By Kate Bastable.
Southern Cross Marine Supplies, which provides coal ships with consumables, is one of many set to benefit from Boom Two. Ronell Potgieter, who recently began work at the business, was busy checking supplies yesterday.
Photo: Peter Holt
Boom Two is expected to boost Queensland's coal exports by 42 per cent by 2015, creating another 15,000 jobs in the Mackay-Whitsunday region.
Regional Economic Development Corporation economic development officer Laura Sorensen said 33 of the state's 55 mining projects were in this region.
These are expected to create 15,000 jobs within five years and have the potential to generate another 30,000 job opportunities in other industries.
REDC's Regional Development Register for the November quarter, released yesterday, shows $46b in projects are planned or under construction in the region. About $30.6b of these are under study.
REDC chief executive officer Narelle Pearse said this was good news, indicating investors were willing to spend money in the area.
"New projects are continuously being added to the register and with such a high number of projects under study, the region will continue to prosper," Ms Pearse said.
"Our economy is now preparing for Boom Two, which is when we will see a major boost to the Queensland economy.
"The Western Australian economy is growing rapidly as a result of mining-related construction and investment, and we will continue to see the same pattern locally for many years to come, ensuring that we are resilient to the ever-changing economic conditions around the nation."
Adecco Mackay branch manager Tanya Takagaki said the employment agency was receiving more enquiries from companies planning to increase staff numbers.
"Clients are putting their feelers out to see what we can supply because they've got projects that may fall in late March or early April," Ms Takagaki said.
Ms Sorensen said Mackay's unemployment rate rose to 4.4 per cent in March, 0.9 per cent lower than the state average. The quarterly unemployment rate for the Isaac region had been recorded at less than one per cent seven out of nine times since December 2005, she said.
National job advertisements rose by the biggest margin in more than two years last month, jumping six per cent, according to an ANZ report released on Monday. The news may add to the pressure for the Reserve Bank board to raise official interest rates next month.
Official employment data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics is due to be released tomorrow.
Taken from The Daily Mercury 13 January 2010