Queensland Regional Action Plan Budget 2017-18 JOBS FOR DARLING DOWNS Courtesy of Qualipac Courtesy Photo: Photo: The Queensland Budget in Darling Downs in 2017-18. will directly support around 4,300 JOBS Significant 2017-18 expenditure in Darling Downs: Infrastructure Health Education $917.9M $903.4M $27.9M for productivity enhancing infrastructure for the Darling Downs and South West for maintenance and capital works and capital works, estimated to support Hospital and Health Services. projects for schools in Darling Downs. 3,700 jobs. Darling Downs will also benefit from: ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT Natural Resources Six Full Cohorts Works for Queensland Investment Program – 2020 Ready $200M $42.3M $250M of additional funding over two years to over four years from 2018-19 over two years for new classrooms support job-creating maintenance and minor to help support the sustainable and other infrastructure in the State's infrastructure works across regional Queensland management of Queensland's secondary schools to cater for the 17,000 that improve local government assets, bringing water, land and vegetation additional students expected in 2020. the total commitment to $400 million. resources. Darling Downs farmland Photo: redbrickstock.com / Alamy Stock Photo budget.qld.gov.au Regional Action Plan WHAT THE PALASZCZUK GOVERNMENT IS DELIVERING FOR DARLING DOWNS The Palaszczuk Government is delivering a range of significant projects and has implemented a broad suite of policies to boost economic growth and drive more employment opportunities in Darling Downs, including: POLICY OUTCOMES RESTORING FRONTLINE SERVICES* Building Our Regions $28.6 million allocated to 12 projects to support local councils and other organisations to deliver critical infrastructure and support jobs. as at 1 May 2017 209 51 183 extra extra extra Apprentice and Trainee nurses doctors teachers Payroll Tax Rebate Up 11.9% Up 15.4% Up 5.2% * Growth from March 2015 to March 2017 Rebates claimed by 1,825 businesses to reinvest $5.4 million into their business and support employment. in the 12 months to April 2017 THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS Back to Work 259,291 hectares 1 Aboriginal Employer support payments worth $314,000 paid to 43 of national and and Torres Strait employers to directly employ 69 local jobseekers and a regional parks Islander Partnership further $638,000 in Youth Boost payments to 79 employers regional office 190 State Heritage to directly employ 115 young jobseekers. as at 31 May 2017 sites 37 fire stations 33 hospitals and 52 police stations health facilities Drought relief funding 13 courthouses Assistance totalling $3.8 million provided to 587 22 customer farmers to provide relief and help them deal with the service centres 154 schools adverse impacts of drought. as at 30 April 2017 6,114 km of roads Photo: Getty/lola1960 DARLING DOWNS TO BECOME ASIA’S FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BOWL The 2017-18 Budget provides funding totalling $4.3 million over three years for Growing Queensland’s Food Exports and to establish a Rural Economies Centre of Excellence. These programs will help agri-businesses in Darling Downs and throughout Queensland transition to more efficient agricultural production and will develop new supporting infrastructure to meet the demand for fruit and vegetables in Asia and other parts of the world. Satisfying growing international demand for fresh, safe, high-quality food means higher returns for producers, more jobs and new business opportunities in rural Queensland. The programs will complement recent industry development projects led by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Trade and Investment Queensland. These projects have seen irrigated crop producers in communities such as Inglewood and St George grow and export new crops including sweet corn, broccoli, blueberries and garlic; all of which are much more water efficient than traditional crops. These new production systems have led to the establishment of new business and employment opportunities in rural communities, including in packaging and processing facilities. budget.qld.gov.au Regional Action Plan INVESTING IN JOBS FOR DARLING DOWNS Darling Downs, which includes the garden city of Toowoomba, is one of Australia’s most productive agricultural regions. Darling Downs’ high quality produce is in demand across Australia and overseas and the region is set to build on its status as a major hub for services and logistics. The Palaszczuk Government is investing in jobs for Darling Downs through a diverse range of projects and initiatives: 1 Swanbank Power Station 6 Kogan Creek Power Station 10 SUNSHINE Braemar Substation COAST AND MORETON Gas Supply Strategy enhancements, overhaul and secondary systems