A new Queensland entity has been established to accelerate investment in the state’s regions.
The Queensland Futures Institute (QFI) has announced the creation of the Council for Queensland’s Regions.
QFI CEO Steve Greenwood said the new body would be a cross-sector CEO-level forum that brought a commercial, investment-focused approach to regional growth.
“It is uniquely positioned to function independently alongside government processes and industry advocacy activities,” Mr Greenwood said.
“We believe it will play an important role in lifting public and industry understanding of the important role that regional investment has in the State’s economic growth.”
Other aims include:
- To provide a platform for business, industry, regional leaders, regional investors and other stakeholders, to discuss and promote shared challenges and opportunities.
- To position Queensland’s regions as priority destinations for capital and long-term investment.
- To showcase member leadership through investment showcases and high-level forums.
- To facilitate collaboration between private and public sectors to drive investment.
The Council, populated by QFI members, will be supported by an “action focussed” taskforce to implement council decisions.
Two meetings of the Council and Taskforce are to be held annually – one hosted regionally, and one hosted in Brisbane.
Additional Taskforce meetings will be held as needed to drive Council initiatives.
An annual State of Queensland’s Regions Summit will be held to highlight investment opportunities, profile member contributions, and deliver strategic insights.
The new Council was formally announced Rebirth of Regional Queensland forum last month where regional and business leaders outlined emerging opportunities in the state.
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners Managing Director, Regional Leader- Australia, Brian Restall, told the forum that Queensland was at the epicentre of two important global transitions – renewable energy and supply sovereignty of critical minerals.
He said currently 97 percent of the world’s polysilicon (used to make solar panels and computer chips) came from China.
Polysilicon was a “very rare commodity” and some of the world’s best quartz to produce it was in the Townsville region.
“It’s a really exciting time for Queensland,” Mr Restall said.
“Queensland is that intersection between great renewable resources and incredible critical minerals
“(The) regions is where the transition is going to happen and regions are where sovereignty for our supply is going to happen.”
