As part of our series of what is happening around the States Recovery 2020: Queensland Recovery Plan

The Queensland Government has responded quickly and decisively in their health and economic response. The Queensland Government is providing additional assistance and support to re-open businesses, drive economic growth, capitalise on Queenslands strengths and seize the opportunities to innovate and rebuild the economy better than it was before.

“Investing in programs like these will open doors to more opportunities for Queenslanders while helping to drive our economy” Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development – The Honourable Shannon Fentiman.

Immediate Economic Stimulus in Recovery Strategy

• $1.2 billion to expand fever clinics, emergency department capacity, acute care services and regional aeromedical services for remote communities.
• A $1 billion concessional Jobs Support Loan facility, interest free for the first 12 months, to support businesses to keep Queenslanders in work.
• A $1 billion Industry Support Package focused on large and regionally significant businesses to ensure they will be able to scale up and service the community when economic activity improves.
• Up to $950 million in payroll tax relief including refunds, payment holidays and deferrals for eligible businesses as well as a tax exemption for JobKeeper payments.
• Up to $500 million to assist workers and businesses who lose their job or income, including the creation of the Jobs Finder portal.
• $500 million in utilities bill relief for households and businesses, including a $200 credit for all 2.1 million Queensland homes to offset the cost of water and electricity and $100 million in electricity bill rebates for eligible small and medium sized businesses.
• $400 million in support for retail and commercial tenants, delivered as land tax relief and payment deferrals.

Stage One of the Economic Recovery Strategy

• Infrastructure Guarantee—Maintaining the current State infrastructure investment program at $51.8 billion over the next four years 2019-20 to 2022-23.
• Accelerated Works Program—$400 million to support Queenslands regions with a substantial capital and maintenance roads program.
• Works for Queensland COVID Recovery Package—$200 million to support local jobs and Local Governments with funding for building productive infrastructure.
• Household Resilience Program—$11.25 million to support local industry by improving the resilience of North and Central Queensland homes against natural disasters.
• Queensland’s Tourism Industry—$50 million to support Queensland’s Tourism Industry to fast track tourism projects and assist our national tourism icons.
• Small Business Adaption Grants Program —$100 million to help sustain small businesses so they can succeed post-COVID-19.
• Domestic Tourism Campaign—$7 million to support jobs and businesses in our tourism regions by marketing Queensland as the destination of choice for Australian travellers.
• Making it for Queensland—$50 million towards attracting industry to grow the Queensland’s advanced manufacturing capacity, particularly biomedical and health.
• CopperString—$14.8 million to continue investigating the feasibility of the CopperString project to connect the North West Minerals Province with the national electricity market.
• Additional Training—Up to $20 million for additional training to assist Queenslanders, particularly young people and women who have borne a disproportionate burden through job losses nationally, with access to additional free training.
• Queensland ApprenticeshipsCentre—$20 million to help position Queensland at the forefront of renewable hydrogen.

Stage Two of the Economic Recovery Strategy

AGRICULTURE

• $5.5m digital transformation in agribusiness – to develop integrated supply chains that improve traceability, biosecurity and food safety.
• $5m reinvigorated agricultural trade relationships – to support e-commerce and virtual trade facilitation in key markets and assist coordination of demand for additional regular air freight services.
• $2m agribusiness diversification assistance – to build capability and explore potential diversification opportunities in agricultural businesses, including for tourism.

CONSTRUCTION

• $100m housing construction – works for tradies – to boost housing supply, drive economic activity and support construction across Queensland.
• $50m SEQ community stimulus program – further funding to local government to support minor works and projects that create local jobs in our most impacted areas.
• $106m support for home building: to stimulate the building market for new homes valued at less than $750, 000:
  – First home owners grant – re-affirm our commitment to the $15,000 first home owner grants program for any Queensland first home buyers purchasing a new home.
  – Regional home building boost – to provide a $5,000 grant for buyers of a new home (as principal place of residence) in a regional location (in addition to the $15,000 for first home owners)
• $10m seniors and accessibility assistance – to continue providing services for seniors and people with disabilities to conduct critical home maintenance.
• $1.175m regional training infrastructure – to upgrade existing TAFE training campuses.

TOURISM

• $15m airline route support – to support and encourage domestic tourism spend across Queensland.
• $8.93m national parks works and jobs boost – to provide visitor infrastructure upgrades and enhancements to reenergise nature-based tourism.

RESOURCES

• $10m new economy minerals initiative – to upscale the Collaborative Exploration Initiative and support exploration activity for new economy minerals for emerging technologies and products to meet domestic and international demand.
• $650,000 Regional Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) Accelerator Program and Queensland METS Accelerator Program – to accelerate METS small to medium sized businesses by enhancing business capabilities.
• $23m renewable energy training facility – providing $17m to support industry to build a state of the art facility in Brisbane that provides world class training for solar and renewable energy.
• Valeria coal mine – declare the $1.5b Valeria Project a coordinated project.

ARTS AND CULTURE

• $11.3m – to offset revenue losses in our music and performing arts venues and organisations.
• $4.2m – to provide a pipeline of performing arts and live music to support our cultural and tourism recovery.
• $2.9m – partnerships with local councils, venues, artists, festivals and organisations to continue employment and provide unique experiences.
• $4.15m – to support temporary outdoor infrastructure, capital grant funding and to fund a virtual venue for performances and the development of an online Indigenous arts and crafts sales platform.

SMALL BUSINESS

• Up to $100m in small business grants – further funding to help sustain small businesses so they can respond quickly post COVID-19 with half of the funding allocated to small businesses in regional Queensland.

INDUSTRY INITIATIVES

• $100,000 Qld NZ export program – to establish Trade and Investment pathways and opportunities for new and existing exporters between Queensland and New Zealand.
• $23.16m taxi support package – to provide one off and up front payments to operators, licence holders and booking entities.

For more of What is Happening during National Skills Week 2020 and to get involved to show your support for Vocational education and Training and strengthening Australia’s economy  :  National Skills Week Events