Up to 510 immediate job opportunities for displaced workers and local job seekers in disaster-affected South-East Queensland have been created, through the Commonwealth and Queensland governments' $721 million flood recovery package.
Twenty-six projects have now been approved under the $14.5 million Small Business Recovery and Resilience package, which is jointly funded through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
A total of 18 community-based organisations in the hardest hit areas have been approved to deliver Work Skills Traineeships that will support the recovery effort.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Senator the Hon Murray Watt said the funding would lead to the creation of traineeships to assist with the clean-up, rebuilding and recovery efforts.
"Significant floods like the multiple events Queensland experienced earlier this year take time to recover from, but this is now another way we can build back better," Minister Watt said.
"This is a fantastic initiative that will see construction, conservation and ecosystem traineeships used to deliver recovery works including fixing fences, restoring community building or recreation areas, refurbishing parks or sporting grounds and facilities or repairing walkways, bikeways and footpaths.
"In the short-term, these projects help those trainees with their own community recovery and in the longer-term the trainees develop skills they can use into the future."
Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said the projects would provide Work Skills Traineeships including paid employment opportunities for up to six months.
"The Queensland Government's well-established Skilling Queenslanders for Work program has assisted more than 72,000 Queenslanders with skills development, training and job opportunities," Minister Farmer said.
"We thank the Albanese Government for jointly funding these additional traineeships which will leave a visible and lasting impact on social and public infrastructure in local communities.
"It's not just construction and conservation traineeships that are being funded there are also business, hospitality and retail roles to support social enterprise cafes and other community activities in flood affected communities.
"Traineeships are being offered in everything from repairing the Rocklea Showgrounds to rehabilitation works in bushland areas in Ipswich, to working in the RSPCA Black Cat café in Wacol.
"This funding will also support local small businesses by providing a pool of skilled and job ready Queenslanders to meet employment needs."
Alongside the $10 million Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, the package will also provide:
- $2 million for the Small Business Support Service – to fund three additional small business wellness coaches in 2022-23, and two coaches in 2023-24. This will provide free, confidential, one-on-one support to address the stressors and psychological support needs of small business owners. The coaches will be located in Gympie, Ipswich and Greater Brisbane and will commence early 2023.
Under this Service, three additional Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland coordinators will also work with local Chambers to provide personalised and professional business information and will work directly with government agencies to assist in small business recovery.
- $2.5 million for the Buy Local, Go Local program, which will be available to 21 local councils to encourage customers to shop and visit locally within disaster impacted communities, is expected to be open in early 2023.
