Queensland is on the brink of a jobs boom across a range of sectors.
Turning that prospect into a reality will be the goal of a major conference to be held on April 26, which the University of Queensland School of Economics is sponsoring.
Data over the past 24 months shows that the state has reversed a rise in unemployment and has the potential to foster a service industry-led jobs boom.
The Queensland Jobs Growth Summit 2016 will bring together Ministers and other key policy makers with leaders of the industries driving jobs growth in Queensland.
The Summit will be held at Queensland’s Parliament House on April 26th.
Speakers:
Keynote speakers include:
• The Hon Jackie Trad MP, Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment,
• The Hon Curtis Pitt MP, Treasurer, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Sport,
• The Hon Dr Steven Miles MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef,
• Saul Eslake, Economist and commentator, formerly Chief Economist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch Australia, National Mutual Funds Management and the Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ),
• Professor John Quiggin, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow, University of Queensland.
Industry speakers include:
• Stephen Tait - CEO, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland,
• Rohan Webb - State Secretary, AMWU Queensland; Honorary President, Queensland Council of Unions,
• Sandra Eales - Assistant Secretary, Queensland Nurses Union,
• Prof Ian O'Connor - Vice Chancellor, Griffith University,
• Daniel Gschwind - CEO, Queensland Tourism Industry Council,
• Belinda Drew - CEO, Community Services Industry Alliance.
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad MP, a keynote speaker at the Summit, says “This Summit is about hearing from the industries at the frontline of job creation in Queensland, to listen to their ideas about how we can continue to create jobs for Queenslanders now and over the next decade, as our workforce transitions following the mining construction boom.”
“The Queensland Government has an unwavering focus on ensuring we support jobs growth, particularly in our regional areas, and I look forward to hearing the discussion and ideas from the Summit so that we can continue our work to secure Queensland’s employment future.”
Saul Eslake, economist and a keynote speaker at the Summit, said “The mining construction boom is over forever, and jobs growth in Queensland will overwhelmingly come from the services sector from now on.”
“Queensland is lucky to have a modern diverse service based economy, and it’s essential that we focus on these industries to maximize jobs growth over the next decade,” Eslake said.
Stephen Tait, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, also speaking at the Summit, said “Small business is the backbone of the Queensland economy, playing a vital role in driving jobs growth, employment and opportunity in our communities. The Summit is an excellent forum for policy makers to hear from the industries that are driving employment in the state”.
Ben Oquist, Executive Director of the Australia Institute, said “Despite the loss of thousands of mining jobs over the last year, employment growth in Queensland remained very strong and unemployment actually fell.”
“But Queensland still has a real challenge to bring unemployment down further, particularly in many regional areas. There are huge opportunities if the policy settings are right,” Oquist said.
The QLD Jobs Growth Summit is an initiative of the University of Queensland School of Economics and The Australia Institute.
Media Inquiries:
The Australian Institute
Mark Ogge
0421 272 884
