Business community shares hopes of North Queensland being “built back better” after floods

Dealing with the financial impacts of North Queensland’s flooding event, the business community want all levels of government to follow through on their commitment to “build back better”.

Business and manufacturing industry's calling for "build back better" commitments to come to fruition.

Dealing with the financial impacts of North Queensland’s flooding event, the business community are crying out to ensure that all levels of government follow through on their commitment to “build back better”.

Townsville Enterprise has outlined early estimates of the economic loss that occurred during the flooding event is around $257 million.

Chief executive Claudia Brumme-Smith said after speaking with more than 150 businesses across the Townsville region it was clear the event caused widespread financial strain across all industries, citing the construction industry as one of those hardest hit.

“The construction industry has been hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars in clean up costs, project delays and a month of lost productivity,” she said.

“Our manufacturers have been unable to receive raw materials from the Northwest due to prolonged road closures.”

Seeing first-hand the impacts of recent road closures, general manger of Townsville Marine Logistics Damien Scott said eleven trucks with more than 1000 tonnes of sulphuric acid had been held up.

Maidment Group managing director Glen Maidment. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

“Although this severely affects our operation, a thought needs to be spared to the flow on effects this will have to our customers that are major resource producers and how it will affect their production capacity,” he said.

With North Queensland already facing a housing crisis and hundreds of new homes flood affected, Glen Maidment from Maidment Group said stopping construction works had cost more than $100,000 in wages, clean-up and remediation.

“We must focus now on future-proofing,” he said.

“This means investing in new housing developments outside flood-prone areas and improving density in the city.”

Ms Brumme-Smith also highlighted the loss expected by the tourism industry.

“Our tourism sector is forecasting $40 million in cancellations, with leisure visitors not expected to return until after Easter,” she said.

Treasurer David Janetzki, Townsville Enterprise chair Kevin Gill and CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith, and Premier David Crisafulli. Picture: Supplied.

With important connecting roads like the Bruce Highway and the Flinders Highway cut off, Ms Brumme-Smith said the flooding event has highlighted the need for the roads to be built back at a higher standard.

“North Queensland is the economic powerhouse of this state and nation,” she said.

“We are a strategic hub for defence, manufacturing, and agriculture. Yet, once again, the flooding event has exposed the vulnerability of our critical supply chain networks.”

Highlighting projects from Townsville Enterprise’s “Unlock the North” priorities, which the group have called for the fast-tracking of, including the Port Expansion Project.

“We’ve heard all levels of government commit to ‘building back better’ – now is the time to see that commitment turned into action,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.

Charters Towers Regional Council mayor Liz Schmidt. Picture: Supplied.

Charters Towers Mayor Liz Schmidt said the recent events show how vulnerable North Queensland’s highway are.

She said manufacturing was vital to the country’s economic future, calling for “resilient” road infrastructure.

“Improving flood resilience on the western highway into and out of Charters Towers would ensure a reliable freight route when access to the Bruce Highway is cut,” she said.

“Beyond road infrastructure, securing viable access to the Macrossan rail bridge is also critical for efficient east-west freight movement across the Burdekin.”

General Manager of Morgan Transport Group North Queensland Cameron Wright said Townsville acts as a critical hub for logistics and road infrastructure.

“Put simply, no freight in means no freight out,” he said.

“Without urgent investment and ongoing maintenance, these essential freight routes will continue to deteriorate, threatening the stability of regional economies and the reliability of supply chains.”

Originally published as Business community shares hopes of North Queensland being “built back better” after floods