the economy by $7.13 billion,” he said.

“Queensland has numerous competitive advantages, including a strong industry base with supply chain expertise, high-quality produce thanks to favourable climatic and growing conditions and world-leading food management practices in food security and sustainability, so we also want to see companies exploring and capitalising on the export market.

“Queensland’s manufacturing industry is brimming with optimism and opportunity ripe for the taking, and as a government we are focused on fostering an economic environment which is giving manufacturing companies like Ingham’s the confidence to grow their investment in our state and showcase their product to the world from a Queensland base.”

The Premier said the Government had developed a strategy for advanced manufacturing and reinvesting in the biosecurity capacity for Queensland's primary industries.

“Following the reckless cut to biosecurity under the LNP, my Government is increasing the State’s biosecurity capability, including a new Queensland Biosecurity Strategy,” she said.

The Premier said since 2015, the Government had worked with business and industry to create 143,400 new jobs. 

Media contact: Kirby Anderson (Premier’s office) 0417 263 791