Mayor announces economic initiatives for construction industry

Published on 10 November 2015

Rockhampton Region Mayor Margaret Strelow has today announced a package of initiatives designed to build confidence and provide economic stimulus for the local building and construction industry.

"The measures that we announced today are designed to support local jobs and to target areas where we can readily push money out into the community,” Mayor Strelow said.

“We have also decided to extend the Infrastructure Charges Concessions for a further twelve months in recognition of the current economic conditions.”

The three initiatives announced today are:

1. Allocating a new budget figure of $500,000 for a 'once off' footpath programme to be delivered by the private sector.
2. releasing 'excess' capital works to tender as quickly as possible. 
3. Waiving of infrastructure charges for Development in the CBD for a further 12 months
4. Extending the existing 'half price Infrastructure concession' for businesses outside the CBD for a further 12 months.

The new budget figure of $500,000 will be provided in the revised budget and is to be released in packages for tender as quickly as possible. This figure is in addition to Council's current program of footpath works which will continue with Council's own staff. 

The intention is to ensure that local contractors are provided with immediate jobs.

Council will also bring forward and release over $18m in other capital works.

Mayor Strelow says these projects will go to tender as quickly as possible - most within the next three months.

“These projects are ones which have either been delayed or created because of Cyclone Marcia or are beyond the capacity of our own teams to deliver this financial year,” she said.

“Any tendered packages will not interfere with Council's established works programme nor to impact on our workforce.

“These measures are intended to drive economic activity as well to deliver much needed infrastructure for the Region.

"This package is in response to local industry feedback about the need to support local jobs, provide certainty to developers who are planning new projects and to provide short term stimulus across the Region,” Mayor Strelow said.

The cost to the budget of delivering the reform package is an additional $500,000 with the key parameters of the budget remaining within original forecasts - that is, the budget remains in surplus and there is no new borrowing.