Rail projects key to growth writes TSBE CEO Ali Davenport

Major infrastructure projects can benefit our economy enormously, but only if local businesses are employed to work on the project.

TSBE CEO Ali Davenport.

Major infrastructure projects can benefit our economy enormously, but only if local businesses are employed to work on the project.

Local businesses are more likely to spend their money in the region; they employ locals and provide apprenticeships and training to grow the workforce.

Sadly, many major projects are awarded to national or multinational companies who bring in workers and subcontractors from outside.

They do not focus on employing local companies, therefore a large proportion of the economic benefit leaves the region for good.

With the Darling Downs on the cusp of several major infrastructure projects, it’s vital that local companies which have the capability of working on these big projects are identified and given every opportunity to be employed.

To make this process easier, TSBE has launched a Suppliers Portal, which is a web-based tool designed to map out major projects in the Toowoomba and Surat Basin region and provide lead contractors with intel on the most suitable local companies to work with.

One of the most significant major projects on the horizon is Inland Rail.

This will be a game-changer for Toowoomba yet the project is held up in both State and Federal Government bureaucracy and is already more than 12 months behind schedule.

TSBE will use the new Supplier Portal to map local capable companies which can work on this project and then ensure that they get the opportunity for employment.

I recently had the pleasure of hearing from Richard Wankmuller the CEO of Inland Rail, who presented at a TSBE boardroom briefing.

He confirmed that once underway Inland Rail will provide thousands of jobs and billions of dollars for Toowoomba during the five-year construction phase.

Beyond construction, the ongoing transport and logistics jobs will truly transform this region as Toowoomba will then have extensive road, air as well as rail infrastructure, providing a better connection between our produce and the rest of Australia and the world.

Now more than ever, we need Inland Rail, and we need governments to act quickly.

In the meantime, as we wait for governments to act, TSBE will be utilising the Supplier Portal to get a big picture view of local capability and by the time construction commences we’ll have our list of local companies who are ready, willing and able to work hard to get the job done.