Townsville Enterprise welcomes Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles MP announcement today that the Army structure and posture changes will see Townsville emerge as the Defence Capital of the nation.
All major recommendations made by Townsville Enterprise in the Defence Strategic Review Submission have been accounted for. Today’s announcement will see all of Army’s heavy armour and half of its helicopters to be hosted in Townsville from 2025. This will mean at least 500 additional personnel relocating to Townsville on top of the already 4,000 strong military base.
For Townsville, the consolidation of Army Attack Apache helicopters and medium lift Chinooks, elevates the city as one of Australia’s most critical Army garrison regions.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said that today’s announcement will bring significant and long-term economic growth to the region.
“The relocation of 500 personnel and their families will be a significant boost to Townsville North Queensland and supporting industries and local businesses,” Mrs Brumme-Smith said.
“We know that for every person who will move to Townsville due to this strategic review, an average additional 1.4 family members will accompany them. This means a population boost of over 1,200 new residents for Townsville.
“This population boost will contribute in excess of $800M in economic output each year for the region and on top of the 500 new defence personnel, will support an additional 1,400 jobs across supporting sectors and industries.
“This outcome will cement Townsville as the critical base for Australia’s military and is something that Townsville Enterprise has been strongly advocating for.
“Population growth of this scale will require investment into infrastructure that supports the region’s liveability. Housing stock, especially for defence housing, will need to be increased to ensure that locals and those who relocate are not being crowded out of the market.”
This announcement will help to secure Townsville North Queensland as a place for investment and growth.
For more information about Townsville Enterprise’s Defence Review Submission visit Defence Strategic Review Submission by Townsville Enterprise - Issuu
