Latest news with #Maryborough
ABC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
More than 120 Downer jobs at risk after Queensland Rail rejects tilt train proposal
As the fate of more than 120 manufacturing workers hangs in the balance, Queensland Rail says it is "re-scoping" its search for who will carry out significant works on its diesel tilt trains. Manufacturing powerhouse Downer, which is building trains for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, announced earlier this month that a reduced workload had prompted "potential" redundancy talks with staff. The company has more than 250 employees in the city of Maryborough, three hours north of Brisbane, and 122 of those are at risk. On Tuesday Manufacturing Minister Dale Last said workers facing redundancies would be offered jobs at Downer's new Torbanlea facility, where 65 trains for the Olympics are to be built. He said that project would create about 800 jobs, some of which would become available this year. "Certainly the employees that are engaged here in the construction of [the Torbanlea] facility and the employees at the facility in Maryborough, they will be offered those jobs first and foremost," Mr Last said. Queensland Rail's (QR) rejection of a direct proposal from Downer to overhaul the diesel tilt train fleet is believed to be a reason behind the regional company's reduced workload. "Downer's original proposal under a partnership alliance to undertake a major overhaul of the diesel tilt train fleet was unable to be approved by Queensland Rail as it did not represent value for money," a QR spokesperson said. "This was verified by an independent estimator." QR said it was working with Downer on other major manufacturing projects, including the South East Queensland fleet. The spokesperson said there would be another opportunity for the Maryborough facility to win the contract. "Queensland Rail is now re-scoping the diesel tilt train overhaul project," they said. The company made its announcement on May 1 and a week later Opposition Leader Steven Miles blamed the LNP for the "terrible implications" of job losses in Maryborough. But Transport Minister Brett Mickelberg rejected that accusation. "I've had no role in this decision … operational decisions for Queensland Rail are a matter for the board," he said. University of Queensland transport engineering professor Mark Hickman said state legislation gave free rein to the QR board to make decisions in the best interests of Queenslanders. "I think the interpretation that the minister bears responsibility for this kind of a decision is not true in light of the way that the Queensland Rail board functions," he said. State legislation requires the board to comply with a direction from the minister, but Dr Hickman said it would be unusual for Mr Mickelberg to use this power to force the rejection of the Downer proposal to be overturned. "They are required statutorily to follow the directions of the minister," Dr Hickman said. "But that is a fairly rare occurrence that only happens in very rare cases." Mr Mickelberg said the government would "fight every single day" to protect the at-risk jobs. "We will do whatever it takes and work with whoever we need to work with to ensure that jobs remain here in Maryborough," he said. On Tuesday Mr Last announced that a full-scale replica of an Olympic train was on display in Brisbane for public feedback. He said the government was seeking feedback, in particular, from people living with disabilities or limited mobility. "We want to ensure that that replica is assessed rigorously by the disabled community, because we're absolutely committed to getting this right," Mr Last said.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Maryborough's The Nest parental program to close as Go Goldfields funding dries up
A successful program helping new parents in one of Victoria's most disadvantaged communities has closed due to a lack of funding. Maryborough, a town of about 8,000 people two hours north-west of Melbourne, has long struggled with socio-economic challenges. Downturns in manufacturing, rail and farming have seen the town consistently fall on hard times. Go Goldfields, a partnership featuring community, council and government leaders, has been working to break the cycle of disadvantage for children and families in the region since 2010. Its premier program was a drop-in space for new parents called The Nest, which offered support and provided referrals to relevant health services and parenting programs. It was deemed an immediate success in the community and was granted two early years awards by the Victorian government last year. However last month, it was forced to close after Go Goldfields exhausted the $1.225 million in Victorian government funding it had received since 2021. The funding was not renewed. The closure has left local parents devastated, including Kallie Swann. Ms Swann became a first-time mum in 2023, giving birth to her son Greyson. She said it was "terrifying" to think of The Nest not being there. Ms Swann had moved to Maryborough two years earlier and was yet to find her social network. Through The Nest she joined a local playgroup, received breastfeeding and mental health support, and learned about the services available to her son, such as free dental at the local hospital. By the time The Nest closed, the facilitators felt like friends. Ms Swann said she was worried about what would happen to other new parents. More than 2,200 families have dropped into The Nest since July 2022, resulting in 1,300 referrals to health and family support services. Go Goldfields narrowed its focus to early childhood in 2020, including offering parenting programs and collaborating with kindergartens and schools to help children transition into education. It has seen a drastic rise in participation in 15 hours of kindergarten from 33 per cent in 2019 to 85 per cent in 2024. Central Goldfields Shire Council interim chief executive, Sally Jones, said funding originally came from Regional Development Victoria, but she had been told it was no longer available. Ms Jones said approaches to the state and federal governments had so far been unsuccessful. She said the holistic program crossed multiple government portfolios and she believed that had worked against it. "We're not here to find a comfortable portfolio for a program that works," she said. "We are trying to get ministers to support this regardless and to look at what this has been achieving in a very small, disadvantaged area. A Victorian government spokesperson said it funded a "wide range of services in Central Goldfields Shire" but did not explain why Go Goldfields had missed out. "We will continue to work with Central Goldfields Shire Council to explore sustainable funding for future programs," the spokesperson said. Jesuit Social Services has been researching locational disadvantage for 25 years. It has consistently ranked Maryborough among the most disadvantaged communities in Victoria, in its 2007, 2015 and 2021 Dropping Off The Edge reports. The 2007 report was the trigger for the establishment of the Go Goldfields program in 2010. Jesuit Social Services chief executive Julie Edwards said the long-term nature of the research had shown how hard it could be to shift entrenched disadvantage. She described a "web" people got caught in, requiring solutions with 20 to 30-year horizons. Speaking generally, Ms Edwards said having physical places such as neighbourhood houses or community hubs was vital. "Otherwise, we're hollowing out community and making it a series of services that often aren't coordinated," she said. "We've got an epidemic of loneliness and isolation so these places of belonging and respect are really important." Ms Jones said it was not too late to continue the work of Go Goldfields. "The space is there. If the funding advocacy was successful we would absolutely open it as a drop-in because that is what makes it work," she said.
