Qld needs 280,000 more workers by 2025, jobs summit to be told

A mining town mayor, a Bligh-era treasurer and a high-flying chief executive are among prominent Queenslanders exclusively invited to this week’s national jobs summit.

Queensland will need to find 280,000 extra skilled workers in the next three years to keep up with economic growth, according to the state’s new 10-year workforce strategy.

The strategy, to be released on Tuesday, comes with $70m in new state funding attached and will be hand-delivered to Canberra by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as part of the national jobs summit.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will this week host more than 100 union, business, government and community leaders at the National Jobs and Skills Summit – with The Courier-Mail able to reveal some of the Queenslanders sent a highly exclusive invite.

Isaac Regional Council mayor Anne Baker.

On the shortlist – alongside the Premier – are mining town mayor Anne Baker (Isaac Regional Council) and Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka.

Former Anna Bligh-era treasurer Andrew Fraser, now Griffith University’s Chancellor, also made the cut alongside Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union Queensland head Matt Journeaux, Cape York Institute’s Fiona Jose and Ramsay Health’s Carmel Monaghan.

The mining and resources sectors could be represented by at least seven company and industry heads, including officials from BHP, Blackrock Industries, Rio Tinto, Australian Energy Council, oil and gas lobby APPEA, Mineral Council of Australia and iron ore magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest.

Queensland’s workplace strategy estimates an extra 280,000 workers will be needed by the end of the 2024-25 financial year, amid one of the “tightest labour markets in recent years”.

Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Already 79 per cent of Queensland businesses are struggling to find enough people to apply for jobs, according the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland Pulse Survey released earlier this month.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the workforce strategy would “drive a co-ordinated whole-of-government approach to support industries, businesses and communities to develop, skill and grow their workforces”.

The state government will announce an extra $70m in funding, with more than $6m going toward creating a network of “industry advisers”, $4m toward expanding the Gateway to Industry Schools Program, and $3.5m for rural and remote community partnerships.

Jobs growth is expected to be “shared across all regions and industry sectors”, according to the broad blueprint, though different strategies will be developed with regions across the state to “identify workforce opportunities and challenges relevant” to each area.

Ramsay Health’s Carmel Monaghan at one of its offices in Fortitude Valley. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“Workforce attraction and retention must be supported by strong regional economies, the provision of quality services, vibrant and inclusive local communities and access to infrastructure,” the strategy said.

“The availability and affordability of housing is also key to ensuring that local jobs can be filled.”

Skilled health care and social assistance workers will be needed across the state.

In rural areas, including Mt Isa, Far North Queensland and the Darling Downs, skilled staff in agriculture forestry and fishing will be needed while mining workers will be required into the future in Townsville, Mackay and the Fitzroy and Wide Bay regions.

The National Jobs and Skills Summit will be held on Thursday and Friday.