City enjoys jobs surge
THERE are now 47,000 more pay packets in the North Queensland centres of Cairns, Townsville and Mackay than in 2015, research shows.
The data, compiled by Conus Business Consultancy Services and Knight Frank, highlights a continuing recovery which started in Cairns and Mackay in 2015 and is now playing out in Townsville.
The only rider for Townsville was that so far most of the jobs created, mostly in the accommodation and food sector, were part- time.
Managing director of Knight Frank in Mackay and Townsville Craig Stack said the city could expect continuing improvement with many of the part- time jobs expected to become full- time as the recovery gathered pace.
“Overall, 47,000 more peo- ple in the three centres are now receiving a wage compared with 2015- 16,” Mr Stack said. “Employment trends remain the primary indicator for confidence in our regions and when more households are benefited by a wage, the income benefit permeates consistently through the communities.”
Mr Stack said they were confident a trend toward fulltime employment would gather pace in Townsville next year, providing major stimulus to the economy and boosting the housing market.
“Inquiry for retail accommodation has also firmed in Mackay and Townsville and the industrial sector is much more active in the Mackay region than it was,” Mr Stack said.
“The full- time employment in new mines such as Dugald River ( zinc) and locally with the Sun Metals refinery expansion over the next 12 to 24 months allows us to remain very confident that the strengthening outlook for Townsville will continue over the medium term. We remain very confident about the Mackay region over the next 12 months as well, including employment growth in the Bowen Basin communities.”
Of the more than 15,000 jobs created in Townsville in the past year, Conus principal Peter Faulkner said 9300 were part- time and 4700 full- time.
Sectors with the biggest gains in Townsville were accommodation and food ( 5400), construction ( 2600) and healthcare ( 2200).
In Mackay, 18,600 jobs had been created, while Cairns added 12,800 positions.
A new Domino’s pizza shop at Mount Louisa, which opened yesterday, has added 30 full- time and part- time jobs in Townsville.
Franchisee Nathan van Jole said he hoped to convert many of the part- time positions into full- time roles as the Mount Louisa business developed and another outlet was added to his stable of stores in Townsville next year.