BAY . million in - to refurbishment replacement ensure future gas supply to FAR NORTH BRISBANE . million in - to . million in - QUEENSLAND IPSWICH Swanbank Power Station. enhance, overhaul and refurbish out of a . million the Kogan Creek Power Station. total spend to replace GOLD 2 Roma Hospital aged secondary systems LOGAN COAST redevelopment 7 Warrego Highway Dalby at the Braemar Substation TOWNSVILLE million in - Western Access upgrade to ensure continued MACKAY out of a million total (Stage 1) reliability of supply to the CENTRAL spend to commence the . million in - OUTBACK QUEENSLAND surrounding area. QUEENSLAND major redevelopment out of a million total WIDE BAY of the Roma Hospital, spend to upgrade the Warrego 11 Myall Creek DARLING SOUTH EAST including the demolition Highway Dalby Western Access, Development DOWNS QUEENSLAND of the existing facility while Condamine Street to Watt , in - concurrently redesigning Street, due for completion in out of a , total spend the Hospital. Part of the April . Part of the Warrego to construct footpaths, shade Enhancing Regional Highway Upgrade Program, structures, a pedestrian bridge, 13 Elderly Parent Carer Hospitals Program. delivered in partnership with improved interpretive signage, Innovation Initiative – the Australian Government. LED lighting and landscape Crows Nest 3 Roma auxiliary fire and improvements at the Myall , in - out of rescue station and area Creek open space development a , total spend to operations facilities to improve aesthetics and continue the Elderly Parent , in - enhance usability. Part of the Carer Innovation Initiative out of a . million total - Local Government with a project in Crows Nest spend to relocate and Grants and Subsidies aimed at greater security for upgrade the Roma auxiliary Program. older parent carers who can re and rescue station and Durah no longer look a er their area operations facilities. Roma adult son or daughter with a disability. 4 Chinchilla State High School new multi- 14 Tara auxiliary fire and purpose hall rescue station relocation . million in - and upgrade out of a . million total Toowoomba , in - out spend to construct a multi- St George of a . million total spend purpose hall. Warwick to relocate and upgrade the 5 Tara auxiliary re and rescue Warrego Highway station. overtaking lanes (Dalby to Miles) 15 Tara Shire State College . million in new early years service - out of a 8 Kogan Creek Mine . million in - out million total spend development and of a . million total spend to construct overtaking refurbishment to construct a new early years lanes on sections of the . million in - to 12 Warrego Highway Dalby service. Warrego Highway between develop and refurbish the Eastern Access upgrade 16 Dalby and Miles, due Kogan Creek Mine. million in - Goombungee auxiliary for completion in June out of a million total fire and rescue station . Part of the Warrego 9 New England Highway spend to widen the Warrego relocation and upgrade Highway Upgrade Package, overtaking lanes (Yarraman Highway from four to six lanes . million in - to delivered in partnership to Toowoomba) at Dalby Eastern Access, due relocate and upgrade the with the Australian . million in - out for completion in June . Goombungee auxiliary re Government. of a million total spend to Part of the Warrego Highway and rescue station. construct overtaking lanes at Upgrade Package, delivered in various locations on the New partnership with the Australian England Highway between Government. Yarraman and Toowoomba, due for completion in December . For detailed descriptions of these initiatives, view the interactive map at budget.qld.gov.au Queensland Budget 2017-18 23 30 17 Oakey auxiliary fire and Charlton North Catchment - Toowoomba Hospital KEY Stormwater Detention Basin Emergency Department rescue station relocation Community wellbeing and upgrade Project , in - out , in - out . million in - out of of a million total spend Utilities of a . million total spend a . million total spend to to expand clinical capacity in to relocate and upgrade construct earthworks, upstream the Emergency Department at Health the Oakey auxiliary re and protection works and landscaping Toowoomba Hospital. Education rescue station. components of the Charlton North 31 Centenary Heights State Catchment stormwater detention Transport and roads 18 Warrego Highway basin to provide physical High School redevelopment duplication (Charlton to resilience against potential , in - out of Justice and safety Kingsthorpe) stormwater and flood damage to a . million total spend to . million in - valuable infrastructure. Part of the conduct master planning and Government services out of a million total commence redevelopment. - Natural Disaster Recreation and culture spend to duplicate the Resilience Program, delivered 32 Warrego