Six central Queensland councils are presenting a united front when it comes to contributing to the northern Australia plan.
Central Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (CQ ROC) - Rockhampton, Gladstone, Central Highlands, Banana Shire, Woorabinda and Livingstone councils - are meeting tomorrow in Yeppoon to discuss strategies, challenges and opportunities across the region.
“We lobbied state and federal government and the fact is we have now been included as part of the north Australia plan,” CQ ROC’s chair and Mayor of Banana Shire Ron Carige said.
The Federal Government’s northern Australia plan includes an initial investment of $1.2 billion. This is in addition to the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to provide concessional finance for infrastructure projects in the north.
“This is about councils working together to deliver a brighter future for all of central Queensland by driving economic growth and creating jobs,” Cr Carige said.
Last week in Cairns Cr Carige attended the Northern Queensland Economic Summit, which brought together international and domestic investors to discuss investment opportunities in northern Australia.
Central Queensland featured highly.
“Most of the presentations in Cairns revolved around the resources sector, and when you take the Isaac region into consideration, most of the resource sector is here in central Queensland.
“However, I was quite proud to say to the Chinese investors there that we produce more beef cattle in central Queensland than the Northern Territory and it’s worth more than $1 billion to the region.
“I found the Chinese were more interested in the agricultural side than anything else.”
Cr Carige said that although there were a number of projects on the table, there was a fair bit of negativity because times were tough.
“Sadly, in talking to the resource sector and asking them what is going to pull them out of the slump, they said it was China - we are very heavily reliant on China.”
In the region, CQ ROC is pushing for water infrastructure investment and while this includes Nathan and Connors Dams, the councils are committed to the building of Eden Bann and Rookwood, which would provide an additional 112,000ML of water supply for both industry and agriculture.
“Irrigated agriculture can produce over an additional $1 billion per annum for our region and CQ ROC has been a major supporter and contributor to the ‘Growing Central Queensland’ project,” Cr Carige said.
“This joint project, working in conjunction with Regional Development Australia (Fitzroy and Central West), and the Department of Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, will be a game changer for our region.”
It will be a packed agenda, including major regional infrastructure, agribusiness, the Northern Australian plan, regional leadership and collaboration and the digital revolution.
Council representatives will gather along with a number of state and federal politicians and representatives from state and federal Government agencies, industry and tourism organisations.
“The conference will hear from guest speakers on a range of topics, including local government reform, regional leadership and collaboration, the role central Queensland can play in the northern Australia plan and the opportunities presented by the digital revolution,” Cr Carige said.
The CQ ROC conference will be held on Friday 13 November at Yeppoon Town Hall from 8:30am to 5pm.
