PRIME MINISTER:
…Well, that’s exactly right and in a great city, Townsville.
CR JENNY HILL, MAYOR OF TOWNSVILLE:
Thank you very much and I’m sure this will be the first of many good things to come out of the City Deals.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we believe so. This is the new much more collaborative approach that we’re taking with cities and with state governments to make a real difference to the lives of the residents of Townsville. We’re bringing all of our levers together across infrastructure, industry, trade and investment, defence, research and education, energy and resources, to achieve our shared vision of Townsville as the economic gateway to Northern Australia, a global leader in tropical and marine research and innovation, and a great city to live in. We’re going to build the new North Queensland stadium in time for the 2020 season.
CR JENNY HILL, MAYOR OF TOWNSVILLE:
Very good Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
We’re going to build the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor, establish a Townsville Development Corporation to deliver urban renewal in the city - it's a big opportunity there once the new rail lines built, form an intergovernmental water taskforce to improve your water supply and water usage.
We’re going to strengthen the formal consultation between the defence industries and Townsville City Council to promote the many opportunities for local industry.
So right across the board this is – every element, every lever of federal Government, state Government and city government working together. So I’m delighted to, as I said, I’m delighted that we’ve completed this in Townsville but it will be the first of many. This is a new era in federal, state and local government collaboration to ensure better outcomes for the residents of Australia’s cities.
Ends