JOINT STATEMENT
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has today urged North Queenslanders to apply for hundreds of jobs currently being recruited at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
The Premier said time was running out to apply for positions. “This is a jobs bonanza in Townsville,” the Premier said.
“From chefs to bar tenders to security guards, we’ve got a wide range of jobs up for grabs for the season ahead.
“We invested in this stadium because we know how important infrastructure like this is when it comes to creating local jobs.
“If you’re looking for a job and you live in North Queensland, I urge you to get online and consider applying.”
Thousands of Queensland businesses are at risk of collapse within months if the Federal Government does not extend its JobKeeper payment beyond March, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says. As Ms Palaszczuk met with Townsville and Cairns businesses crippled by COVID-19, she ramped up her calls for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to urgently reconsider scrapping the $1000 payment in March. The calls come amid fears nearly 11,000 north Queensland businesses alone could fail, with the latest figures showing 170,000 businesses across the state are still drawing on the payments to survive. But it is also feared those that do survive will only do so by slashing their workforces, pushing up the state s nation-leading unemployment rate of 7.5 per cent.
The Australia versus India Fourth Test at the Gabba on Friday will go ahead. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was good news for Queensland cricket.
Tourism industry reeling at piecemeal policy Tourism industry leaders say the sector is suffering as ongoing uncertainty over Queensland’s border restrictions takes its toll.
Business by Dan Knowles
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Subscriber only Queensland tourism and travel businesses are hurting and in limbo as border restrictions throw interstate holidays and family visits into chaos. While Queensland s border last night remained open to New South Wales beyond the Greater Sydney hotspot, industry leaders said the uncertainty was hurting businesses who had clawed their way back with strong summer bookings. Flight Centre boss Graham Skroo Turner said the piecemeal border closures introduced by different states was panic then paralysis that was hitting businesses already hurting from a devastating 2020.
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The relaxing of COVID restrictions to 100 per cent capacity on marine tourism is a welcome Christmas present for many Central Queensland operators in time for their peak business period.
Reduced capacities and a lack of passengers have left many CQ businesses thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the changes would mean more visitors could enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.
“Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy and I have been working closely with the marine tourism operators who wanted greater flexibility with COVID-19 requirements,” Mr Hinchliffe said. ISLAND FUN: Curtis Ferry regularly visits the Capricorn Bunker Group of islands.