Future in a storm of indecision

FOR months, if not years now, the Townsville economy has been on the cusp of recovery.

The promised pipeline of jobs has been imminent, yet it never seems to really start to flow.

The new stadium was never pitched as being the silver bullet but rather a symbol of our bounce back to prosperity.

Those two cranes and the hive of activity certainly show residents what can be achieved when the city bands together and demands action. But it’s not enough in isolation. What this city needs is more shovelready projects to begin as soon as possible.

Plans and blue sky projects are important for our future but for businesses struggling to make ends meet on a day- to- day basis, right now we need work to start.

The channel widening at Townsville Port is the perfect example of a project that must be allowed to begin now.

For 120 construction jobs to be created and work to start in October, all it takes is for the Prime Minister to say yes, his government will commit to matching the $ 75 million the State Government has agreed to cough up.

As soon as he gives the green light, Port of Townsville can make moves to get this shovel- ready project off the ground.

It will provide more than 100 jobs during construction plus 60 ongoing local jobs. But that doesn’t account for the flow- on affect a wider channel could have for the economy.

Then, of course, there is the cost on our roads by not widening the channel.

When ships that are too big for Townsville bypass us for Brisbane, freight is then sent on containers on B- doubles and back to the North, clogging the Bruce Hightway and taking longer at a higher cost.

The upgrade of this channel is critical for Northern Australia and we implore Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull not to delay further and to announce his support for our port.