Six weeks after the first round of Regional Community Forums for 2022, North-North West Queensland residents will again meet with Ministers and MPs in Charters Towers tomorrow to expand on their priorities and accelerate action for the region.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the next steps for the North-North West forum were crucial for members to lead projects into the second half of 2022.
"May began a new era with new members sharing their priorities for a region-specific action plan," the Premier said.
"Forum members, Ministers and MPs have had six weeks to develop their ideas and identify opportunities for the continued growth, wellbeing and prosperity of the North and North West.
"Since then we've released the biggest health and hospital building plan in Queensland history.
"And almost two-thirds of capital investment in the budget is allocated to the regions.
"So there's a solid foundation for Ministers, MPs and community representatives to use tomorrow's forum to plan for more good jobs, better services and a great North-North West lifestyle."
Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer, Minister for Resources Scott Stewart and Assistant Minister for Treasury Charis Mullen will join North-North West Queensland forum members in Charters Towers.
Member for Mundingburra Les Walker and Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper will be co-chairs.
The forum will include a coach tour of the Grand Secret residential development, Gold Tower commercial development, and the Agripower site – projects linked to forum priorities of workforce attraction and retention, and housing investment.
Forum members will hear presentations on housing affordability and availability from guest speakers, including Greg Hoffman from the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils and Jennifer Huxley from Jupiter Mossman Housing Co.
Mr Walker said forum members in May identified a range of priorities for the North-North West region.
"Breaking into groups, members shared around 17 individual priorities – from housing availability, to growing the local workforce and embracing new energy technologies," Mr Walker said.
"They selected three immediate areas to focus on – regional attraction and retention, investment discrimination and postcode bias, and the delivery of essential services such as mental health programs, education, police and emergency services."
Mr Harper said the second round of the forum would allow members to further develop their Action Plan for the region, based on identified priorities.
"Forum members come from nine of the 13 Local Government Areas across the North-North West – from Mount Isa, to Normanton and even a remote cattle station outside of Burketown," Mr Harper said.
"The Action Plan developed at this forum will be informed by their unique experience and expertise, and I thank all members for their leadership of key projects in the months ahead."
The North-North West Queensland forum is one of seven to be held in regional centres across Queensland tomorrow, with other forums set for Far North Queensland, Central Queensland, Darling Downs-South West, Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday, Wide Bay-Burnett-Fraser Coast and Western Queensland.
The Regional Community Forums are part of the Queensland Government's Advancing Queensland's Regions strategy, supported by the Office for Rural and Regional Queensland.
