eCentral Business Show^©

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad speaks about the future for Queensland on the eCentral Business Show

Sun 3:06pm 29 Oct 2017
Podcast Audio


With the election looming Jackie Trad, Deputy Premier of Queensland and state member for South Brisbane accepted our invitation to come on the eCentral Business Show.

In the segment, we talk about the opportunities and positive outlook for Queensland as a popular, populated and diverse state in close proximity to the fastest growing economies.

Video transcript:
What's in Queensland's future is the subject of today's eCentral business show I'm John Nayler joined by Jackie Trad the state member for South Brisbane and Deputy Premier. Thank You Jackie. Hi John. Yeah well the question that's a great question I think, what's in Queensland future and go for it. Well, I am incredibly optimistic about Queensland's future I mean not only do we have more than 300 days of sunshine a year but we are the closest most populated state in Australia to the fastest-growing economic region in the world and that is Asia. We have got so much to offer our neighbours in the region from great education services great urban designers and architects to great commodities that we have been selling to Asia for a long period of time. In fact the last export figures were just through the roof John. Sixty nine billion dollars okay worth of exports from there that's probably is that top Australia. I recently had a friend say I'm going to move to another state and he went had a look at it. He came back with the tail between his legs Jackie. We got it all absolutely I think we do have it all we've got great regional cities Cairns, you know tropical cities, Townsville but we've also got you know the biggest conurbation, the biggest urban conurbation in Australia from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast and out to Ipswich you know the South East Queensland region is one of the most beautiful fastest growing regions in Australia. The opportunities are just boundless. OK, but those are all given Jackie I mean obviously there's a the party and power type thing what is it that you guys are doing about the future of Queensland, yeah I don't think they're just a given you know I think that a lot of the things well you're going to take responsibility for the sunshine Jackie. No I'm not going to take responsibility for the sunshine, I'm gonna take responsibility for us having a very focused and dedicated approach to building our export industry, particularly service exports like education like professional services because we've got we've worked very hard the sector around a dedicated strategy with funding to make sure that we are growing things like our international education provision here in Queensland but we're also doing amazing things John as a state government we're building the infrastructure that our region needs like Cross River Rail. Which is essentially an express rail service for the whole southeast Queensland region hmm you know we're investing in education and tourism is just going through the roof because everybody wants to come you know because we're so close to Asia and there's a rising middle class in Asia when they want to take holidays they want to come to an aspirational location like Australia and particularly Queensland because we've got great natural world heritage assets that they want to see yeah now we see a lot of ni interact with a lot of international people visiting Australia a lot of international educational people I mean and you know the common thing I get is they want to stay on I mean how do they do don't want it go well that's right but and then we see an immigration policy in that sort of thing that then sort of constraints at all I understand that in my personal view immigration is important thing for Australia yeah absolutely I think immigration is very important for Australia as well but I also think that creating an environment where Australia is part of a regional network of countries that are really part of the you know 21st century of the Asian century so to speak where we will see the rise of you know the middle class in Asia the middle class in China where you know in India you will get if Modi wants the Prime Minister of India 400 million young people and let's try and put that into perspective 400 million young people educated in the next four years to get some basic qualifications and skills so that they can grow and develop their country in Australia is a part of that you know we've got TAFE Queensland and private providers in India working with Indian training organizations to provide that level of training and skills acquisition it's an exciting time yeah okay so do you feel that Queensland if not all of Australia's going to we have trend towards being we're sort of drifting towards I think tectonic Li we're drifting towards they you know I mean there's obviously a lot more we should be doing with Asia I think so I absolutely think so Australia as I said has got a lot to offer not only our regional partners but the rest of the world and I think global political change like brings it offers us you know important opportunities to look at what we can do to partner with them traditional allies like like Britain and come the Commonwealth Games which is less than six months away now and also close that close it is that close yeah you know we're going to have the Commonwealth nations all gathered on the Gold Coast and this will be the largest event in Australia for a whole decade hmm so it's our time it's Queensland's time to shine and I think that there's going to be a lot of opportunities for follow-up trade and business you know it happens as a result of that okay tremendous all right well that's about enough from from this episode but you stick around I'd like to talk to you about what Queensland's doing about small businesses you're another minute feel absolutely okay thank you very much Jackie. Ok, that's another episode done for the eCentral Business Show I'm John Nayler.