By
CPL Cameron Jamieson
ONE
of the reasons the economy of Central Queensland is healthy is
the injection of $52.8 million through Defence-related activities.
A recent Central Queensland University (CQU) study has revealed
the contribution Defence made to the region in 2003, with an estimated
$27 million alone being spent on exercises, management and infrastructure
in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
Visiting Australian and overseas troops are also believed to have
spent nearly $25 million on accommodation, transport, food, shopping
and entertainment. Americans were estimated to spend, on average,
more than $2700 each during post-exercise stand-down in the area.
The money spent in the area creates around 720 full-time equivalent
jobs, with flow-on effects, such as the extension and deepening
of the region’s skill base, support for industry growth,
direct funding injections into the construction industry and a
general expansion of business activity.
CQU Associate Professor Gayle Jennings said while she expected
the total Defence expenditure to be high, the amount spent by
military “tourists” was a surprise.
“What it demonstrates is the significance of defence personnel
when they are on stand-down in the area,” she said.
“So local business needs to think outside the box to capitalise
on these military tourism opportunities.”
With up to 20 per cent of all tourism revenue in the region now
generated by visiting troops, the report will be made available
on the Defence web site at www.defence.gov.au
to assist local businesses to better meet the needs of troops.
Defence’s
commitment
Confusion
over the use and management of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area
(SWBTA) has caused some concerns among the surrounding community.
Defence is addressing these issues, which include:
Road
maintenance: Defence contributes to the maintenance of the
main road into the SWBTA, with more than $1 million paid over
the past four financial years.
Environmental
responsibility: The use of SWBTA is in accordance with the
Defence environmental policy and Commonwealth law and engaging
with Government agencies.
Rates:
as with all Commonwealth establishments, Defence does not
pay council rates for SWBTA, however, as all council-type activities
and environmental maintenance is paid for by Defence, the centre
is self-supporting.
Joint
Combined Training Centre: The JCTC is being developed as an
effective cooperative training capability with the US. It is not
an experimental weapon site, nor will a US base be established
there. It will remain under Australian control.
