Queensland manufacturing roadmap to jobs unleashed by Queensland’s Jobs and Energy Plan

The Palaszczuk Government has released an updated Queensland Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap, to help thousands of manufacturers create good, secure jobs following the release of Queensland’s Energy and Jobs Plan.

Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said updating the 10-year roadmap and action plan at the halfway point was important in the ever-changing global landscape.

“We want to make sure businesses are best placed to be part of Queensland’s supply chain in the traditional and new industries that are on the horizon,” the Minister said.

“By 2032, it means 70% of Queensland’s energy supply will be renewable – taking real action on climate change, now.

“And that means opportunities for even more jobs for Queenslanders.

“We’re talking about 100,000 new industrial jobs in hydrogen, renewables, manufacturing and critical minerals.

“Updating our Advanced Manufacturing Roadmap and Action Plan will be critical moving forward.

“Our updated and revised Roadmap now outlines how businesses can work to be a part of Queensland’s clean energy revolution, as well as the decarbonisation of our manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing contributes more than $20 billion a year to the Queensland economy. It’s crucial we support this sector and give our competitive, world-leading manufacturers every opportunity to thrive and grow.

“This revised Roadmap will do that.”

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan would see more manufacturing brought back to Queensland.

“Queensland’s energy transformation is the greatest opportunity in a generation – it’s all about powering good jobs in new regional industries, and bringing back manufacturing to our regions,” Mr de Brenni said.

“To transform our energy system, we’re going to need thousands of batteries, wind towers and blades, solar panels and kilometres of transmission lines.

“We want to seize and de-risk this opportunity by manufacturing as much Queensland-made renewable energy equipment as possible.

“And by applying our Buy Queensland procurement approach through our publicly-owned energy companies, we can increase demand for components that have traditionally been wholly imported, and drive an industrial scale manufacturing revolution.”

Minister Butcher said that while the Roadmap and Action Plan retained the direction and vision of the original roadmap, the revised action plan included new strategies and actions for the next five years to respond to emerging issues and new opportunities for our manufacturers.

Informed by engagement with manufacturers around the state and guided by the Manufacturing Ministerial Council, the new Action Plan will focus on five areas to boost Queensland manufacturing:

Strategy 1: Drive Advanced Manufacturing in Queensland

Strategy 2: Support manufacturers to grow in a carbon neutral future

Strategy 3: Support manufacturers to take advantage of large scale and emerging industry and procurement opportunities

Strategy 4: Increase the participation of women in manufacturing

Strategy 5: Marketing Queensland Manufacturing.

Mr Butcher said the strategies aligned with the Queensland Government’s priority to create good, secure jobs right across the state.

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said making the announcement at successful manufacturing business Idec Solutions is a clear sign the industry is going from strength to strength.

“In order to build everything, we’re going to need to execute the Energy and Jobs plan we need the manufacturing workforce and expertise.

“That includes ensuring that we are looking more widely at the potential workforce including bringing women into traditional male jobs.

“Having a ready workforce is essential and this roadmap is going to tell us what we need, where we need it and when.

“Skills and training will be essential, and we already have world-leading training facilities across Queensland and the people graduating programs there will be ready to be employed in the booming manufacturing industry.”

Idec CEO Glenn Gibson said the Queensland Government’s support for manufacturing was vital for future growth.

“We received a Made in Queensland grant 12 months ago and that enabled us to introduce robotic steel fabrication processes that have helped us to become more competitive for interstate and potential international business.

“Over the past year we have been able to grow our customer base significantly, with strong sales and sharply increasing revenue,” he said.

ENDS

Emilia Hutchinson – 0437 060 435