Accelerated COVID-19 recovery is in the BAG
Date published: 21 May 2020
Some of the Townsville business community’s heaviest hitters have come together to provide advice on initiatives and policies to support the city’s recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Mayor and COVID-19 coordinating taskforce chair Jenny Hill said membership of the Business Advisory Group (BAG) included the chairs of the Townsville Hospital and Health Service, Port Authority and Chamber of Commerce, the Chancellor of James Cook University and the editor of The Townsville Bulletin.
It will also include representatives of the defence, minerals and agriculture sectors and the state and federal COVID-19 response taskforces.
“One of the first goals of Council’s COVID-19 Coordinating Taskforce was to ensure we had the right people sitting around the table to provide advice and direction on our recovery from the impacts of the coronavirus,” Cr Hill said.
“The BAG will provide a voice and input from Townsville region businesses and the community on policy outcomes to support COVID-related recovery across health, social, economic and employment.
“Its members will also provide feedback directly to me and the coordinating taskforce on the needs of the region and community to accelerate the recovery.
“Through this, the BAG will support the work of our Townsville recovery acceleration projects committee, which is ensuring we have a coordinated approach to the delivery of accelerated infrastructure projects for Townsville and the wider North Queensland region.”
Cr Hill said Townsville had hit the ground running on addressing the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
“We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the health, social and economic fabric of Townsville and North Queensland,” she said.
“Our recovery coordinating taskforce, acceleration projects and business advisory committees are now established, meeting and engaging with the state and Federal government to ensure Townsville and North Queensland are best-placed to not only recover from the impacts of the pandemic, but to come back stronger than ever.
“Recovery isn’t going to happen overnight. We know it is going to take at least three years to get our community back on-track.
“But by working together as a community and engaging effectively with the state and federal governments, we can ensure that our recovery will be pivotal in securing the Townsville region’s future.”
