Toowoomba, the powerhouse of regional Australia
AS PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull walked across the Armitage Centre stage in February to give his first major address of the year, Canberra fumed.
Singing the praises of the region which has become the catalyst for governments taking a closer look at the value of regional centres, Mr Turnbull showed the nation the power of Toowoomba.
Its economy is among the fastest growing in the country.
Figures collated by ID Community revealed Toowoomba’s gross regional product was $10.47 billion in the 2016/17 financial year, with construction and real estate leading broad growth of 6.2 per cent.
The economic growth over the past decade is faster than Queensland, and modelling suggests a continuing upward trend.
Projects such as the $1.6 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and $8.4 billion tri-state Inland Rail will propel that growth in the years to come as the region becomes more connected than at any point in its history.
Socially, Toowoomba is the model for community cohesion in the way it welcomes and embraces different cultures, and celebrates them.
The diversity of services and industry has made Toowoomba the example for decentralisation, the Federal Government’s plan to relocate centrally-based departments to regional areas in an effort to boost economies and productivity.
It’s also the model for peace as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton toured the city this year to hear what lessons southern cities struggling for harmony could learn from the Garden City’s success. Annual events such as The
Chronicle Garden Competition and the Carnival of Flowers - named the best festival in the country and a tourism Hall of Fame inductee - rival any in Australia.
Past successes, however, are not enough for the region as it readies to meet the challenges of the future.