The Townsville City Deal is a 15 year commitment between the Australian and Queensland Governments and the Townsville City Council to a collective program of planning, reform and investment for Townsville. The commitments made under the City Deal are consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth and the State of Queensland to establish and implement City Deals, which was agreed on 10 November 2016.
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The Townsville City Deal was signed on 9 December 2016. It outlines a series of commitments that all three tiers of government will work together to deliver, as well as a series of future opportunities for further collaboration, to deliver a transformational impact for Townsville.
The Townsville City Deal is a 15-year commitment that aims to support a prosperous economic future for Townsville. It will position Townsville as a vibrant, livable and innovative city in Northern Australia.
Key achievements
Key achievements of the Townsville City Deal in 2020 include:
Opening of the stadium officially named the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, with a concert by Sir Elton John on 29 February 2020 and the North Queensland Cowboys’ first match of the 2020 NRL season on 13 March 2020.
Construction of the Port of Townsville channel upgrade progressed with over 750,000 tonnes of rock used to build a 2.2km seawall (with dredging to commence later in 2021).
Completion of Stage 1 of the Haughton Pipeline from the Ross River Dam to the Haughton River, ready for eventual connection to Stage 2 between the Haughton and Burdekin Rivers.
Finalisation of the Townsville Health and Knowledge Development Strategy and the Townsville Workforce Development Plan, as well as the launch of TropiQ.
Launch of Smart Precinct NQ - an initiative of the Townsville Smart City Strategy.
2020 Annual Progress Report
The year 2020 was one of significant achievement for the Townsville City Deal, but also a time of extraordinary challenges in Australia and around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the global economy - causing business devastation, interrupting supply chains and forcing millions out of work. The North Queensland economy has not been spared these impacts, and the people of Townsville - still recovering from the 2019 monsoon event - have taken a hit.
Despite these challenges, a number of commitments under the Townsville City Deal were completed in 2020, adding to a growing list of successes over the past four years. In 2021, the economic momentum delivered by the Deal will be more important than ever in supporting Townsville to recover and prosper.
Timeline
Announcement of Townsville City Deal
13 June 2016
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding for City Deals in Queensland
Within six months
Signing of Townsville City Deal
9 December 2016
Implementation Plan
April 2017
First Annual Progress Report
March 2018
Second Annual Progress Report
April 2019
Third Annual Progress Report
February 2020
Fourth Annual Progress Report
January 2022
Formal Review of the Townsville City Deal
January 2022