Townsville Enterprise welcomes the LNP's re-election commitment to co-fund trunk infrastructure at the Ayr Industrial Estate with the Burdekin Shire Council.
The $3.3m investment will help establish the initial lots in the new development, and the sale of these will support continued expansions at the site. The Burdekin Shire Council has already undertaken the detailed design and engineering works and the project is shovel ready.
This investment will provide 200 jobs during construction and up to 170 long term jobs as businesses expand into the new estate, and new businesses move in and establish themselves in the Burdekin.
The Ayr Industrial Estate is one of the priority projects outlined in the 2022 Unlock the North budget submission document. In our February digital delegation to Canberra we advocated for regional industrial land developments along side the Mayors of the Burdekin and Charters Towers.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith welcomed the announcement.
"The LNP's commitment to co-fund the Ayr Industrial Estate works will unlock jobs, opportunity and economic activity as regional Queensland continue to operate as the engine room of the state economy," Ms Brumme-Smith said.
"North Queensland has a diverse economic base with supply chains often stretching across the region. An investment like this in the Burdekin will have positive flow-on impacts through Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook and Townsville.
We want to see this project go ahead after the election no matter the outcome, so we are calling on ALP candidate Shane Dawson to match the commitment to ensure that this project proceeds regardless of the federal election outcome."
Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Cr. Lyn McLaughlin said that the investment would make a major difference to their community and have a wide range of positive impacts.
“I believe that with the new expansion, we’ll see some new industries that haven’t even been considered into the future around food processing and technology, it opens up lots of opportunities," Cr. McLaughlin said.
It will mean lots more employment, and an opportunity for people to stay and live in a regional area that's close to a major port and a major city.
It will be a benefit to our community and all of North Queensland."
In light of the ALP's similar commitment to Charters Towers Regional Council and the 777 Block, Townsville Enterprise is calling on both the major parties to provide bi-partisan support to the Ayr and Charters Towers industrial land projects to provide confidence and certainty to the communities of North Queensland.
You can help us with our advocacy efforts and contact the LNP candidate for Kennedy Bryce MacDonald to match funding on the 777 Block, and the ALP candidate for Dawson Shane Hamilton to match funding on the Ayr Industrial Estate.
