Mr Wettenhall Asked The Treasurer And Minister For Employment And Economic Development (Mr Fraser)-
With reference to the current high level of unemployment in the Cairns region- Will the Treasurer advise how the Queensland Government supports people to enter or re-enter the labour force and how the Queensland Government supports existing jobs and jobs growth in the public sector, government owned corporations and the private sector?
ANSWER:
The Queensland Government has made the retention and creation of jobs our number one priority and is committed to the creation of 100,000 jobs over the next three years.

Jobs First: Delivering Jobs for Queensland reaffirms that commitment and sets out a four point plan to:

• Build Infrastructure - keeping Queensland's record building program going
• Develop skills for the future - ensuring we are prepared for recovery
• Support new and traditional industries, like Liquid Natural Gas and tourism - enabling industries and businesses to emerge, grow and transform
• Develop new job creation programs, like the Green Army - assisting unemployed Queenslanders to get back into work

The first part of the plan is our commitment to keep Queensland's record capital works building program going.

The Bligh Government has continued our commitment to infrastructure investment into 2009-2010 with a capital program of over $18 billion, estimated to support over 127,000 jobs.

This building program is essential to the creation and retention of jobs, particularly in our regional centres such as Cairns which is experiencing higher impacts across a range of industries.

Projects being delivered in the Cairns region, supporting and creating jobs include:

• $446M for the redevelopment of the Cairns Base Hospital;
• $445M for the expansion and redevelopment of the Lotus Glen Correctional Centre;
• $28.7 for redevelopment of the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE Cairns campus;
• $11.2M towards the expansion and redevelopment of the Cairns Cruise Shipping terminal;
• $21M during 2009-2010, towards a program of work across a number of major highways and roads in the Cairns area.

Each of these projects will create and protect public and private sector jobs to help keep Queensland strong and secure our economic foundations.

Working in close collaboration with the Australian Government, the Queensland Government has also prioritised the Cairns Keep Australia Working Region and is working to develop a joint local employment strategy.

This strategy builds upon the consultation with business and industry leaders in the community.

Recognising that tourism is important to jobs in the State, and in particular regional centres such as Cairns, the government allocated $37.8 million over the next three years.

This commitment includes $36 million over three years for regionally focussed tourism, marketing and product development campaigns. The special allocation of $1.8 million is dedicated to minor tourism infrastructure in regional areas to support the drive market.

The Government is currently finalising Queensland's forward tourism agenda activities to ensure this investment is effectively utilised. A number of these activities directly target and will have a significant impact on improving employment and skills development in Queensland's tourism industry.

These include: leveraging off other whole-of-Government employment and training initiatives; undertaking a Tourism Jobs Summit; expanding the existing Indigenous Employment Champions Network to create jobs for Indigenous Queenslanders; and activities through the Queensland Tourism Industry Council's Tourism Skills Alliance to influence the vocational education and training curriculum, funding and standards.

In terms of public sector jobs, the Queensland Government is rejuvenating the Public Sector by moving corporate jobs into service delivery, creating further opportunities for frontline service delivery positions.

Government owned corporations are also supporting jobs and jobs growth in the Cairns region, with infrastructure projects such as the foreshore development by the Far North Queensland Ports Corporation, to a cost of $17M.

The Queensland Government is also committed to maximising workforce participation through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative. Funding for employment and training assistance is targeted towards areas experiencing higher than average levels of unemployment and tightening labour markets.

Since July 2009, $1.355M has been invested in the Cairns region under the initiative including:

• $660,000 under the Community Employment and Infrastructure Program and Queensland's Green Army to assist 235 people with job preparation assistance, accredited training and paid full-time jobs on Green Army projects
• $155,000 under the First Start Program and Queensland's Green Army for Cairns Regional Council to employ 20 full-time trainees (includes 5 Green Army trainees) and 5 school-based trainees
• $280,000 under the Productivity Places Program for 42 people to achieve Certificate III level qualifications in Aged Care and Children's Services
• $280,000 under Participate in Prosperity that will assist 80 Indigenous housing tenants that have relocated from remote communities
• $100,000 under Youth Training Incentives

In addition, there are up to 500 training places for job seekers available in the Cairns region through registered training organisations contracted by the Department of Education and Training under the Productivity Places Program.

The training available includes qualifications in automotive, business and property services, horticulture, retail and personal services, tourism and hospitality, and transport and logistics sectors.