The Queensland Government will commit at least $473 million extra over four
years to fuel Queensland’s rocketing growth in innovation, education,
jobs and the economy, under the newSmart Queenslandstrategy.
Smart Queensland is a blueprint for maintaining the momentum of the
past seven years. Smart Queensland is the next stage of the Smart State Strategy
and provides a framework for ongoing investment in innovation and skills to
drive economic growth.
The Queensland Government has a vision of a State where knowledge, creativity
and innovation drive economic growth to improve prosperity and quality of life
for all Queenslanders.
It was developed following a lengthy period of public consultation during
which we asked Queenslanders what new directions they wanted the successful
Smart State program to take.
More than 740 Queenslanders directly participated in the consultation process.
Over the past seven years, Queensland’s unemployment rate has dropped
to the nation’s lowest (for the first time in 23 years), our economy has
strengthened into Australia’s most robust, and our education system has
become world-class.
Queensland is now a hub for scientific research, development, commercialisation
and innovation.
However, in today’s rapidly changing world standing still actually means
you fall behind. The stark choice for Queensland is that if we don’t innovate
we will stagnate.
Smart Queenslandrecognises that in the future it will no longer be
enough to rely solely on using more of our labour and natural resources to remain
globally competitive. It is just not sustainable. We have to apply our skills
and inventiveness to continually improve how we use these unique assets. But
we are not the only ones investing in skills and innovation – countries
in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific also know that this is the way of
the future. More and more we will need to compete on the basis of new and improved
products and services.
We must continue to innovate in traditional industries and foster emerging
industries.
The Queensland Government is investing today to create Queensland’s future.
Copies of the strategy can be obtained by phoning (07) 3224 5100 or visiting
www.smartstate.qld.gov.au
Building the foundations for an innovative society
As well as providing the immediate sharp stimulus for inventiveness and enterprise,Smart Queenslandtakes the long-term view in propelling Queensland’s
transformation into an innovative society by:
Investing in knowledge and skills for:
- New jobs – new skills: education to equip people with
the skills, abilities and desire for life-long learning and training necessary
to succeed in an innovative society
- Smarter Learning– $8.25 million to implement a new curriculum,
assessment and reporting system for the Preparatory-10 years to help parents
know what their children can do and how well they can do it
- Smart Classrooms– $56 million to convert all 1300 state
schools so students, their parents and teachers will have electronic access
to class work and learning materials anywhere, anytime
- $3.5 million for a trial in 2006, providing 1500 teachers withlaptops
or personal computersto improve learning and communication through
technology
- Smart Academies- $46 million to establish two new academies
one in science, maths and technology, and one in creative arts for our
best and brightest senior high school students
- Comprehensive review of the Vocational Education and Training (VET)
systemto deliver flexible and responsive training
- Smart State University Internships Program- $1.05 million to
establish internships programs at Queensland’s universities, enabling
students to hone their technical and commercial skills through work placements
- Skilling Solutions Queensland– one-stop-shops to provide
free training and career advice to Queenslanders.
Investing in diversity, creativity and connectivity:
Smart Queenslandwill increase Queensland’s appeal as a place to
live, study, work and play, by creating a:
- Dynamic Queensland: building a community that cares for its
people and fosters and celebrates knowledge and creativity
- Business and Skilled Migration Programto promote Queensland’s
appeal to skilled workers
- Queensland Multicultural Festival and Images of Queensland Photographic
Awardsto celebrate and promote Queensland’s great diversity
- Ideas Festivalto encourage the exchange of ideas.
- Connected Queensland: infrastructure to strengthen our connectivity
- Streamlined development approvals process for telecommunications
infrastructureto reduce barriers to the rollout of broadband and
other telecommunication services
- Online telecommunications portalfor business and communities
to find and share information on telecommunications.
- Sustainable Queensland:smart use of our natural resources
- establish thePremier’s Taskforceto develop aQueensland
Sustainable Natural Resource Development Strategy
- $2.4 million to establish theInternational Water Centreto
improve integrated water resource management
- $1 million forbiotechnology research to control cane toads
- $51.5 million for a range ofSmart Waterinitiatives to improve
water use efficiency and secure Queensland’s water supply for the
future.
Speeding up innovation
Smart Queenslandprovides an immediate stimulus to boost industry innovation
and commercial capacity for greater global export and trade gains by:
- Mobilising the innovation process: targeted support to convert
ideas into results
- Innovation Building Fund- $128 million to establish research
and innovation institutes and fund major purchases of research equipment
- Innovation Skills Fund- $12 million to provide scholarships
and fellowships to PhD students and researchers
- Innovation Projects Fund- $60 million to fund research, development
and innovation projects
- $20 million boost for the current and final round of theSmart State
Research Facilities Fund
- Golden Casket Medical Research Foundation, based on interest
earned on unclaimed lotto prizes of about $1.3 million per year for health
and medical research
- $7 million towards afacility to manufacture pharmaceuticalsto international regulatory standards for use in pre-clinical and clinical
trials
- Smart Exploration Service- $20 million to boost mining exploration
with potential returns of $3 billion for the mining industry
- Ecosciences Precinct– developing the Boggo Road Gaol
site as an integrated knowledge precinct and mixed use urban village focusing
on ecosystems science
- Health and Food Sciences Precinct– developing an integrated
centre of excellence in health and food sciences at Coopers Plains
- Biotechnology Commercialisation Pipeline- $1.4 million to help
Queensland biotech companies attract venture capital and sell their products
on the international market.
- Building the Queensland brand: expanding on our strengths,
successes and recognition to take Queensland to the world
- Queensland Ethanol Industry Action Plan- $7.3 million to boost
Queensland’s ethanol industry by helping service stations make E10
available
- $1.5 million to help thehorticulture industry target new Asian
markets, with the mango industry being the first priority
- $4 million to accelerate the growth of Queensland’saquaculture
industry.
- Making the right connections: investing in strategic alliances
and networks
- establish theSmart State Council– a new central advisory
body chaired by the Premier to provide high level advice on emerging trends
in innovation and skills
- $3.56 million to expand theInternational Collaborations Programto support key alliances with countries and overseas research organisations
- establish aSmart State Virtual Networkfor Queenslanders to
contribute their view and help shape the Smart State agenda.
Last reviewed 19 January 2006
