| 100,000 JOBS TO KEEP QUEENSLAND STRONG |
Premier Anna Bligh has pledged to create 100,000 new jobs to guide Queensland through the global financial crisis and make our State even stronger than before.
Ms Bligh said she would throw her heart and soul into the plan to support and create jobs across Queensland over the next three years.
“I stake my own future on these 100,000 jobs – I know that Queensland needs jobs not cuts,” she said.
“We need to create work, not rip $1 billion out of the State budget to cut jobs and services exactly when we need them most as the Opposition plans to do.
“If we win this election it will be because the people of Queensland have trusted me to protect their jobs and to create the new jobs that will keep this State strong.
“This is a real target that I intend to deliver. I have a plan to keep Queensland strong and we can do it. We can make our great State even stronger than before.”
Premier Anna Bligh has outlined the four point plan that a new Bligh Government will use to create 100,000 new jobs over the next three years.
The Premier said the four point plan would:
• keep Queensland’s record building program going
• prepare for recovery by developing skills for the future
• create new jobs by supporting the new industries of the future like Liquid Natural Gas and Solar while focusing on our traditional strengths like tourism and;
• develop new job creation programs
“Our plan means 100,000 new pay packets. It means 100,000 bread winners in 100,000 Queensland homes,” said the Premier.
“We need to create jobs to get us through these bad times, we also need to make sure we are positioned to take advantage of the good times when they return.
“That means we will continue to invest in the jobs and the services that people need, not cut jobs and services.
“We will do that because we believe that people and families are more important than heartlessly protecting the bottom line.”
Ms Bligh said the first point in her plan meant she would not cut back on the State’s capital building program because of the global financial crisis.
“Now is not the time to cut and run. The last thing Queensland needs now is a Government that will lose its nerve,” she said.
“Our $17 billion capital building program is the largest in the country. It is building the better roads, schools and hospitals we need and it supports 119,000 jobs.
“That means thousands and thousands of families across this state who have at least one breadwinner because we are building tomorrow’s Queensland today.”
The Premier said that thousands of apprentices and trainees across the State are learning the skills which will place Queensland ahead of the pack when the global economy recovers.
“We need these young men and women because we must prepare for the recovery that will follow these difficult times,” she said.
“That’s why we will put in place a 125% payroll tax incentive that means if an employer has more apprentices and trainees they pay less tax.
“That’s why we will require that ten percent of the workforce on every Government project in Queensland is an apprentice or trainee and we will implement a $414 million scheme to create almost 150,00 new training places and grow our skills base.
“We will invest almost $6.5 million in a scheme to make sure Queensland businesses and manufacturers get the maximum benefit of our building program because Queensland made means Queensland jobs.”
Ms Bligh said an essential part of her plan was to create new jobs through support for new industries such as Liquid Natural Gas.
“We have already declared Curtis Island a State Development Area and we know that the Liquid Natural Gas market is growing rapidly at a rate of five percent to ten percent every year,” she said.
“Yesterday I announced our intention to acquire the land to create a new gas superhighway to support this industry.
“Industries such as LNG, solar energy and geothermal can deliver a more environmentally friendly future as well as create thousands of jobs.”
The Premier said the Green Army scheme she announced early in the election campaign was an example of the sort of initiative Government can put in place to create and support jobs in Queensland.
“The Green Army will create up to 3,000 positions for the long term unemployed,” she said
“We want jobs not cuts - that is what we will deliver.”
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