Region needs a ‘year of opportunity’ in 2016

27 NOVEMBER 2015: A dedicated agency tasked with job creation and industry development could make 2016 a year of opportunity for the greater Mackay region. Today, I have called for the establishment of a unified agency to advance the economic interests of the Mackay, Whitsunday, and Isaac region. We need seize opportunities with a coordinated body to focus on job creation, encouraging investment, promotion of the region, and defending our coal and sugar industries from political attacks. Such a body would do the necessary desktop studies and research for projects to encourage investment and funding.I will ask Regional Development Australia to coordinate the body and facilitate a meeting of key stakeholders, including the Mackay, Whitsunday, and Isaac regional councils, chambers of commerce in Mackay, Airlie Beach, and Proserpine, the Moranbah Traders Association, the Resource Industry Network, Whitsunday Marketing and Development Limited, Mackay Tourism, Agforce, and Canegrowers. Representatives were also needed from the region’s industry anchors, such as Mackay Sugar, Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, BMA, NQBP, CQUniversity, and Wilmar.Other regions are reaping the benefits of having proactive unified organisations like Townsville Enterprise, Capricorn Enterprise, and Advance Cairns. It is a great shame that we no longer have the Mackay Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation. Such a body is needed to carry forward projects and ideas like the ones that came out of the Big Ideas workshop and turn them into reality. Someone needs to pick up the ball and run with it and a lot more can be achieved if all key stakeholders are part of the same team.I will be making contact with stakeholders with a view to having a forum in February.