Townsville Enterprise Limited and North Queensland Regional Organsation of Councils reveal NQ budget wishlist
With the state government’s budget announcement next week, two North Queensland groups have revealed what is on their wishlist for the region.
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With the state government’s budget being announced next week, Townsville Enterprise Limited and the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils have released their budget submission for 2024.
Townsville Enterprise chief executive Claudia Brumme-Smith said CopperString 2032, housing, health, Ross Creek waterfront investments and enabling infrastructure were the key priorities included in their ‘Unlock the North’ budget submssion, which they would like to see included in the budget announcement on June 11.
“Townsville is the largest city in Northern Australia and our region collectively has all the right ingredients,” she said.
“With funding from the State Government towards these key priorities we will be able to grow and support new and existing industries that the world is demanding.”
Ms Brumme-Smith said with a vacancy rate under 1 per cent and a predicted 4,975 new jobs by 2029, housing pressure ‘continues to intensify’ in Townsville.
“We need a commitment to see a set regional allocation from the Housing Infrastructure Fund for North Queensland,” she said.
“The North Rail Yards project will need to get the infrastructure investment it needs to enable new housing stock to come online. Housing is crucial for attracting the workforce needed for projects like CopperString and hospital upgrades.”
The Magnetic Island Koala Hospital was also part of the funding wishlist, with Ms Brumme-Smith saying there was a great opportunity ‘right here on our doorstep’ tying in with the ‘global demand’ for eco-tourism.
“The increased demand for wildlife care on Magnetic Island, particularly for injured and sick koalas, means the Magnetic Island Koala Hospital needs to expand,” she said.
“The Magnetic Island Koala Hospital has a vision to offer an immersive, educational, and inspiring experience for visitors and the community,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils chair and Charters Towers Mayor Cr Liz Schmidt noted a key focus was the region’s hospitals and health services, saying there was a need to ‘bring the patient care up to the standard of other health facilities across the state.’
“New health infrastructure is critical for our communities in North Queensland,” she said.
“The Townsville Hospital and Health Service is planning and innovating for the future, an ambitious master plan comprises several major expansions to ensure the continued health and prosperity of the region and solidify the position of Townsville North Queensland as a centre of healthcare excellence. “
The full budget wishlist for Townsville from TEL and NQROC includes:
- Copperstring
– Ongoing operational funding for works required to make sure CopperString, renewable wind and solar projects, and the critical mineral mining and refining projects can be built to deliver the largest infrastructure project in the history of North Queensland. - Housing
- A set regional allocation from the Housing Infrastructure fund for North Queensland.
- $35 million to provide trunk infrastructure upgrades that will facilitate rapid housing development and make the North Rail Yards project competitive to Southeast Queensland.
- Townsville Waterfront Renewal
– Funding to create the new face of Townsville and building regional Australia’s most liveable city.
- $50m to build Ross Creek Boardwalk expansion and funding for a new entertainment centre.
- North Queensland Health Masterplan Priorities
-$300 million for a new state of the art Charters Towers Hospital
-$20 million to establish the NQ Spinal Unit. Acute spinal services are currently only provided in Brisbane.
-$30 million for a new integrated health care centre on Magnetic Island
-$21 million for upgrades for Ayr and Ingham Hospital to provide local CT scanning at Ayr and improved emergency services closer to home reducing transfers to Townsville University Hospital.
-$5 million for the installation of a robotic pharmacy solution.
- Magnetic Island Koala Hospital
- $3.5 million to develop a visitor facing Koala Hospital.
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Originally published as Townsville Enterprise Limited and North Queensland Regional Organsation of Councils reveal NQ budget wishlist
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