Use your vote to grow city

THE “crane index” has long been touted as an indicator of economic strength.

And while those towering structures will no longer grace Townsville city skylines at the stadium site after the project’s completion this year, it’s massively reassuring to hear that a local company is investing in staff and equipment because it believes there is “sustainable growth” in projects in North Queensland.

Townsville Cranes, along with its sister company NQ Mining Services, has invested nearly $3 million in two new cranes.

Company general manager Greg Birdsall said he saw the economy growing and that he hoped projects such as Hells Gate Dam, if supported by government, would continue to provide a pipeline of employment.

Colliers Townsville managing director Peter Wheeler is also optimistic about the year ahead, saying 2020 would signal the biggest infrastructure spend in a decade.

The February floods set the city back in some regards, but it’s positive to see residents come out swinging and that business confidence has improved since this time last year.

The flow-on effect of these large infrastructure projects will absolutely trickle down to small to medium-size businesses in all sectors.

Next year is not just the year of growth, it’s the year of huge potential.

The community has a rare opportunity later in the year to secure more investment and policy that will help secure the North’s future ahead of the State Government election at the end of the year.

The LNP will be eyeing off North Queensland seats, which it will need to snatch off Labor if it wants to stop

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk from holding a third term in government.

The political tension should present an opportunity for North Queenslanders to insist they will only vote for a party that will commit to growth outcomes for our economy.