Joint Media Release with Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien MP
The Sunshine Coast’s reputation as a food and beverage hub is being cemented by the Morrison Government with $33.4 million for an Aussie-first manufacturing precinct at Sunshine Coast Airport.
Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor has today announced support for the $112.8 million Turbine Collaborative Food and Beverage Manufacturing Precinct under the Collaboration Stream of the Morrison Government’s $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
The precinct will be home to local food and beverage companies that will be able to utilise shared warehousing and logistics, an education and training centre, as well as a collaborative high-tech manufacturing facility.
It will bring together beverage company Lyre’s Spirit Co, the Queensland Drinks Accelerator and ingredients company Doehler Australia, with the Food and Agribusiness Network and University of the Sunshine Coast.
By having all the facilities under one roof, it will help drive the competitiveness of local companies by collaborating together and building further capability. Once complete, it will be Australia’s leading industry-based food and beverage research and commercialisation facility.
By teaming up with the University of the Sunshine Coast, the precinct’s first-of-its-kind embedded training centre will also help the next generation take the next step to their future roles in areas such food science, transport & logistics, and hospitality.
It’s expected the project will see 131 new jobs during construction and support 687 once operational with $200 million in economic benefits.
Minister Taylor said the Sunshine Coast is home to incredibly innovative manufacturers especially when it comes to amazing food and beverage products.
“Food and beverage manufacturing is the largest manufacturing sector for the Australian economy. One in four people employed in manufacturing are employed in our food and beverage sector and it contributes $27.5 billion to our economy,” Minister Taylor said.
“This funding will support some of the most innovative producers leverage technology to increase their production, while meeting growing export demand and creating new local jobs across the region and beyond through this world-class airport precinct.
“Not only does it remove barriers to businesses getting started, it will also help companies build their capabilities together and drive growth in the food and beverage sector on a scale not yet seen in Australia.”
Federal Member for Fairfax, Ted O’Brien said this funding boost will not only enable the project to get off the ground but become a catalyst for further industry investment into the world-first precinct.
“This massive investment will transform the local food and beverage sector and will create a stronger future for the Sunshine Coast – built on a stronger economy,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This end-to-end collaborative food and beverage precinct is a world-first and it will provide lucrative opportunities for businesses at all stages and all sizes to build, scale and export, all under one roof.
“But it’s not just business that benefits – this will create lifelong careers for local people.
“From food technologists to designers and engineers, the Turbine Precinct will create hundreds of highly-skilled careers for locals within an industry where the Sunshine Coast will be among the best in the world.”
The Modern Manufacturing Initiative is a key part of the Morrison Government’s plan for a stronger economy and a stronger future for our country.
