Last week saw an exciting step for the South East Queensland (SEQ) City Deal, with a landmark Statement of Intent signed and announced by all three levels of government on 15 March 2019 in Brisbane.
What is the SEQ City Deal?
City Deals are collaborative partnerships between the Australian Government, a state or territory government and local communities to enhance the productivity and liveability of Australian cities.
The future City Deal for SEQ aims to align the long-term planning, investment and governance required to stimulate economic growth and create jobs. The 20-year plan outlined in the Statement of Intent for the SEQ City Deal strives to synchronise cooperation between government, industry and communities in six priority areas: Connecting infrastructure; jobs and skills; liveability and sustainability; housing and planning; digital; and governance and leadership.
Why is it significant?
The proposed City Deal for SEQ would be the ninth and likely the largest in Australia. The Transforming SEQ Report indicated that the future deal could grow the SEQ economy by up to $58 billion by 2041. The recent steps toward the SEQ City Deal present the opportunity for three levels of government to work together to fund necessary projects and critical infrastructure.
The way forward?
The following 12-18 months will involve negotiations between all three levels of government to determine project priorities and commitments, and reach a binding agreement. It is to be hoped that all three levels of government can work together proactively to get this City Deal off the ground, for the benefit of all Queenslanders. The highly anticipated SEQ City Deal will provide a significant federal government boost for SEQ and clear guidance for future investment and innovation.
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