Works for Queensland funding supporting regionally important outcomes – Mayor

Longreach Regional Council Mayor Tony Rayner has acknowledged the support of Queensland Government funding in achieving important works for the region.

The $600 million Queensland Government ‘2019-21 Works for Queensland’ (W4Q) program supports regional councils to undertake job-creating maintenance and minor infrastructure projects. It is administered by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. 
Longreach Regional Council received $1.19 million in the 2019-21 round of funding, which it has used to complete a variety of works across the region, such as scenic walkways, library upgrades, shade structures and other minor infrastructure works. Mayor Tony Rayner said that although the individual projects were small, they make a big difference when considered together.

“The Works for Queensland program is one of the best funding programs going” he said. “For starters, it’s non-contestable, we don’t have to compete for it. It’s also broad in its scope so we can use it for things that aren’t supported by other funding programs. This sort of funding support makes a big difference in rural and remote councils like ours.

“These are small jobs, but when you add them up they make a big difference and take a lot of pressure off our existing works programs.”

In the 2019-21 program Longreach Regional Council completed twelve projects, supporting $837,000 in wages and salaries and an additional $1.2 million in value-added.