Gladstone: A regional manufacturing powerhouse
The Gladstone City Council’s vision is to position the Gladstone Region as a powerhouse for manufacturing. There is a significant opportunity for Gladstone to leverage the skills and capabilities that have been developed from its deep industrial roots, to create future opportunities in the manufacturing sector.
On 2 June 2021, I had the pleasure of facilitating a workshop session for Gladstone Major, Matt Burnett, with regional leaders to plan the future of Gladstone. The energy in the room was amazing and I am so optimistic about the future of manufacturing in Central Queensland!
Famous for its fishing and boating lifestyle, the Port of Gladstone is the fifth-largest multi-commodity port in Australia and the world's fourth-largest coal-exporting terminal. On top of this, manufacturing accounts for the largest share of employment in the Gladstone Region (4,513 jobs or 16% of the total). The Gladstone Region’s manufacturing sector accounts for 13% ($647 million) of local industry value-added and 38% of the region’s export value.
It has however been identified that Gladstone’s manufacturing sector is at risk due to global disruption from technological and environmental transitions. The Gladstone leader’s group and I discussed the findings of The Australia Institute report and identified policy and advocacy gaps and opportunities. We identified how the state of manufacturing has changed, and how we can change with it. It is clear that the future belongs to those who can manage uncertainty and innovate rapidly.
The Gladstone Region is uniquely positioned to spearhead a campaign to lead the way in ensuring our country can once again be a nation that makes things. Revitalising our economy, bringing jobs to our people, creating commercial opportunities, and ensuring our country’s self-sufficiency moving forward in uncertain times.
For Gladstone to succeed on this journey, we must continue to identify areas where the region can leverage existing expertise and capability to discover new market opportunities. Strategic focus is the key to successful manufacturing industry development. We must understand the barriers to achieving this and develop plans to address these strategic risks.
I encourage all key stakeholders to support the vision for the future and engage in the pathway to achieve this goal.
Image: Deputy Mayor Kahn Goodluck, Mayor Matt Burnett, Chantale Lane, (Gladstone Engineering Alliance), Daniel Bryant (Berg Engineering)