Job-generating infrastructure and frontline services are the focal points of the State Government’s 2019-20 Budget allocation for Ipswich.
Speaking to local businesses and community members last 15 July at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club, Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said that the Budget will deliver large investment in jobs, infrastructure, and frontline services throughout Ipswich.
“We’re investing in job-generating infrastructure and the frontline services that the Ipswich region needs,” Ms Trad said.
“Over the next 12 months Palaszczuk Government will invest nearly $896 million in local infrastructure and support an estimated 2000 jobs in the process.”
Local business is also an important focus of the Budget, Ms Trad said, particularly with the $885 million Payroll Tax Package that is meant to help 270 Ipswich businesses absorb additional workers.
The State Government will invest $107.3 Million in 2019-20 to maintain, improve, and upgrade existing schools, $895.9 Million for productivity enhancing infrastructure and capital works, and $642.8 Million for West Moreton Hospital and Health Services. The State Government spending is expected to support around 2,000 jobs in the region.
“This Budget will invest $642.8 million in health for this region and almost $107.3 million to maintain and upgrade schools in the Ipswich region.
“Our investment in frontline services has delivered 524 extra nurses, 164 new doctors, 556 additional teachers and 221 extra teacher aides, based right here in Greater Ipswich since 2015,” Ms Trad added.
Ipswich also stands to benefit from the $238-million Ipswich Motorway upgrade which includes the construction of additional lanes between Oxley Road and Granard Road, in partnership with the Australian Government.
A total of $60.6 million will be allocated in 2019-20 out of the $94.1-million total investment towards the construction of the first stage of two new school.
“We’re also delivering a major overhaul to the Swanbank E electricity generator and Wivenhoe Dam as part of the new publicly owned, low emissions CleanCo electricity generation company,” Member for Jordan Charis Mullen said.
CleanCo Queensland is the State Government’s latest publicly-owned electric generation and trading company. Capital projects in 2019-20 include $3.626 million for maintenance and overhauls at Wivenhoe and $52.25 million for the Swanbank E major overhaul, Fast Start Upgrade and other projects.
Apart from the already mentioned, other major projects funded in the 2019-20 Budget include:
- $2.53 million for additional classrooms at Springfield Central State High School.
- $550,000 to upgrade Woodcrest State College.
- Over $1,000,000 to upgrade schools across the Jordan electorate.
- $869,171 as part of a $2,625,943 commitment over four years to provide Mental Health Funding Program services
- $7.2 million capital, safety and maintenance investment in training infrastructure at Ipswich TAFE.
- $2.4 million 2019-20 to upgrade Springfield Central train station park ‘n’ ride facility to provide an additional 650 car spaces, at a total cost of $44.5 million.
