$1.9bn worth of major projects to create thousands of QLD jobs

The Queensland Government has declared three major projects as Prescribed Projects, backing $1.9 billion in private investments in the State’s steel, recycling and manufacturing sectors.

The Alter Steel Mill Project, Swanbank Steel Mill Project and Sims Metal Pinkenba Redevelopment Project will support thousands of construction and operational jobs across Queensland while driving investment and economic growth.

The prescribed project declarations will enable the Coordinator-General to help streamline the rigorous approvals process under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act (1971).

“These projects are exactly the kind of private investment Queensland needs to grow our economy, strengthen our industrial base and create thousands of Queensland jobs.

“The Crisafulli Government is backing industry, backing investment and backing Queenslanders because we want to see more things made, securing more jobs and more economic opportunity in Queensland.

“We are working to build the industrial capability Queensland needs to support housing, construction and major infrastructure for decades to come.

“This is what a stronger economy looks like and by declaring these projects as Prescribed Projects, we are ensuring the Coordinator-General can work across government, with councils, regulators, utility providers and proponents to help streamline the process and fast-track economic growth,” Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said.

“Our role is to provide a single point of whole-of-government coordination and support timely resolution of project-critical approvals and infrastructure interfaces.

“Prescribed Project status does not remove the need for statutory approvals, but it does provide a clear framework to help projects progress efficiently while maintaining all relevant assessment requirements,” Queensland Coordinator-General Gerard Coggan said.

These projects represent a major opportunity to strengthen the State’s sovereign industrial capability as well as build a more integrated local supply chain that recovers, processes and reuses recycled metal in Queensland.

The three projects will also help strengthen supply chain resilience and support domestic steel manufacturing at a time when Queensland imports a large portion of its steel and other steel products from interstate and overseas suppliers.

The three projects declared as Prescribed Projects, which span recycled feedstock recovery, processing, logistics and domestic steel manufacturing, include:

• The Alter Steel Mill Project – a proposed investment of $1.05 billion by Equest Steel Pty Ltd, to establish a steel recycling and manufacturing facility on a 23-hectare site at Pinkenba. The project is expected to create up to 600 construction jobs and 216 operational jobs.
• The Swanbank Steel Mill Project – a direct construction investment of $640 million by Future Forgeworks Pty Ltd to develop a new steel manufacturing facility within the NewGen Business Park industrial estate at Swanbank. The project is expected to create more than 400 construction jobs and up to 200 operational jobs.
• The proposed Sims Metal Pinkenba Redevelopment Project – an approximately $215 million investment by Sims in the staged redevelopment of its existing industrial waterfront site at Pinkenba into an integrated metal recycling, processing and logistics hub. The project is expected to support approximately 1,090 construction jobs and 140 operational jobs.

Each one of the projects will be assessed based on its individual merits.

Once operational, all three projects are expected to support the State’s domestic steel supply chain, improve recycling and processing capability, and help meet future demand from housing, construction, transport and major infrastructure developments.

“Pinkenba has well established port facilities and unsurpassed access to critical transport logistics for State-wide distribution,” Member for Clayfield Tim Nicholls said.

“The Alter Steel Mill will strengthen Queensland’s steel supply chain by adding locally, recycled scrap-based steelmaking, to an established reinforcing network already supplying Queensland’s major construction projects and future infrastructure pipeline.

“This declaration will help support timely coordination of final approvals and enabling infrastructure as the project progresses towards early works and construction,” Alter Steel CEO Paul Zuckerman said.

“The Swanbank Steel Mill Project is a significant investment in Queensland’s sovereign manufacturing capability and is intended to supply reinforcing steel locally from 2028.

“Prescribed Project status will help coordinate the remaining infrastructure interfaces needed to support timely delivery of the project,” Future Forgeworks Pty Ltd Managing Director and CEO Rohan Richardson said.

“The proposed Sims Metal Pinkenba Redevelopment Project is intended to strengthen Queensland’s circular economy by expanding our capacity to recover, process and supply recycled metal feedstock for domestic manufacturing.

“Prescribed Project status will support coordinated engagement across government as we continue to progress planning for the staged redevelopment of our Pinkenba site and associated infrastructure interfaces,” Sims’ Chief Project and Business Development Officer John Glyde said.

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; Australian Manufacturing; Industry Queensland