Carpentaria Shire Economic Development Strategy Background Paper Version dated 09 September 2020 Graham Locke Table of Contents 1. Background ........................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Defining economic development ........................................................................................................ 4 1.3 North West Queensland Economic Diversification Strategy .............................................................. 4 2. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Shire overview ..................................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Transport services ............................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Accommodation .................................................................................................................................. 7 3.3 Impact of COVID 19 Pandemic ............................................................................................................ 7 4. Related documents and key organisations ........................................................................................... 7 4.1 Carpentaria Shire Council Corporate Plan and Operational Plan ....................................................... 7 4.2 Draft Carpentaria Shire Council Tourism Plan 2019-2022 .................................................................. 8 4.3 Service delivery in remote and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities ............ 8 4.4 Gulf Regional Development Plan ........................................................................................................ 8 4.5 Aboriginal Development Benefits Trust .............................................................................................. 9 4.6 Tourism Tropical North Queensland ................................................................................................... 9 4.7 Savannah Way Limited ...................................................................................................................... 10 4.8 Gulf Savannah Tourism Strategy ....................................................................................................... 10 4.9 Gulf Savannah Development Remote Area Board ............................................................................ 10 4.9.1 Lower Gulf Marine and Riverine Economic Development .................................................... 11 4.10 Gulf Savannah Development Business Enterprise Centre .............................................................. 12 4.11 Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation..................................................................... 12 4.11.1 CLCAC Economic Development Unit .................................................................................... 12 4.11.2 CLCAC Destination and Product Development Plan ........................................................... 12 4.12 North West Queensland Economic Practitioners Forum ................................................................ 13 4.13 North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils .......................................................... 13 4.14 North West Queensland Regional Roads Group ............................................................................. 14 4.15 Inland Queensland Roads Action Plan ............................................................................................ 14 5. Community Consultations ................................................................................................................... 14 5.1 Strengths ........................................................................................................................................... 15 5.2 Challenges ......................................................................................................................................... 15 5.3 Opportunities .................................................................................................................................... 16 Carpentaria Shire Economic Development Strategy – Background Paper I Page 1 5.4 Business survey ................................................................................................................................. 18 5.5 Traditional owner engagement ........................................................................................................ 18 6. Statistical Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 18 6.1 Regional Australia Institute [In] Sight ............................................................................................... 18 Table 1: Carpentaria Shire InSight competitiveness rankings............................................................. 19 6.2 Regional comparison ......................................................................................................................... 19 Table 2: Comparison of local government areas in Australia with similar populations, remoteness and economic factors .......................................................................................................................... 20 6.3 Demographic and Economic Profile .................................................................................................. 20 6.3.1 Population .................................................................................................................................. 20 Table 3 Estimated Resident Population, Carpentaria (S) and Queensland ..................................... 20 6.3.2 Age profile and population projection ....................................................................................... 20 6.3.3 Median age ................................................................................................................................ 21 Table 4 Median Age, Carpentaria (S) LGA and Queensland ............................................................ 21 6.3.4 Employment ............................................................................................................................... 21 6.3.5 Unemployment .......................................................................................................................... 22 6.3.6 Apprentices / trainees ................................................................................................................ 23 6.3.7 Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage ....................................................................... 23 7. Key Industry Sectors ............................................................................................................................ 23 7.1 Tourism ............................................................................................................................................. 23 7.2 Agriculture......................................................................................................................................... 24 7.2.1 Beef cattle .................................................................................................................................. 24 7.2.2 Potential future irrigated agricultural development ................................................................. 25 7.2.3 North West Agricultural Study and Implementation Plan ......................................................... 25 7.3 Fishing Industry ................................................................................................................................. 26 7.4 Small Business ................................................................................................................................... 26 7.5 Digital disruption ............................................................................................................................... 27 8. Economic Enablers .............................................................................................................................. 27 8.1 Roads ................................................................................................................................................. 27 8.2 Port of Karumba ................................................................................................................................ 28 8.3 Airports ............................................................................................................................................. 28 8.4 Passenger Transport ......................................................................................................................... 28 8.5 Water ................................................................................................................................................ 28 Carpentaria Shire Economic Development Strategy – Background Paper I Page 2 8.6 Energy ............................................................................................................................................... 29 8.7 Communications ..............................................................................................................................