Budget 2018-19 a good starting point for the Sunshine Coast
The latest Federal Budget has tackled two of the key transport infrastructure issues for the Coast – with $3.3bn committed to the upgrade the Bruce Highway upgrade, and $390m to the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade. This announcement will have a significant impact on the region. RDA Sunshine Coast has long been advocating for accelerated transport infrastructure and while these critical projects require support from the State, this is a very positive step forward.
Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF)
$200m has been allocated to a third round of the BBRF to help local governments and not-for-profit organisations build the capacity of regional areas. The program has invested $641m in 257 projects since 2017 and has created about 26,000 jobs throughout regional Australia. The third round will focus on regional tourism. Keep an eye out for announcements about opening dates.
Business opportunities
With multiple significant projects being delivered over the next few years the opportunity for SME’s to capitalise on this growth is greater than ever. At the recent Ripple Effect – How you can do business with SCUH forum, SMEs heard from Spotless and WishlistConnect about how to connect to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) supply chain as well as the 7,500 health employees across the region. Whether you manufacture plastics, fix chairs, or clean windows there is great potential for Coast SMEs to benefit from these opportunities – which may even result in new products/services, or partnerships for your business. These opportunities are ongoing and have only just begun.
Shanna Douglas
Project Officer
Regional Development Australia (RDA) Sunshine Coast
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