Queensland Premier urges NSW businesses to move north

The Palaszczuk Government is encouraging NSW businesses to consider moving north as part of its drive to create jobs across Queensland.

Speaking from Sydney to promote the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Government had established the $40 million Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund in its 2016-17 State Budget.

“Since the last election, more than 40,000 additional jobs have been created in Queensland. My Government is determined to create more jobs and opportunities in Queensland.”

“The Fund will be able to provide incentives to attract interstate and overseas businesses and jobs to Queensland.”

Investment attraction may include facilitation and case management from the Department of State Development, payroll tax rebates, transfer duty concessions, or in some cases, cash grants.

“My Government is also determined to use our low tax status, including the lowest payroll tax in Australia, as well as our commitments to infrastructure, innovation and investment to draw businesses to Queensland,” the Premier said.

“There was a net migration of 4860 people from NSW to Queensland in the 12 months until 30 June last year. I am keen to encourage more businesses to also move north.”

Compared to NSW, Queensland taxes are $1125 lower per person.

Queensland’s payroll tax rate is the lowest in the country at 4.75% compared to 5.45% in NSW. The threshold for employers paying payroll tax in Queensland is $1.1 million a year compared to $750,000 in NSW.

The Palaszczuk Government has committed to a $40 billion over four years infrastructure.

Independent analysis has projected the private and public sector infrastructure pipeline to be $183 billion, second only to Western Australia and outstripping NSW with $129.5 billion and $78 billion in Victoria.

The Government is also pioneering a $405 million Advance Queensland initiative as part of the State’s transition beyond the mining boom and to promote the development of new products and services in Queensland for local and global markets.

Established Queensland businesses are also benefiting from a doubling of the payroll tax rebate for employing apprentices and trainees, and up to $15,000 for employing an unemployed person in regional Queensland under its $100 million Back to Work initiative.