Alarm in 'engine room'

The first shipment of line pipe for the Queensland Curtis LNG project arrived in Gladstone during the past year aboard the break-bulk carrier, Regina Oldendorff.

Submitted

GLADSTONE is destined to carry Queensland's economy into the next decade and beyond, but even local politicians are alarmed at the lack of planned critical economic and social infrastructure for the port city.

This year has proven to be the year of significant projects for Gladstone due predominately to the emerging industry of coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the coal industry.

At the recent Golding Industry Conference in Gladstone, Golding chief executive Geoff Caton said Gladstone was uniquely positioned as the nominated hub for enormous industrial development over the next decade and beyond.

“The sheer scale and complexity of the various projects will see Gladstone as a real engine room driving significant growth and change in the region,” Mr Caton said.

The Queensland Co-ordinator General signed off on six reports in 2010 for projects earmarked for the Gladstone region worth a total of more than $40 billion dollars.

The significant Gladstone projects approved in 2010 were Australia Pacific LNG, Queensland Curtis LNG, Port of Gladstone, Western Basin Dredging, Gladstone-Fitzroy Water Pipeline, Gladstone LNG and the Fisherman's Landing Port Expansion.

All up, the Co-ordinator-General signed off on 11 reports in 2010 for projects worth a rough$69.5 billion. These have potential to create about19,660 construction jobs and 3798 operational jobs.

On Tuesday, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Sterling Hinchliffe said approvals in 2010 would provide for a prosperous Queensland for decades to come.

Even though Gladstone seems to be the so-called “engine room of the state” the allocation of critical infrastructure both economic and social as far as Gladstone government representatives concerned is sorely lacking.

Member for Flynn Ken O'Dowd recently told The Observer he had grave concerns for Gladstone's infrastructure.

“The State and Federal Governments are taking all the benefits from industry in the form of taxes and royalties, but precious little of it is coming back to Gladstone, Mr O'Dowd said

Last week Queensland's Independent Member for Gladstone, Liz Cunningham, said: “I think the whole planning has fallen down because it's so late happening.” And Gladstone Regional Council believes the region is already feeling the effects of the construction of one LNG plant and reacted angrily about housing problems and proponents' lack of funding towards social infrastructure.

In 2011, 14 significant projects will be looking for approval ranging from CSG to LNG projects to coal terminals and railways.

All tiers of government admit they don't know what Gladstone will look like in five years and with the lack of infrastructure planning, Gladstone locals will suffer the consequences in 2011 and for a number of years to come.