Opinion: ‘Stronger and smarter’: $26bn for Qld’s future

Queensland now has the strongest jobs growth in Queensland history. But failure to do just one thing could have ‘devastating’ consequences, writes Premier Steven Miles.

Queensland Day is a day where we celebrate all that our great State has to be proud of.

We’re creating more jobs.

We have the strongest jobs growth in Queensland’s history. We export more goods compared to NSW and Victoria combined. Queenslanders pay lower taxes and share lower debt. And Queensland’s resources, agriculture and renewables industries are stronger and smarter.

One of the reasons Queensland separated from NSW in the 1800s was the establishment of regional centres that were too far away from Sydney.

Back then, the Queensland Government worked on expanding the railways to provide an economic connection to these new towns The growth of the railways serviced an emerging mining industry and saw the growth of the agricultural sector in Queensland.

That’s why we needed a Government of Queensland then. Today, the job for a Government of Queensland is to invest in the economic infrastructure of the 21st century.

To deliver on our emissions reduction plan and invest in clean and renewable energy and protect regional jobs.

Premier Steven Miles at a recent media conference. Picture: Shae Beplate.

We don’t have an option. If Queensland doesn’t meet our renewable energy targets, jobs and growth will be devastated.

Manufacturing would go offshore and regional jobs and industries would be lost.

Deloitte Access Economics has modelled that Queensland stands to lose out on 87,000 more jobs by 2035 if we fail to meet our 75 per cent emissions reduction target.

Almost all of those jobs are in the regions in new industries like critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels.

We are at a turning point. Our investment in renewable energy is as important today to our economic future as that investment was in the railways in the second half of the 1800s.

That’s why in next week’s budget we are increasing our investment in the Renewable Energy And Jobs Plan to $26 billion over the next four years. The largest investment in income-earning publicly owned renewable energy assets in the nation.

When people talk about a future made in Australia we know that’s a future made in Queensland.

Six months ago I became Premier of the greatest State in Australia. We’ve achieved a lot in a few short months. But all of that progress and future investment is at risk if we change course.