2023 UNLOCK THE NORTH DOCUMENT
View the full list of projects and policies that feature in our 2023 Government Budget Priority List.
Townsville Enterprise, the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NQROC) and North Queensland’s business community are focussed and committed to securing North Queensland’s future.
Our role has always been to look ahead, and champion the projects and policies that will deliver economic opportunity for our region over the coming 5 to 10 year window. Our traditional industries like defence, health, education, tourism, and mining continue to evolve, with innovation key to staying competitive and relevant to the national and international markets.
On 7 March, Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the State Government would acquire and build CopperString 2032. This project is a gamechanger for our region and one that Townsville Enterprise, together with the leaders of North and North West Queensland has advocated for for more than a decade. Now it is time to focus on new priorities. Priorities that will deliver CopperString including solving the region's housing crisis, workforce and skills attraction and population growth. Making sure we have the people and the skills for tomorrow and to support what CopperString means for the Townsville North Queensland region.
North Queensland is ideally located to benefit from this change in the global energy supply chain, with abundant renewable energy resources and significant private investments from NQH2 Cluster members to develop pilot projects. We are also staying focused on policies that will enable small to medium businesses to prosper and grow in our region. We are engaged with all levels of government on the impacts of high insurance due to cyclone and flooding, public liability insurance, and banking support for regional enterprise.
We will continue to fight for the right policies and government funding support that will secure the future of Townsville North Queensland.
Submitted in October 2021
Submitted in January 2022
Submitted in February 2022
Submitted in November 2021
The first two days of the Unlock the North virtual delegation to Canberra has seen Townsville Enterprise along with the mayors of Townsville, Burdekin, Hinchinbrook and Charters Towers meet directly with Ministers, Shadow Ministers, Cross Benchers, Chiefs of Staff and Senior Advisors across a range of key portfolios for our region.
Day 3 of the Unlock the North virtual delegation to Canberra is wrapped up, with the North Queensland Mayors and TEL campaigning hard for funding and policy decisions that will make a real difference to the lives of North Queenslanders today and into the future.
We have finished our 4 day Digital Delegation with key opportunities to advocate for key projects in the resources, water and energy sectors.
Townsville Enterprise will be administering the new Designated Area Migration Agreement, providing up to 1000 additional visas for workers from overseas in industries negatively impacted by severe workforce shortages across North and North West Queensland.
Townsville Enterprise congratulates Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on her announcement about the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and SuperGrid Blueprint and acknowledges the foresight the government has about the emerging energy transition.
Townsville Enterprise calls on the new Federal government to make good on all pre-election commitments for North Queensland and deliver in the October budget.