As Australia gears up for a Federal Election in early 2025, Townsville Enterprise, in collaboration with regional councils, has unveiled its 2025 Federal Election Unlock the North Priorities. The plan calls for decisive action and investment to address critical infrastructure needs, housing challenges, and policies to unlock the region’s economic potential.
Townsville North Queensland’s unique geographic and industrial strengths position it as a national leader in sovereign manufacturing, renewable energy generation and transmission, future fuels production, critical minerals mining and processing, and defence capability.
Townsville Enterprise CEO, Claudia Brumme-Smith called on all political parties to commit to further investments in nation-building projects, housing solutions, liveability infrastructure, and immigration to sustain the region’s unprecedented growth.
“Townsville North Queensland is uniquely positioned to establish sovereign manufacturing and high-value supply chains globally – but only with the infrastructure and policy support necessary to realise this potential,” Ms. Brumme-Smith stated.
“North Queensland is rapidly becoming Australia’s most important green energy and critical minerals corridor and a strategic hub for national security. Investment in our rail, road, and port infrastructure is essential to supporting these transformative industries.”
“An 80/20 funding model for highways such as the Bruce Highway and Flinders Highway will not only improve safety outcomes, but it will also enable the highway infrastructure to meet the demand that is anticipated from defence movements, transportation of manufacturing goods, and construction needs for the likes of CopperString.”
Addressing the region’s acute housing shortage, she added: “Rental vacancies across our five local government areas have been below 1% for years. Despite ample land for development, new housing projects are stagnating. This region needs investment into housing infrastructure works that will unlock new housing stock in Townsville, Burdekin, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, and Palm Island – we have the land, and the projects to drive demand; this region needs to see commitment from our Federal Government to drive outcomes.”
Ms. Brumme-Smith stressed that the Unlock the North advocacy platform outlines practical solutions to the housing crisis, emphasising, “Housing is a basic human right. We cannot let a lack of available housing stall North Queensland’s future.”
Chair of the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, Liz Schmidt, echoed the urgency of these priorities.
“In North Queensland, collaboration is our strength. As we approach the Federal Election, we stand united in calling for investments that will support our region’s growth,” Ms. Schmidt said.
“North Queensland is leading in green energy, defence, and manufacturing, but outdated road infrastructure and housing shortages are holding us back. We know the solutions – now is the time for Government to step up and help deliver them.”
Townsville Enterprise’s 2025 Federal Election Unlock the North Priorities have outlined approximately 20 infrastructure priorities for the region. Across their three decades of advocacy for Townsville North Queensland the organisation has successfully secured more than $70 billion in Government funding for critical projects including the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, the opening of the Carmichael Mine, The Great Barrier Reef Aquarium and CopperString.
