A new job creation program focused on building projects managed by Queensland’s local councils has coincided with an increase in regional employment, according to figures compiled by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ).
The figures show that, for the first time since 2010, there has been an overall rise in the number of workers employed by Queensland councils.
The result comes at a time when the Palaszczuk Government is channelling hundreds of millions of dollars into regional communities to help kick start employment through its Works for Queensland program.
The 2017 Local Government Workforce Census found that there were more than 40,490 people employed by local councils, a 2.75 per cent increase on the previous year.
This included a 0.53 per cent rise in employment in councils outside southeast Queensland, where the Works for Queensland program is focussed.
The program is helping fund hundreds of local projects from art installations to road upgrades as a means to grow and maintain employment levels in regional parts of the State.
The LGAQ Census showed that there was an increase in council employment in both southeast Queensland councils (3.2 per cent) and non-SEQ councils (0.53 per cent), giving an overall increase of 2.75 per cent state wide.
LGAQ chief executive Greg Hallam said the figures suggested Works for Queensland was having a positive impact on jobs.
“Anecdotally, the arrest in the decline in local government employment numbers that have been recorded can be attributed in part to the successful Works for Queensland initiative in non-SEQ councils and preparation for the Commonwealth games in SEQ,” he said.
“Our Census covers workers directly engaged in local government – employees only, not contractors.”
