The Queensland Government has signed an MoU with the LGAQ to help attract international trade and investment.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk MP and Local Government Association Queensland president Mayor Mark Jamieson signed the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  between Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) and the LGAQ, which came with funding from TIQ of $200,000.

Under the MoU, the LGAQ will increase the support provided to councils through training, mentoring and increasing the connectivity between councils and Trade and Investment Queensland.

“[Councils] know which local businesses want to export or have the capacity to expand into overseas markets,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“They understand the importance of being on the front foot in attracting investor interest in their regions which means competing in the global market using all the tools and resources they can muster.”

A survey of councils in 2015 found that many wanted support in arranging trade delegations and providing relevant training to councillors.

Councils reported wanting support in areas such as best practice models in trade and investment attraction.

The LGAQ’s Regional Economic Development Advisory Group (REDAG) subsequently pointed to the lack of integration between state and local government when it came to trade and investment attraction.

In addition to its $200,000 support for the LGAQ to deliver training and mentoring to councils, Trade and Investment Queensland will deliver training and mentoring to businesses across Queensland to help sustain them on their export and investment journeys.

A copy of the MoU is accessible here.