We know that becoming a Smart State in a competitive and rapidly changing global environment requires leadership, determination, focus and constant vigilance to ensure we stay on the right track. This is why my Government is committed to on-going investment in our people, in our economic and social infrastructure and in ensuring that our industries and lifestyle have a sustainable future.
The Smart State Strategy recognises that Government leadership in collaboration with industry specialists, researchers, educators and the wider community is critical in delivering on our strategic objectives.
The Smart State Progress Report 2006/07 demonstrates the success of those partnerships to date and reinforces the importance of this approach for the years ahead.
The report provides, for the first time, an extensive account of how we are performing across a range of indicators that are relevant to our development as a Smart State. These include our top class economic credentials, our investments in infrastructure, our quality education system, our quality research base and our expanding high value industries.
There is no question that Queensland is getting smarter, as our progress to date shows we are increasing in wealth, generating a higher skilled workforce and competing with the best in the world in fields such as health, biotechnology and aviation.
This summary brochure presents just a few highlights of Queensland's outstanding performance since 1998 when we set the Smart State agenda.
The entire story is comprehensively detailed in the full Smart State Progress Report 2006/07 and I urge all Queenslanders to read this report so that they can see for themselves the great advances that are being made. The full report is available on the Smart State website.
The report shows that Queensland is becoming recognised as a strong, knowledge-based economy delivering real benefits to all Queenslanders. It shows that while we still have more to do, we are on the right track. My Government will remain committed to the ongoing transformation of Queensland into the Smart State.
Peter Beattie MP
Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade