AFTER almost six years of environmental assessments, legal challenges and bureaucratic delays, Townsville Enterprise acknowledges the actions of the Palaszczuk Government and Minister Lynham over the weekend with the signing of three mining leases for the Adani Carmichael Mine Project.

This is a major vote of confidence by the State Government in the project and in North Queensland.

Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Patricia O’Callaghan said the move signals the beginning of a significant economic opportunity.

“We’ve been lobbying the State and Federal Governments for years to provide the approvals for this project. The mining leases are a step towards the proposed creation of thousands of jobs and the generation of $16.5B into the economy from the Adani project alone.

“But this is about much more than one project. This approval paves the way for mining projects to commence right across the Galilee Basin which will have flow on impacts across the north.

“Opening up the Galilee Basin provides an opportunity for Townsville North Queensland to become the services and workforce hub of the north, equipped with the skills and resources to service the resources and energy sectors.

Ms O’Callaghan said that the biggest challenge the Adani project will now face is from green and minority interest groups.

“Successive legal challenges to science-based approvals are a major obstacle for jobs and economic development in North Queensland.

“We know that Australia has the highest environmental reef standards in the world. Never before have we seen Governments so focussed on getting the right balance of policies that protect the Great Barrier Reef and our tourism industry and at the same time also allow major job-creating mining projects to prosper.

“We cannot let minority interests deny the job-creating benefits of this project's mine, rail and port projects to our region, our state and our country.”

Townsville Enterprise will be meeting with Adani and the Queensland Government over the coming weeks and will join with economic development bodies and Councils across the State to support the opening up of the Galilee Basin.

www.tel.com.au

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NATIONAL retail spending saw 3.2 percent growth year on year in February 2016, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics, with department stores picking up the lion’s share of the rise, says the Australian Retailers Association (ARA).

Total retail sales for the month were $24.8 billion. ARA records show this to be the lowest recorded year on year growth in two and a half years, since September 2013.

Year on year figures provide the most accurate measure of the sector’s performance and are the figures used by most retail businesses in their own reporting. February 2016 sales showed a 0.0 percent increase over January 2016 (month on month).

ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman, said February 2016’s year on year retail growth figure is a reflection of Australia’s economic conditions and consumer uncertainty.

“While we saw a strong Christmas and January sales period, spending growth always tends to slow in February, which has clearly been the case this year,” said Mr Zimmerman.

“A combination of warmer weather patterns across most states, a pull back in spending as consumers headed back to work and school, as well as economic uncertainty have contributed to this outcome,” he said.

On a category basis, department stores were the main beneficiary of February’s growth, with a year on year increase of 6.6 percent – a clear indication that the transformation programs of the two major chains are making headway.

“Department store growth in 2015 was mostly underwhelming, so to see this result will be heartening for David Jones and Myer, who have both placed an incredible amount of effort into reinvigorating their businesses,” he said.

The ACT saw the largest rate of growth in February, at 7.2 percent, while Western Australia sat squarely at the opposite end of the spectrum, posting a loss in trade of 0.1 percent. WA’s last growth decline occurred in May 2014, at -0.7 percent.

“The lackluster performance experienced by retailers in WA is not unexpected, with the state having been hit considerably in recent months by the deflation of the mining boom,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Consumers in WA have been quite pessimistic over the last few months as the large groups of workers who were present in the state have withdrawn, taking with them their considerable volumes of disposable cash.”

Clothing, footwear, and personal accessories also fared well, with 6.3 percent growth, which Mr Zimmerman said could be attributed to a mix of end of season clearance sales, unseasonably warm weather, and the introduction of new season stock.

“While overall growth of 3.2 percent is not a poor result for retail by any stretch, as retail is one of Australia’s largest private sector employers it is important the industry continues its momentum to be able to support our economy long into the future.

“We anticipate 2016 will be a year of mixed fortunes, with uncertain economic conditions, an election on the horizon, and an unpredictable Australian dollar all contributing to the current landscape,” Mr Zimmerman said.

YEAR ON YEAR RETAIL GROWTH (February 2015 to February 2016 seasonally adjusted)

By category:

Food, 2.4 percent; household goods, 4.3 percent; clothing, footwear and personal accessories, 6.3 percent; department stores, 6.6 percent; other retailing, 2.9 percent; cafés, restaurants and takeaway foods, 1.6 percent.

By state:

NSW, 4.6 percent; Victoria, 4.7 percent; Queensland, 1.2 percent; South Australia, 2.7 percent; Western Australia, -0.1 percent; Tasmania, 3.1 percent; Northern Territory, 0.6 percent; and Australian Capital Territory, 7.2 percent.

About the Australian Retailers Association:

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $293 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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THE Queensland Government’s approval of mining leases for Adani’s Carmichael coal and rail project signals a big thumbs up for economic growth and job creation at a time when resources investment into Australia has tapered off considerably, says national resource industry employer group AMMA.

“The latest Carmichael project approvals could not come soon enough for Queensland. We must grasp this opportunity with both hands and support the development of this significant project,” says AMMA executive director of policy and public affairs, Scott Barklamb.

“In recent years Queensland has seen more than $80 billion in prospective resources projects, and thousands of related job opportunities, fail to proceed. In giving its tick of approval, the state government has recognised the importance of projects of this magnitude going ahead.

“Adani’s Carmichael mine and rail project will deliver much-needed economic and employment benefits for Queensland.

“A potential 5,000 new jobs during construction will be welcomed by resources employees moving on from major LNG and other mining projects recently completed in Queensland.

“A further 4,500 people employed during peak operation of the Carmichael mine will see Queensland families and regional communities benefit from this project for decades.

“This multi-billion dollar project will also deliver critical infrastructure in the Galilee Basin, bolster local business opportunities, and generate millions of dollars in taxes and royalties to help fund important public services.”

Mr Barklamb adds that this major final approval should also mark the end of efforts from environmental activists to block the project and damage Queensland’s reputation as a reliable investment destination.

“Subject to more than 200 environmental conditions, the Carmichael mine and rail project will be one of the most heavily regulated developments in Australia’s history,” Mr Barklamb says.

“The Queensland and federal governments have examined both environmental and economic considerations at length and reached a clear decision that this project will benefit our country.

“This significant project should now be given full support for what it represents – a welcome boost for Queensland’s economy and jobs.”

www.amma.org.au

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THE Australian Parliament’s Northern Australia Committee will hold a public hearing in Canberra on Friday 8 April 2016 as part of its Inquiry into the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Bill 2016.

The Bill proposes to establish the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility which would provide up to $5 billion in concessional financial assistance to infrastructure projects that promote the economic development of Northern Australia.

The Committee Chair, the Hon Warren Entsch MP, said: ‘Potentially valuable but smaller infrastructure projects in Northern Australia often find it more challenging to attract investment than equivalent projects in Southern Australia. The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility is designed to provide loans to projects that already have significant private sector backing but that will not proceed without some additional investment’.

As part of its Inquiry the Committee will hear from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, who will have responsibility for implementing the Bill, as well as the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Where: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra
When: Friday, 8 April 2016, commencing at 9.00 am.
Hearing programs are available at: www.aph.gov.au/jscna

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