Manufacturing in Queensland inquiry

The Queensland Productivity Commission (QPC) conducted an inquiry into manufacturing in Queensland to recommend ways to boost productivity and competitiveness of the sector, with a focus on opportunities to maximise existing advantages, improve weaknesses and take advantage of emerging domestic and international opportunities.

The QPC provided its final report to government in October 2017, making 17 recommendations on how to best support the manufacturing sector. The final report is available on the Queensland Treasury website.

Key recommendations

The government accepted the majority of the Commission's recommendations and provided its response to the final report (PDF, 490.3KB).

Many of the actions to deliver the recommendations will be incorporated into current government programs and activities. Most notably, the Commission's recommendations on Queensland's vocational education and training framework, government purchasing, electricity prices and removing barriers to gas supply are consistent with the objectives of established government programs.

Two of the initiatives have already been delivered, including appointing a dedicated minister for manufacturing who will be responsible for overseeing the government's manufacturing agenda. This delivers the Commission's recommendation for senior oversight and demonstrates the government's commitment to supporting the manufacturing sector. Guidance materials on the Queensland Procurement Policy and forward procurement pipelines for each of the government's six procurement categories have been published, delivering most of recommendation 13.

The government intends to work closely with the Ministerial Manufacturing Council to provide oversight and assist in implementing the actions in the government response.