Local Businesses To Benefit From SuperGrid

The region’s business sector now has a better idea of how they can contribute to the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Energy Storage scheme after the Queensland Government provided local businesses with a briefing on the first round of tenders for the project earlier this week.

Speaking at the Growing Queensland Business Roadshow at Harrup Park on Wednesday, Minister Mick de Brenni outlined how the region could benefit from one of the most significant nation-building infrastructure programs in Australia’s history.

“It will make Mackay the national capital of energy,” he said.

“We’ll be looking for local businesses to support the construction and operation of that significant storage project.”

Mr de Brenni said he is confident businesses can proceed with the knowledge that the project will go ahead despite being in the early stages of community consultation and environmental study.

“We’ve got to go through those important environmental gateways like we do with all projects,” he said.

“What businesses can bank on right now is that all of the early work that gets us to that decision, which isn’t too far off, we’ll be looking for local businesses to deliver those parts of the project for us.

“We know that the Mackay and North Queensland region has significant experience in delivering some of our nation’s largest projects.

“That’s why we’re confident in their ability to play a role in the delivery of the super grid.”

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said the Mackay region would reap enormous benefits from the Pioneer-Burdekin project, from its early days with business opportunities during the investigation stage to procurement work and ongoing benefit sharing.

“This is the biggest infrastructure project of its kind in the State’s history, and I want to make sure that Mackay businesses have the opportunity to work on a legacy project for our region,” Ms Gilbert said.

“Local businesses are already lining up to fill contracts for opportunities including cultural heritage studies, ecological and biodiversity studies, surveyors, hydrological modelling, shallow geotechnical drilling, civil contractors, and provision of catering, printing services, safety and workwear.

“It could create thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeships over a six-to-ten-year period, ongoing operational jobs, as well as jobs and revenue for local businesses, fostering opportunities for our region for decades to come.”

Wednesday also saw the release of the Government’s draft Regional Energy Transformation Partnerships Framework for consultation at the event, outlining a set of principles to guide the implementation of the Energy and Jobs Plan, addressing issues including the preservation of the environment, biodiversity and the housing crisis.

“We know that accommodation is tight right across the nation at the moment, so we’ll be delivering a sophisticated plan to make sure that’s accounted for,” Mr de Brenni said.

“We’re calling for community and business leaders to have their say in terms of the ideas around benefit sharing, legacy infrastructure, how we’ll ensure that it’s local businesses that prosper most from this significant $62b investment.

“We’ve got a very clear plan about the delivery of the super grid.

“Now it’s about drilling down into that detail to make sure Queenslander’s prosper through this process.”

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