Page Text: The Queensland Budget will directly support Central Queensland with significant expenditure in 2021-22 including:
$973M for Infrastructure
for productivity-enhancing infrastructure and capital works, estimated to support around
3,200 jobs in this region.
$691.4M for Health
for the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Services.
$74.6M for Education
to maintain, improve and upgrade schools in Central Queensland region.
Central Queensland will also benefit from:
$140M for Rookwood Weir
in 2021-22 to continue construction of Rookwood Weir to enhance Central Queensland’s agricultural and urban water supply by up to 86,000 megalitres.
$28.4M for Social Housing
in 2021-22 to expand and improve social housing in Central Queensland, delivered in partnership with the Australian Government.
$6M for Skilling Queenslanders for Work
in 2021-22 to fund more training opportunities and increase workforce participation in Central Queensland.
Restoring frontline services in Central Queensland
(March 2015 to March 2021)
362 extra nurses up 30.1%
128 extra doctors up 53.9%
49 extra police officers up 9.2%
31 extra firefighters up 25.8%
Delivering for the Central Queensland region
Building our Regions
$69.5 million allocated to 37 critical infrastructure projects in Central Queensland, supporting economic development and supporting 743 jobs.
(March 2015 to June 2021)
Jobs and Regional Growth Fund
$41.3 million capital expenditure supported and 131 new full-time jobs generated in Central Queensland.
(February 2017 to May 2021)
Back to Work
$29.9 million paid to 1,291 employers in Central Queensland to help employ 2,905 eligible unemployed jobseekers.
(July 2016 to May 2021)
Works for Queensland
$23.7 million provided to regional councils in Central Queensland to undertake 73 minor infrastructure and maintenance projects.
(June 2019 to June 2021)
Map
Download the Central Queensland Regional Action Plan here
New Rookwood Weir bridge completed
The new bridge over the Fitzroy River at Riverslea has officially opened, the third road upgrade delivered as part of the Rookwood Weir project. To date, bridge and road upgrades have created over 100 jobs, while construction of the weir itself will support a further 200 jobs for Queenslanders, with 140 of these jobs going to local workers.
The Queensland and Australian Governments have each committed another $7.5 million for the Rookwood Weir to unlock 10,000 additional megalitres of water for Central Queensland, bringing the total investment to $367.2 million. Rookwood Weir will be a transformational piece of water infrastructure that will underpin agricultural growth and supply industrial and urban water to the Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Gladstone communities.
The 86,000 megalitres of water from the weir increases water security and gives local farmers greater opportunities to expand their businesses, creating more jobs and greater resilience in regional communities through drought, bushfires, floods and COVID-19.
Powering Queensland’s ports and shipping
The Queensland Government is investing $21 million over four years for a plan to revitalise and strengthen the state’s coastal shipping and reinvigorate maritime jobs.
Reinvigorating Queensland’s coastal shipping industry builds resilience in the supply chain and helps maintain essential transport links. The investment will make better use of Queensland’s ‘blue highway’ by giving businesses more transport options and creating new regional jobs.
The new Maritime Consultation Group of port representatives, maritime industry and training organisations will work with government to grow the state’s maritime capacity. The group will consider the incentives for new and existing operators to establish a new regional coastal shipping service between Brisbane and Townsville, and for existing operators to switch to Queensland crews.
As part of the plan, $1 million will fund maritime cadetships and training for Queenslanders who want to enter the industry or upskill.
Tax relief package
The government provided significant tax relief to support Queensland businesses, landlords, tenants, pubs and clubs, including:
payroll tax refunds, waivers and deferrals for eligible businesses, targeted at small to medium businesses
a payroll tax exemption for wages subsidised by the JobKeeper payment
land tax rebates, waivers and deferrals for eligible taxpayers.
An estimated 280 employers in Central Queensland will also benefit in 2021-22 from the higher payroll tax threshold.
$2 billion Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund
The $2 billion Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund will provide cheaper, cleaner energy to power more jobs and industries in Queensland, while helping to deliver on our 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030.
The Fund will increase investment by government-owned corporations in commercial renewable energy and hydrogen projects, along with supporting infrastructure, including in partnership with the private sector.
Forming part of the new $3.34 billion Queensland Jobs Fund, this investment will ensure Queensland capitalises on economic development opportunities and creates more jobs and industries through cheaper, cleaner energy.
© The State of Queensland 2021
Queensland Government