Premier announces new Work for Queensland Expo and second Mining Summit
Premier and Minister for Reconstruction The Honourable Anna Bligh
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Premier announces new Work for Queensland Expo and second Mining Summit
Premier Anna Bligh has set the date for a second mining summit which will look for new ways to spread the opportunity of the mining boom across Queensland.
Ms Bligh also announced a second series Expos in South East Queensland, to be held in the New Year, after the success of the recent Queensland Needs You Here campaign.
The Premier made the announcement after speaking to students of the Resources 101 course at the Brisbane North Institute of TAFE today.
"The second Work for Queensland summit will be held on December 14 in Brisbane at Southbank Institute of TAFE," said the Premier.
"At the first summit we agreed on plans for the Work for Queensland Expos and these have been an outstanding success.
"At this second summit we will look at how to build on that success and look at further ways to make the booming resources industry work for all Queenslanders.
"Our Queensland Education Trust, which was announced last week, is designed to use the wealth of the mining boom to boost the opportunities of our youngest Queenslanders into the future.
"But the resources industry offers opportunity to Queenslanders today and this summit is designed to make sure that opportunity is available to all."
Senior executives from Anglo-American, Arrow, Bechtel, BMA, McArthur Coal, QGC Pty Ltd, Rio Tinto, Santos, Origin, Thiess, Vale Australia and Xstrata Coal Pty Ltd attended the first mining summit.
Representatives from the Queensland Resources Council and the federal government also attended the original event along with selected regional mayors.
Since the first mining summit more than 24,000 people - nearly enough to fill Skilled Park on the Gold Coast - attended Work for Queensland Expos at the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Whitsundays and Cairns.
Some 5,655 people were referred to recruitment agencies by the resources companies and an additional 9,000 people approached Labour hire companies directly at the expos.
"Around 3,000 jobseekers also expressed interest in the Resources 101 basic mining skills courses, which the State Government has since expanded from 500 places to 1000," said the Premier.
"We are now looking at how we can deliver further Work for Queensland expos in early 2012 across parts of South East Queensland such as Caboolture, Logan, Ipswich and Toowoomba.
"We want everyone, no matter where they live in Queensland, to get the chance to tap into the opportunities the resources boom represents."