Infrastructure jobs stoke Queensland economy in 2010
Source: Queensland Government - http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au
30 December 2010
2010 has proven to be the year of infrastructure delivery and planning for a forward-thinking Queensland, said Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe.
“Queensland is the envy of other states for many reasons, but chief among them is our ability to get moving on delivering the infrastructure we will need tomorrow, today,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“The Coordinator-General signed off on 11 reports this year for projects worth a total of roughly $69.5 billion – these have the potential to create around 19,660 construction jobs and 3,798 operational jobs.
“They include plans for Liquefied Natural Gas projects, Coal Seam Gas, South East Queensland growth, coal and other energy resource projects.”
The significant projects approved in 2010 were:
- Australia Pacific LNG
- Townsville Port Marine Precinct
- Queensland Curtis LNG
- Port of Gladstone Western Basin Dredging
- Gladstone-Fitzroy Water Pipeline
- Gladstone LNG
- Fisherman’s Landing Port Expansion
- Bowen Basin Coal
- Surat Basin Rail
- Wandoan Coal Mine
- Brisbane City Council’s Northern link Road Tunnel
The Coordinator-General’s role is a unique position in Queensland, to independently manage the State Government’s infrastructure agenda and ensure sustainable development which improves economies, communities and environments.
Operating under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act of 1971, the Coordinator-General has broad-ranging powers and responsibilities to oversee the most important and complex plans and can direct any government department to abide by his conditions to ensure the best outcomes for all Queenslanders.
Mr Hinchliffe said the approvals granted in 2010 would provide for a prosperous Queensland for decades to come.
“There are currently 29 active significant projects, worth roughly $60.6 billion in construction costs on the Coordinator-General’s books, as the public and private sectors spend up on much-needed Queensland infrastructure,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“These projects have the potential to result in 36,422 construction jobs and 19,833 operational jobs and underline industry’s confidence in the state’s future and the magnitude of new infrastructure projects on the horizon.
“This year, nine projects were declared as significant, worth a total capital investment of $23.7 billion which will potentially result in 8,180 construction jobs and 6,245 operational jobs.
“Among these were five coal and other energy resource projects including: Balaclava Island Coal Export Terminal; Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail; CopperString; North Queensland Bio-energy; and South Galilee Coal.
The Coordinator-General also oversaw plans to help manage south east Queensland’s ever increasing population, with the Cross River Rail declared a significant project.
Mr Hinchliffe said projects like the Hinze Dam extension, Brisbane City Council’s Legacy Way and the Northern Pipeline Inter-connector Stage 2 had already started to change the way Queensland manages water and transportation demands to ensure a sustainable future.
“This work is key to ensuring we are in the best possible position to deliver the major infrastructure Queensland needs to cope with unprecedented growth,” he said.
Once declared, nearly all significant projects are subjected to a rigorous and transparent Environmental Impact Statement with public submissions and, at the end of the process, the Coordinator-General produces a report which can approve, conditionally approve or refuse a project.