The Queensland Government is providing funding of $98,000 to assist local governments in the Gladstone, Central and South West regions of Queensland to bid for key infrastructure work to prepare the region for growth in the mining industry.

 

The Minister for Employment, Skills and Mining Stirling Hinchliffe  said the investment was part of the Bligh Government’s commitment to skills and workforce development across all industries in Queensland’s key resource regions.

 

“With major companies investing in the resources industry in these areas comes a demand for skilled workers who can deliver in areas like infrastructure, town planning, cultural services and environmental work,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

 

“This includes projects like CSG and LNG projects in the Surat and Bowen Basin areas and in the Gladstone region.

 

“There is also a number of mining projects in the area like the expansion of the Gladstone Coal Terminal and the development of projects like construction of pipe lines and processing plants at Curtis Island.

 

“Under the project, which is funded by Skills Queensland, a coordinator will be employed to help councils enhance their capacity to bid for infrastructure work which will be part of these major developments.

 

“Previously, infrastructure works of this type would have gone to private contractors who may then have drawn workers away from the council’s labour force.

 

The coordinator will help councils develop existing workforce plans and strategies to ensure workers have the skills needed to undertake contractual works for major projects in the future.

 

“The coordinator’s role will be to develop partnerships between the councils and the proponents of major resource projects, facilitate contractual work and work with councils on attraction, retention and upskilling,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

 

The project finishes at the end of 2011. Gladstone Regional Council is the lead council and will work with North Burnett, South Burnett and Maranoa Regional Councils.