Townsville Enterprise will this week embark on a 1,000-kilometre road trip, highlighting to our extensive national stakeholder base the importance of the North West to the future of Queensland.
Travelling from Townsville to Mount Isa, the North West Queensland road trip will demonstrate how unlocking the value of the North West Minerals Province will drive new jobs and assist Queensland’s recovery post COVID-19.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Patricia O’Callaghan and Director of Policy and Investment Wayde Chiesa will meet with leaders from major mining operations including Ravenswood Gold, South32 Cannington mine, Incitec Pivot, MMG Dugald River and Glencore Mount Isa as well as local government representatives, regional chambers of commerce and community representatives along the corridor.
The decision to ‘hit the road’ comes after a recent Townsville Enterprise mining and resources round table where membership feedback highlighted the opportunity for several key Government policy and regulation reviews to free up red tape and fully develop the economic opportunities in the North West.
The value of the North and North West mining sector:
- Employs over 20,000 people
- Critical supply chain linkages to metal refining and port facilities in Townsville, with billions of dollars in mineral commodities handled through the Port of Townsville each year
- Primary driver for regional employment and economic growth, with activities having important flow-on effects in the local, state and national economies
As we begin to move towards recovery from COVID-19, infrastructure investment will be critical to recovery and the importance of a nation-building infrastructure program cannot be understated. Through government support there is potential to turbocharge the resources sector which employs thousands of people.
Our trip aims to focus attention on these critical priorities by working with media and our social media channels to highlight the barriers and opportunities for growth. The feedback we receive will also help establish an even stronger and more informed policy platform for Townsville Enterprise advocacy.
There has never been a more critical time to invest into the North and North West to support recovery for the State and through the right policy framework and infrastructure investment, we have the potential to unlock the north, progress the state and realise new jobs and opportunities for North Queenslanders.
While it is important to invest in future infrastructure projects, there is also a real need to focus on the sustainability of the current operations, so our local skills workers can continue to live in the region.
The mining and resources sector have operated in a challenging environment over the past decade and we need to ensure we put the right policy and infrastructure in place so we can leverage from these industries to help bring the State’s economy out of this crisis stronger than before.
Stay up to date
Daily updates on the road trip will be available on the Townsville Enterprise website here and via Facebook.
