Foreword from the Premier
The Smart Queensland: Smart State Strategy 2005-2015 is our plan of action for building tomorrow’s Queensland today. It is a dynamic, long-term strategy that is shaping the future of Queensland to keep our economy strong while maintaining our quality of life.
Under the Smart State Strategy, the Queensland Government has invested more than $3 billion in research and development and innovation. We have implemented significant reforms to our education system, and have taken our vocational education and training system to a world-class level with an additional $1 billion to build the skills required for creating our Smart State.
This report on the progress of the Smart State Strategy indicates that these investments are paying off. In 2007, Queensland continues to transform to a knowledge economy.
Queenslanders are gaining and using the knowledge the new economy demands. Since 1998, Queensland has met the challenge of improving the state’s comparatively low qualifications profile. Our working age population in 2007 is more educated with higher skill levels which continue to rise steadily.
More young Queenslanders are learning or earning. More Queensland students stay at school until the end of Year 12 with high student numbers achieving national benchmarks in reading, writing and numeracy. The addition of the Preparatory Year of schooling provides an even better foundation for Queensland students’ future achievement throughout their school years and beyond.
Queensland is making great strides along the path of innovation and knowledge-building. Our businesses have been growing and investing in the future. More and more businesses are engaged in knowledge-intensive industries, with associated export performance leading the way in Australia. A great example is our biotechnology industry, which has grown four-fold during the past ten years.
Our strong investment in research is building our capacity to grow existing and emerging industries. It is also leading us to make ground-breaking discoveries that are making a real difference in the world. Establishing new research infrastructure such as the Ecosciences Precinct; the Smart Therapies Institute and the Smart State Medical Research Centre will only build on our fine reputation.
In essence, this report indicates that we are firmly on the path to the future envisioned in Smart Queensland: Smart State Strategy 2005-2015.
However, the Smart State journey is not over. Queensland people and businesses are not just competing with the rest of Australia; we’re competing with the rest of the world. While our progress to date is substantial in the national context, we will continue to build on and improve our Smart State investments to meet existing and future global challenges.
That’s why this report also looks for your input on the next stage of the Smart State Strategy. We are looking for your contribution on the best ways to take the strategy forward into the next ten years. This is your chance to have your say on how we can work together to take Queensland into the future.
Anna Bligh MP
Premier of Queensland
www.thepremier.qld.gov.au
Last reviewed 29 October 2007
