Toowoomba region has good times ahead: Minister Lynham

Local procurement opportunities for Brisbane’s latest development, the $3 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane project, were in the spotlight at TSBE’s latest Enterprise Evening event.

Hosted at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane, over 140 guests attended the event on Thursday, 14 July to hear about this major project for Queensland.

Speakers on the evening included Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham, and Simon Crooks, Project Director of the Destination Brisbane Consortium, the successful proponent selected to design, build and manage the Queen’s Wharf project.

Minister Lynham kicked off proceedings for the evening highlighting the enormity of supplier opportunities associated with the seven-year project.

“It’s a seven-year building project, seven-years of supplier opportunities, be it raw products, trades or services, but that’s just the beginning,” Mr Lynham said.

“Because Queen’s Wharf needs decades of skilled operational staff, ongoing maintenance, security personnel, cleaners, gardeners, bus drivers and accountants.

“The Queensland Investment Corporation estimates that once operational there will be 11,500 jobs in Queen’s Wharf, and that means an additional 1.4 million tourists into Queensland each year.”

Encouraging attendees to look at the project as an opportunity for their business, Minister Lynham said there were vast opportunities for suppliers to get involved.

“How many tonnes of concrete will be needed? How many fillet steaks will the 1.4 million additional tourists consume every year? How many tonnes of broccoli or stone fruit will be consumed? How many tonnes of Chinchilla watermelons will they need, little own quantities of Queensland wine, rum and beer?” Minister Lynham said.

“Toowoomba has vast opportunities when it comes to this great project.”

Minister Lynham then specifically turned his attention to the Toowoomba region saying that the region had many good times ahead.

“For the region, 2016 is a year to remember, for the many landmark economic development milestones,” Minister Lynham said.

“Now you’ve got the international airport, the second range crossing, the inland rail route, they’re all big positives for Toowoomba.

“Once you stoke the fire in Toowoomba, away it goes - it’s just such a responsive area.

“TSBE has to be acknowledged for the role it has played in bringing all the moving parts together.

“TSBE has also got to be congratulated for leading the way with its China engagement initiatives.”

As a result of these major projects, Minister Lynham said the Toowoomba region’s long-held access and connectivity issues were now being solved, throwing his support behind the recent confirmation that the Toowoomba Range Tunnels upgrade would go ahead, allowing for more efficient freight in and out of the region.

TSBE Chair Shane Charles said it was fantastic to host Minister Lynham as a part of TSBE’s latest Enterprise Evening to hear about a new opportunity for Toowoomba businesses in Queensland.

“It was also pleasing to hear Minister Lynham’s shared enthusiasm for Toowoomba and the activity that is currently underway in the region,” Mr Charles said.

“Minister Lynham’s support for funding of infrastructure projects in the region such as the lowering of the Toowoomba Range Tunnels was reassuring and we look forward to continuing to advocate for TSBE’s list of top 10 priority infrastructure projects for the region.”

The event was sponsored by specialist environmental consulting and contracting company Perfect Earth.