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Brisbane Gets $1 Billion of the Resources Pie

piece of piePremier Campbell Newman and Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk have more than one billion reasons to thank the resources sector for its economic contribution to their Brisbane electorates.

Releasing the 2013-14 analysis of Queensland minerals and energy company spending by state electorates, Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche said the results put to rest any misconceptions that resources sector benefits did not flow to all parts of the state.

‘In parts of the south-east, there is a misconception that minerals and energy production benefits only resource regions when the data is absolute in declaring Brisbane the biggest mining town in Queensland,’ Mr Roche said.

The resources sector was responsible for $37.7 billion of economic activity and almost 200,000 full-time jobs in the Brisbane region in 2013-14, based on the distribution of wages and salaries and purchase of goods and services from 6,539 businesses.

Economic activity generated in the electorates of Ashgrove and Inala – represented by the Premier and Opposition Leader – totalled more than $1 billion.

‘Ashgrove residents and businesses benefitted to the tune of $149 million through wages paid to 285 full-time employees and purchases totalling $22 million from 80 local businesses,’ Mr Roche said.

‘The economic flow-on is calculated to have generated an additional $78 million and another 805 jobs.

‘In the Opposition Leader’s seat of Inala, the numbers are even more impressive with an economic injection of $919 million, largely created by purchases totalling $409 million from 174 Inala-based businesses.

‘As a result, another 4,405 jobs were supported by the resources sector in addition to 143 full-time employees who call Inala home.’

Mr Roche said every one of the state’s 89 state electorates enjoyed a share of the sector’s $77.6 billion economic contribution to Queensland in 2013-14.

Gladstone electorate was the regional stand-out with $8.4 billion generated, largely as a result of LNG industry development on Curtis Island.

Treasurer Tim Nicholls’ seat of Clayfield scored $3.5 billion, while Opposition Treasury spokesman Curtis Pitts’ seat of Mulgrave secured $67 million.

‘Some of the results are unexpected – such as the $4.6 billion generated in Mount Coot-tha and $2.2 billion in Whitsunday – but there are also more predictable winners such as Mount Isa, Gregory and Mirani with $2.5 billion each,’ Mr Roche said.

‘At the bottom of the spending table but by no means left out with $34 million is the Gold Coast seat of Broadwater where the resources sector employed 90 people full-time and spent $7 million with 21 local businesses.

‘However, every Queenslander also shared in the distribution of a further $2.5 billion paid by minerals and energy companies to the state government for the provision of essential services including roads, hospitals and schools,’ Mr Roche said.

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