6 June 2013 — Consult Australia Queensland state manager Stacey Rawlings has wanted that lack of investment in the nation’s building projects will see engineering construction activity in rapid decline by 2014/15.
Consult Australia has also predicted a decline of 11 per cent in engineering construction for Queensland following the lack of infrastructure investment announced in the state Budget.
“In (the) state Budget, fiscal discipline has come at the expense of a longer term productivity agenda supporting growth,” she said.
“Alongside deferred change to the payroll tax threshold, for a pro-growth Government little has been done to encourage businesses to grow investments in Queensland.
“If the state Government is serious about supporting the future of knowledge intensive services industries then they should make the necessary investments to ensure those services remain in Queensland.
“Without sound investment in productivity the built environment industry will continue to contract.”
Ms Rawlings said it was disappointing that the uncertainty created by the Federal Election in September appeared to be directly impacting investment in Queensland.
“The short term focus on returning the budget to surplus in lieu of sound infrastructure investment will result in a loss of skills interstate and overseas and will have a direct impact on the viability of many SMEs,” she said.
“The good governance established by Infrastructure Queensland and Projects Queensland should be fully utilised to establish a stronger pipeline of major projects, supported by private sector investment that are ready for delivery in the short and medium-term.”