Townsville City Council is getting on the front foot by taking a whole of community and government approach to responding to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community leaders have met to set a shared plan for the region’s economic and social recovery as North Queensland eagerly awaits the further relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Townsville’s COVID-19 Taskforce has convened business leaders to begin discussions around projects that will accelerate the city’s recovery.

Mayor Jenny Hill said even if all restrictions were lifted in the coming weeks, things would not go back to business as usual.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on the entire world and to not consider that in our planning would be foolish,” Cr Hill said.

“In less than four months, the COVID-19 pandemic has set Townsville back economically and socially by levels experts warn could outstrip the impact of the GFC, QNI closure and floods combined,” Cr Hill said.

“We also need to remember we are now one among hundreds of communities across the country that will be looking for investment and support to stimulate economic recovery.

“Pulling together a team to identify shovel-ready infrastructure and environmental projects to be considered as part of state and federal government’s budget process is an important step forward.”

Mayor Jenny Hill said the scale of the pandemic played an important role in how we needed to plan the reactivation of the region.

“That is why we are bringing together representatives from across business, industry and community to provide a strategic and holistic lens to inform how we plan and identify opportunities to adapt, reshape, prioritise and revitalise our region,” she said.

“We are also actively establishing a series of stakeholder groups to ensure this is a balanced and community-led approach.”

Townsville Recovery Acceleration Projects Group members: