Council Adopts New Economic Development Strategy

Council has today adopted its Economic Development Strategy, a blueprint for enhancing Mount Isa’s economic growth, liveability, investment, and sustainability into the future.

The five-year strategy – titled “Mount Isa, Moving Ahead” – contains a number of recommended initiatives and actions focused on attracting increased levels of investment from industry and other tiers of government to Mount Isa.

The strategy is designed to:

• Help retain and grow the city’s population
• Encourage business retention and expansion
• Attract investment in both people and industry
• Support industry diversification, growth and development, and
• Promote the development of a skilled workforce and the provision of local jobs.

It promotes a collaborative approach to economic development between the city and its partners in government, the non-government sector, industry, and stakeholders.

Some of the suggested initiatives include curating a “Welcome to Mount Isa” information pack to deliver information to new residents; investigating a business case for a Mount Isa Business Start-up Program, to support local entrepreneurs to establish or grow their business; investigating the concept of an Apprenticeship Hub in Mount Isa, to provide the region’s youth with opportunities for learning and on-the-job training; and prioritising investments in the city’s urban water infrastructure.

Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade said the strategy is designed to fulfil the city’s vision for prosperity and is focused on addressing Mount Isa’s challenges and opportunities for economic development in an informed and targeted manner.

"Council is committed to providing the foundations for prosperity by working within its scope as a Local Government authority to strike a balance between lifestyle and economic opportunity for the city’s residents,” Cr Slade said.