Gladstone – Queensland’s Job Creation Centre
February 1st, 2012
MEDIA RELEASE – 1 February 2012
Over 5,000 new jobs have already been created in Gladstone as a result of the new CSG and coal export industry development, according to Leo Zussino, Chairman of the Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board.
“Another 2,000 jobs will be added this year taking the total to over 7,000 new construction jobs by the end of 2012” Mr Zussino said.
“Gladstone is a stand-out economic success centre on Australia’s eastern sea board during these subdued and uncertain economic times.”
“The construction workforce for the LNG and coal projects in Gladstone will peak at over 11,000 next year and with almost a 60 percent local content in the workforce to date, significant job opportunities are available to those with the necessary skills in more depressed parts of the country” he said.
“Also, many smaller businesses in the Gladstone Region have lost staff to the export industry construction creating a strong non-construction employment market in our region” Mr Zussino added.
“Gladstone is indeed the Queensland hotspot for job creation.”
“As the accommodation facilities expand on Curtis Island and given the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) workers accommodation at the Calliope River, housing tensions should subside during the year making it easier for new service sector and support industry workers to find reasonably priced local accommodation.
“The Gladstone Region is also benefiting from the $1.5 billion plus of government and industry funding for new community infrastructure and services” Mr Zussino concluded.
END
Media Contacts:-
Lee McIvor
0448199850
Ken King
0407140813
Gladstone Region Social Infrastructure Strategic Plan Update
December 15th, 2011
MEDIA RELEASE
The Gladstone region is growing and prospering with massive investment being made as the LNG industry advances the construction of three major multi-billion dollar projects and work has now commenced on the new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) that is set to double coal exports through the Port of Gladstone over the next decade.
Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board (GEIDB) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ken King indicated that when in 2010 the GEIDB facilitated a major social infrastructure planning exercise in partnership with Gladstone Regional Council and the Queensland Government the scale of current development was not envisaged.
“It was therefore timely for the GEIDB to update the modeling for the Gladstone Region Social Infrastructure Plan to include high series population projections recently made available from the Queensland Government’s Office of Economic and Statistical Research (OESR)” Dr King said.
The OESR 2011 high series population projections identify that the Gladstone region residential population will grow from the current level of some 63,510 peo0ple to 123,420 over the next 20 years – 2011 to 2031.
The new data represents an increase in projected population for the region of some 25,379 residents above the 2008 medium series projections used on the 2010 social infrastructure planning study.
More people resident in the Gladstone region means a greater demand for social infrastructure such as meeting spaces; playgrounds; child care; sports grounds; performing arts space; aged/community care; and medical practitioners at local, district and regional levels.
Dr King said the update has clearly identified this increased demand and will assist government, industry and the community in planning for future social infrastructure delivery.
“Most recently we have seen significant contributions totaling some $162 million from industry for specific projects in the region including an initial donation of $13.5 million to the Gladstone Foundation; a perpetual trust established by the Queensland Government.”
Current construction industry contributions to Gladstone region social infrastructure include $295,900 for sport and recreation; $4.8 million for health and wellbeing; $474,100 for education, training and employment; $836,340 for indigenous and community facilities/services; and an estimated $84.9 million for housing and accommodation.
In addition the coal industry has contributed $35 million through WICET for the exciting East Shores recreational development; Gladstone Ports Corporation will contribute a further $10 million to that project.
‘The benefits for the Gladstone region’s social infrastructure will continue to grow during project construction and subsequent plant operation and the recent update to the Gladstone Region Social Infrastructure Strategic Plan has identified further underpins community planning process in the region” Dr King said.
END
Media Contact:-
Dr Ken King
Chief Executive Officer
Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board
07 4971 2318 / 0407 140 813
ken.king@gladstoneindustry.org.au
Relief in Sight for Gladstone Region Housing and Accommodation
September 28th, 2011
Media Release 28 November 2011
The Gladstone region is growing and prospering with massive investment being made as the LNG industry advances the construction of three major multi-billion dollar projects and early work has now commenced on the new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal that is set to double coal exports through the Port of Gladstone over the next decade. Continue Reading »
Energy and Resource Industry Investments Bring Prosperity to Gladstone
June 30th, 2011
Gladstone is growing and prospering with massive investment now being made as the LNG industry proponents advance each of their projects and the resource industries in the region continue to grow.
Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board Chairman Mr Leo Zussino welcomed the investment that is bringing more wealth and employment to the region.
Project workforces are ramping up with some 3,600 people in Queensland now working on Queensland Gas Company related business and the Queensland Curtis LNG Project alone.
Mr Zussino said the LNG industry is making a significant contribution to the Gladstone community with commitments for housing construction, project mitigation and community support in line with the raft of conditions imposed on each project by the Queensland Coordinator-General.
Following government negotiation with the LNG industry APLNG, GLNG and QCLNG have agreed to build some 180 new dwellings in Gladstone that will be fast tracked to provide immediate housing solutions during each project construction period. The majority of out of town workers will be housed away from the community on Curtis Island.
“In addition with direct financial support from the LNG industry Gladstone Regional Council’s Community Advisory Service is able to provide assistance to individuals under housing pressure and Council is well advanced in progressing the establishment of an affordable housing program” Mr Zussino said.
Financial support from the LNG industry has seen the installation of essential equipment at the Gladstone Regional Airport; the impending provision of a dialysis unit at the Gladstone Hospital; and is also allowing the Queensland Government to accelerate the development of diverse, affordable and sustainable housing in the region.
“Further social infrastructure investment will continue to flow from the energy and resource industries going forward” he said.
National Broadband Network Essential for Gladstone’s Growth
June 29th, 2011
Ensuring access to the National Broadband Network (NBN) is a key initiative for the Gladstone region.
Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board (GEIDB) Chairman Mr Leo Zussino called on the Gladstone community to present a compelling case to NBN Co to fast track their rollout of fibre broadband connections in the Gladstone region.
“We’ve all got to get behind this with Gladstone on the cusp of a major growth phase” Mr Zussino said.
NBN Co is trialing sites in Queensland now and we need to work with them and be proactive in attracting the NBN to Gladstone.
“The NBN will connect the Gladstone community and enable new services such as eEducation, eHealth and provide a quantum leap in communication opportunities for local business, industry and families.”
Mr Zussino said industry investment in the City of Gladstone topped the world in 2010 with more to come from major LNG and resource sector projects that will bring significant wealth, prosperity and employment to the region.
“The NBN rollout driven by the region’s digital economy strategies will define Gladstone as Australia’s model 21st Century industrial city and the economic powerhouse of Australia’s Eastern seaboard” he said.
Gladstone Regional Council’s involvement together with the GEIDB, the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and all economic development partners including business and industry is critical to ensure leadership in this initiative.
“The GEIDB looks forward to working with these regional partners in order to ensure that the NBN supplies fibre connections to everyone in Gladstone as essential infrastructure in a high growth region” Mr Zussino said.
Planning for Gladstone’s future
October 5th, 2010
Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Planning for Gladstone’s future
Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe and Gladstone’s Acting Mayor Councillor Gail Sellers have announced the completion of the Social Infrastructure Strategic Plan (SISP) and the release of the Draft Voluntary Industry Contributions Framework today.
Mr Hinchliffe said the Draft Voluntary Industry Contributions Framework would guide future industry investment in community facilities. He said a Gladstone Foundation would be established to ensure funds were allocated in a structured way.