Manufacturing company Downer Group warns staff of potential job cuts as it prepares to build trains for Brisbane Olympics
A New Zealand owned company set to build trains for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics has warned staff of possible job cuts.
Downer Group is contracted to build 65 passenger trains for Queensland Rail ahead of the games.
The Courier Mail, citing unnamed sources, reported Downer was seeking to cut 35 jobs from its Maryborough site by June, with another 86 set to be axed by the end of the year.
However, on Thursday a spokesperson for the company maintained 'no final decision' had been reached over whether it would move to lay off staff.
'Our work on the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program is continuing as expected and we look forward to working with the Queensland government on potential future opportunities,' the spokesperson said.
'The consultation we have commenced with our workforce specifically relates to the cessation of a contract with a private freight operator.
'We want to confirm no final decision has been made and we continue to explore opportunities to fill the gap in work in order to ease any impact on our people.'
Maryborough has supported train manufacturing in Queensland for a number of years, with Downer employing as many as 525 people on site in the town.
The company signed a $4.6 billion deal with the former Palaszczuk Government in 2023 which aimed to support 800 jobs in manufacturing and construction.
Manufacturing Minister Dale Last told Queensland parliament on Thursday he had regularly met with construction contractors within Downer and has visited the Maryborough site.
'The jobs that are being created at the new train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea are secure,' he said.
'They will be secure for the construction of those 65 trains and ongoing under this government.'
Mr Last added the state government had awarded a new $120 million contract to Gold Coast company ADCO to build a new rail maintenance facility to maintain passenger trains built under the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program.
'ADCO will build a 20,000 sqm rail maintenance facility that will service and maintain the expanded fleet of 65 new six-car passenger trains being built in Maryborough to service the South-East Queensland rail network,' he said.
The 20,000sqm rail maintenance building will support over 100 jobs during construction and around 140 jobs when operational.
Billions of dollars are expected to be poured into the Sunshine State ahead of the Olympic Games in 2032.
According to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority, the Crisafulli government has accepted estimates the new 63,000-seat Brisbane Victoria Park stadium will cost $3.785 billion.
The federal government is also investing upwards of $3.435 billion in key venue infrastructure.
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