Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk has committed to job-creation programs spanning the state, as well as extra funding for rural mental health in her opening address at the 124th Local Government of Queensland (LGAQ) Annual Conference, today.
LGAQ President and Sunshine Coast Council Mayor, Mark Jamieson thanked Premier Palaszczuk for her commitment to continuing the successful Works for Queensland program.
Mayor Jamieson also thanked the Premier for announcing she would adopt the LGAQ’s Jobs Advantage program to create and support jobs in areas of socio-economic disadvantage in South East Queensland.
“Our job at the LGAQ is to advocate on behalf of all our councils to ensure no community is left behind.
“Together we have already created or supported more than 26,000 jobs through Works for Queensland and this commitment will ensure we can create or support thousands more.
“I would also like to thank the Premier for committing today to working with the LGAQ and its member councils on our Bush Councils Compact, an historic new agreement to establish a new level of collaboration between the State and bush councils to guarantee minimum standards of service delivery and infrastructure for rural and remote communities.”
The Premier also announced $75,000 grants for rural and remote councils to deliver tailored mental health initiatives, extra funding for cluster fencing, the QCoast2100 [coastal councils’ hazard adaptation] program and a $280 million commitment to continue funding under the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS).
Mayor Jamieson said a clear priority for the LGAQ going forward would be to continue to advocate for increased TIDS funding, as well as to secure Works for Queensland as a recurrent program set at a minimum of $100 million per year.
